Privacy policy — Focus & Screen Time Tracker
- App
- FocusGate — listed on Google Play as “Focus & Screen Time Tracker”
- Package name
- com.coroutinelab.focusgate
- Developer
- PhomoTech
- Google Play
- https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.coroutinelab.focusgate
This privacy policy covers FocusGate, listed on Google Play as "Focus & Screen Time Tracker" (package com.coroutinelab.focusgate). The app is developed and published by PhomoTech ("we", "us"). This policy explains what the app collects, why, where it goes and the choices you have. We wrote it to be read, not skimmed past.
The short version
- Your app usage, gates, limits and places stay on your phone.
- We don't ask for your name, email or phone number, and we never sell your data.
- To improve the app we send usage events and crash reports. Only if you choose to share, during setup or later in Plan & account, we also send your onboarding answers and a daily summary of your screen time. All of it is tied to a random ID rather than to you.
- Payments go through Google Play. We never see your card details.
What stays on your phone
FocusGate keeps this data only on your device:
- Screen time and opens per app, and how many notifications each app sends.
- Your gates (blocking schedules), app limits, allow list, blocked websites, focus goals and bedtime settings.
- Focus places: the Wi-Fi network names and locations you save. Your location is checked on the phone and never sent to us.
- Streaks, XP, badges, quests and your Paws customisations.
You can export this data from Plan & account, and it is deleted when you choose Start over or uninstall the app.
What leaves your phone
Some data is sent to services that help us run and improve FocusGate. It is linked to a random app ID (a hashed device identifier), not to your name or account.
- Analytics (PostHog, EU servers): which screens you open, which features you use, app version, device model and Android version, and, while "Share anonymous stats" is on, the answers you give during onboarding (your age range, how much screen time you expected, and last week's daily average).
- Our backend (Supabase), only while "Share anonymous stats" is on: the same onboarding answers and a daily summary of your total screen time, number of blocks and whether you hit your goal. Any feedback you choose to send us is stored there too. In return the app downloads anonymous community averages to compare with.
- Subscriptions (Google Play Billing and Superwall): see below.
- Google Play: in-app update checks and the rating prompt.
We don't send which apps you use, which websites you visit, your location or your notifications.
The Accessibility service
FocusGate uses Android's Accessibility service for one job: noticing when you open an app or website you chose to block, so it can show the pause screen. To do that it reads which app is in the foreground and, in browsers, the address of the open page; while Lock mode is on it also checks whether a Settings screen shows FocusGate. This happens on your phone in real time. FocusGate doesn't save what is on your screen, doesn't read your messages or passwords, and doesn't send any of it to us or anyone else. Without this permission blocking cannot work, and you can turn it off at any time in Android Settings.
Permissions and why we ask
- Usage access: to measure screen time per app and enforce limits.
- Accessibility: to show the pause screen over blocked apps and websites (see above).
- Notifications: to send reminders, the focus timer and alerts you turn on.
- Notification access (optional): to count how many notifications each app sends, for your stats only.
- Location and nearby Wi-Fi (optional): to turn a gate on at the places you choose.
- Alarms and reminders (optional): so Pomodoro and reminders fire on time.
- Battery optimisation exemption (optional): so Android doesn't stop blocking in the background.
Every optional permission can be refused or withdrawn in Android Settings; only the related feature stops working.
Subscriptions and payments
Premium is sold through Google Play. Google processes the payment under its own privacy policy, and we never see your card or bank details. Superwall, our subscription provider, shows the Premium screens and receives your subscription status, purchase events and basic device information so it can unlock Premium and measure which offers work.
Analytics and crash reports
Crash reports and error logs (stack traces, app version and device model) help us fix problems. Analytics events tell us how features are used so we can improve them. Neither includes the names of apps you use or the content on your screen.
Backups
If Android backup is on for your phone, Android may include FocusGate's on-device data in your Google account backup, so it can be restored on a new phone. This is handled by Google and you can turn it off in Android Settings.
Your choices
- Choose whether to share your answers during setup, and turn "Share anonymous stats" on or off at any time in Plan & account. Turning it off stops sending your onboarding answers and the daily summary.
- Turn off smart reminders, or any notification channel, in Settings.
- Refuse or withdraw any optional permission in Android Settings.
- Export your on-device data from Plan & account.
How long we keep data
On-device data stays until you delete it, choose Start over or uninstall the app. Analytics and backend data are kept for as long as they are useful for running and improving FocusGate, and for no longer than 24 months. Feedback you send is kept until it has been dealt with.
Deleting your data and your rights
Start over (Plan & account) erases everything on your phone, and uninstalling removes it too. To delete the data we hold on our servers, or to access it, email us from the Contact support screen; we will reply within 30 days. Depending on where you live (for example in the EU, UK or California) you may also have the right to object to or restrict processing, to data portability, and to complain to your local data protection authority.
Children
FocusGate is not intended for children under 13 (or the minimum age for digital consent where you live). We don't knowingly collect data from them. If you believe a child has used the app, contact us and we will delete the related data.
Security
Data sent from the app travels over encrypted connections (HTTPS). Access to our backend and analytics is limited to the people who run FocusGate. No method is completely secure, but we work to protect your data and keep what we collect to a minimum.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy we will update the date above and, for important changes, tell you in the app. Continuing to use FocusGate after a change means the updated policy applies.
Contact
Questions about privacy? Write to focuscat@coroutinelab.com or use Contact support in the app.