Privacy Policy
Last Updated: February 20, 2024
Scrollstice ("the Application") is a digital wellbeing tool designed to help users manage screen time through mindful interventions. We operate with a Privacy-First philosophy: your data never leaves your device.
Prominent Disclosure: On-Device Processing
Scrollstice is designed to operate 100% locally. We do not use external servers, cloud databases, or remote tracking. All app usage detection and behavioral analysis occurs exclusively on your device.
1. Permissions: How and Why We Use Them
To provide its core functionality, Scrollstice requires specific Android system permissions. Below is a detailed explanation of why these are necessary and how they are used.
A. AccessibilityService API
How: This API allows the app to detect when the foreground window changes.
Why: Scrollstice needs to know when you have opened a "distracting" application (like Social Media) so it can start the dwell timer and trigger the "Pause" intervention at the correct time.
✓ Reassurance: We do not read on-screen content, track keystrokes, or monitor private messages. We only detect the *name* of the app currently in use.
B. Usage Access (UsageStatsManager)
How: This provides access to the system's history of app usage events.
Why: It serves as a vital backup to the Accessibility Service, ensuring that your "Total Time Spent Today" and "Top Distractions" are calculated accurately even if the background service is temporarily interrupted by the system.
✓ Reassurance: This data is processed purely for your own behavioral insights and is never transmitted off-device.
C. Display Over Other Apps (Overlay)
How: This allows the app to draw a full-screen window on top of other running applications.
Why: This is the "Turning Point" of the app. It is necessary to display the intervention screen that prompts you to choose whether to keep scrolling or stop, breaking the addictive loop.
✓ Reassurance: This permission is used solely to display the intervention UI and does not grant us access to any information inside the underlying apps.
D. Battery Optimization (Unrestricted Usage)
How: This exempts the app from Android’s standard battery-saving restrictions.
Why: To reliably protect your time, the monitoring engine must stay active in the background. Without this, Android may shut down Scrollstice, allowing you to drift back into mindless scrolling without a pause.
✓ Reassurance: While this allows the app to run continuously, it does not enable any hidden data collection or tracking.
2. Zero-Data Transmission Policy
Scrollstice is built without any internet-facing capabilities. The Application:
- Does not use Firebase, Google Analytics, or any telemetry frameworks.
- Does not contain advertising SDKs or tracking pixels.
- Does not utilize any external cloud APIs or databases.
3. User Control and Data Deletion
You have absolute control over your digital wellbeing. You may revoke any sensitive permission at any time through the Android System Settings. All locally stored statistics and settings are permanently wiped if you uninstall the Application.
4. Liability and Medical Disclaimer
Scrollstice is a self-help and habit-awareness utility. It is not a medical device. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, or prevent any medical or psychological condition. Use of the Application is at your own risk. We are not liable for any interruptions in device functionality or missed notifications that may occur while the Application is active.
5. Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding these permissions or our privacy practices, please contact us at:
Email: support@scrollstice.com