FriendScreen Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2, 2026

FriendScreen ("FriendScreen," "we," "us," or "our") is a mobile app that helps you track your own screen time and compare it with friends. This Privacy Policy explains what information the app collects, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have.

By creating an account or using FriendScreen, you agree to the practices described in this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the app.

1. Who we are

FriendScreen is operated by the FriendScreen team. If you have any questions about this policy or your data, contact us at:

• Email: friendscreen0@gmail.com

The app is currently distributed for Android under the package name com.zuidertant.friendscreen.

2. Information we collect

a. Account information

When you sign up, we collect and store:

• Email address (for email/password sign-up, or from your Google account if you use Google Sign-In).
• Password — handled securely by Google Firebase Authentication. We never see or store your plain-text password.
• Display name and username handle (e.g. @yourname).
• Avatar (an emoji you are assigned or choose).
• Account metadata such as your join date and email-verification status.

If you sign in with Google, we receive your Google account's email address and display name through Google Sign-In. We do not receive your Google password.

b. Screen-time and app-usage data

FriendScreen's core feature is tracking how much time you spend on your device and in individual apps. On Android, with your permission (see the Usage Access section below), the app reads:

• Total daily screen-time (in minutes).
• Per-app usage — the name and package identifier of apps you use (for example, "Instagram" / com.instagram.android), how many minutes you spent in each, and an app-category label (social, games, productivity, entertainment, communication, other).
• App icons used to display your usage list.
• Your device time zone, so daily totals are calculated for the correct calendar day.

This usage data is read on your device and, when you are signed in, synced to our cloud database so it can be shown to you and shared with friends according to your settings.

c. Social and profile data

• Friends and friend requests — the connections you create with other FriendScreen users.
• Groups you create or join, and their membership.
• Settings and preferences, including your daily screen-time goal and your "share app details" privacy setting.

d. Automatically collected / diagnostic data

We use Google Firebase, which may automatically collect limited technical and analytics information (such as app interaction events, device type, and crash or diagnostic data) to help us operate and improve the app. See Google's policies linked in Section 7.

We do not collect your precise location, contacts, photos, microphone, or camera data.

3. The Android "Usage Access" permission

To measure screen time, FriendScreen uses the Android PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS ("Usage Access") permission. This is a special permission that you must grant manually in your device settings — the app cannot enable it for you.

• We use this permission only to read app-usage statistics (which apps were used and for how long) in order to provide FriendScreen's screen-time tracking and comparison features.
• We do not use it to read the content inside your apps, your messages, or your keystrokes.
• You can revoke Usage Access at any time in your device's Settings → Apps → Special app access → Usage access. If you revoke it, the screen-time features will stop working.

On Android 11+ the app also requests package-visibility so it can display the correct names and icons of the apps in your usage list.

4. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Create and manage your account and authenticate you.
• Calculate and display your daily and historical screen-time.
• Let you add friends, form groups, and compare screen-time on leaderboards and head-to-head views.
• Apply your privacy and goal settings.
• Send you a verification email when you sign up.
• Maintain, secure, troubleshoot, and improve the app.

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use your screen-time data for advertising.

5. How your information is shared

a. With other FriendScreen users

FriendScreen is a social app, so some of your information is visible to people you connect with:

• Your display name, username, and avatar are visible to other users so they can find and add you.
• Your screen-time totals are visible to your friends and to members of groups you join (for leaderboards and comparisons).
• Your per-app details (which specific apps you use) are shared with friends only if you enable the "share app details" setting. If it is turned off, friends can still see your category and total time, but not the individual app names.

You control these connections by choosing whom you add as a friend and which groups you join, and by toggling your share settings.

b. With service providers

We use Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, and related services) and Google Sign-In to run the app. Your data is stored on Google's cloud infrastructure and processed according to Google's terms and privacy policy. We do not share your data with these providers for their own independent purposes.

c. Legal reasons

We may disclose information if required to do so by law, or if we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to comply with a legal obligation, protect our rights or safety, or prevent fraud or abuse.

6. Data storage and retention

Your data is stored in Google Cloud Firestore and Firebase Authentication. Screen-time data is retained so you and your friends can see historical comparisons. We keep your information for as long as your account is active.

If you delete your account, or request deletion (see Section 8), we will delete your profile, screen-time records, and social connections from our active database, except where we are required to retain certain information by law.

7. Third-party services

FriendScreen relies on the following third-party services, each governed by its own privacy policy:

• Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Analytics/diagnostics) — https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy
• Google Sign-In — https://policies.google.com/privacy

8. Your choices and rights

• Access and correction: You can view and edit your profile information (name, username, avatar, goal) in the app.
• Sharing controls: You can turn the "share app details" setting on or off at any time.
• Usage Access: You can grant or revoke the Android Usage Access permission at any time in your device settings.
• Account deletion: You can request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us at friendscreen0@gmail.com.

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws such as the GDPR or CCPA, including the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your personal data. To exercise these rights, contact us at the email above.

9. Children's privacy

FriendScreen is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

10. Security

We rely on Google Firebase's security infrastructure to protect your data in transit and at rest, and we restrict access to your data through authentication and database rules. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date above. Significant changes may be communicated in the app. Your continued use of FriendScreen after an update means you accept the revised policy.

12. Contact us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at:

• Email: friendscreen0@gmail.com