Privacy Policy

Information We Access, Collect, or Process

Account Information

If you sign in with Google, the app uses Firebase Authentication and may receive:

• Firebase user ID.
• Google account display name.
• Google account email address.
• Google account profile photo URL.

We use this information to show your profile, sync credits, verify access to paid or credited AI video generation, and associate generated AI videos with your account.

You can use the core timer without signing in. Google sign-in is required for AI video generation, credit balance, generated video history, and production purchase verification.

Timer and Focus Session Information

The app stores focus timer state locally, including:

• Selected focus duration.
• Selected break duration.
• Remaining timer seconds.
• Current phase (focus, paused focus, break, or paused break).
• Theme preference.
• Whether the floating HUD is visible.
• Selected companion overlay assets.
• Selected companion video timing, chroma key, scale, and position settings.

This data is used to run the timer, restore active sessions, continue focus and break cycles, show the floating timer HUD, and restore the timer after the app is closed or the device restarts. Timer session state is stored on the device in Android SharedPreferences and is not sent to the AI backend as part of normal timer use.

Focus Statistics

The app includes a stats screen that displays focus metrics such as focus time, sessions, streaks, goal progress, break balance, best focus hour, and productivity score. Current focus timer state is stored locally.

Camera Photos

The app requests the Camera permission so you can take a photo for AI companion generation. When you take a photo:

• The image is saved temporarily in the app cache.
• The image is compressed and resized before upload (max 720px, ~300 KB JPEG).

Camera photos are not uploaded unless you choose to generate an AI companion video.

Gallery Photos

The app lets you choose an image from your device gallery for AI companion generation using Android's system photo picker. The app receives access only to the image you selected. The compressed image may be uploaded to Firebase only when you request AI companion generation.

Local Companion Videos

The app lets you select a local video to create a companion overlay. When you choose a video:

• The app receives access only to the video you selected.
• The selected video is copied into the app's private files directory.
• The app reads video duration and preview frames locally.
• The app can save intro/loop timing, chroma key settings, crop, zoom, offset, and thumbnail settings.

Local imported companion videos are stored on your device and are not uploaded to Firebase or AI providers.

AI Companion Video Generation

When you request AI generation, the app sends the following to Firebase Cloud Functions:

• Compressed JPEG image data encoded as Base64.
• SHA-256 hash of the compressed image.
• MIME type and client-reported maximum upload dimension.
• Selected action ID from the app's allowed action list.
• Firebase authenticated user ID.
• App-generated client install ID.
• Source label identifying the app flow that requested generation.

The backend validates the request before spending credits or calling AI providers. The app uses fixed server-defined action IDs — users cannot send arbitrary prompt text for AI generation. This keeps generation behavior controlled by the backend and reduces prompt injection risk.

AI Actions

The app uses predefined AI action IDs, including examples such as happy idle, dancing, waving, sleeping, sitting, grooming, begging pose, head tilt, zoomies, play bow, high five, peekaboo, toy pounce, roll over, snack face, moonwalk, and other app-defined animal actions. The selected action ID is sent to the backend. Freeform action prompts are not collected from the user.

Generated Media

Generated AI output can include walking frame images, action frame images, a final MP4 video, job thumbnail, and a local downloaded copy. Generated media is associated with your Firebase user ID and remains available until deleted according to our retention practices or upon your request.

Credits, Subscriptions, and Payments

The app includes credit-based access to AI companion generation. One pro generation currently costs 100 credits. The backend may receive and process plan IDs, Google Play purchase tokens, purchase token hashes, order IDs, purchase timestamps, and subscription or one-time purchase status. The app and backend do not collect or store your credit card number, bank account number, or full payment credentials. Payment processing is handled by Google Play.

Installed App List and App Icons

Strict Guard setup shows launchable apps installed on your device so you can choose blocked and allowed apps. The app queries Android PackageManager for launchable app names, package names, and icons. Your selected blocked and allowed package names are stored locally in SharedPreferences. The app does not upload the full installed app list or your selected block list to Firebase.

Usage Access and Foreground App Detection

Strict Guard can use Android Usage Access to detect which app is currently in the foreground during an active focus session. The app uses this data to show a soft warning, block selected apps, or block launchable apps based on your strict mode settings. Foreground app package names are processed on the device and are not uploaded to Firebase or AI providers.

Strict Guard Modes

The app includes four strict focus modes:

• Off: No app blocking.
• Soft: Shows a warning for selected blocked apps while allowing touch-through interaction.
• Guard: Blocks selected blocked apps during focus.
• Deep: Blocks most launchable apps except allowed apps and default system exclusions.

Strict Guard is active only during focus or paused focus — not during break time. Strict Guard settings are stored locally.

Device Settings Blocking in Deep Mode

Deep mode can optionally block or redirect away from Android Settings apps while focus is active, to prevent disabling strict focus protections. This feature uses package names and app launch behavior. It does not collect your Android Settings content.

Overlay Companion, HUD, and Blocking Notice

The app uses Android overlay permission to show floating content over other apps during an active timer, including the mini bubble timer HUD, expanded timer HUD, companion video overlay, soft warning overlay, and strict blocking overlay. The overlay feature does not record your screen, capture screenshots of other apps, or read content from other apps.

Notification Permission

The app requests notification permission on Android versions that require it so it can show foreground timer notifications while the timer or overlay service is running. The notification may show the current phase and remaining time.

Notification Listener Access

If you grant Notification Listener access, the app can receive notification events from Android. PetPause's current strict notification code uses only the package name and notification key for blocking behavior and does not upload notification contents to Firebase or AI providers.

Boot Restore

If boot restore is enabled, the app receives Android boot completed or package replaced broadcasts so it can restore an active focus session after restart or app update. Boot restore uses locally saved timer session state and strict settings. It does not upload boot events to the backend.

Flip-Phone Focus Trigger

The app includes an optional flip-phone trigger that uses the accelerometer to detect when the device is face down. The app does not upload raw sensor readings or a sensor history to Firebase or AI providers.

App-Generated Identifiers and Security Signals

The app creates a random client install ID stored locally. When you request AI generation, the client install ID is sent to the backend and hashed for rate limiting and abuse prevention. The backend may also create rate-limit keys using request metadata such as IP address and user agent. Firebase App Check with Play Integrity is used to confirm requests come from a legitimate app instance.

How We Use Information

We use the information described above to:

• Run the focus timer and restore active sessions.
• Show the floating HUD and companion overlay over other apps.
• Enforce strict focus settings and show blocked and allowed app lists.
• Suppress blocked-app notifications during strict focus when notification listener access is granted.
• Let users import, edit, and save local companion videos.
• Let users create AI companion videos from selected images and predefined actions.
• Display generation job status and allow downloading generated videos.
• Manage credits, purchases, and subscriptions.
• Prevent abuse, fraud, duplicate spending, and excessive provider cost.
• Debug failed generation jobs and improve reliability.
• Provide customer support if you contact us.

When Information Is Shared

We share information only as needed to provide app functionality, operate the backend, process payments, generate AI media, protect the service, or comply with law.

Firebase and Google Services

The app and backend use Firebase Authentication, Firebase App Check and Play Integrity, Firebase Cloud Functions, Firebase Firestore, Firebase Storage, and Google Play Billing and the Google Play Developer API for production purchase verification.

OpenAI

For AI companion generation, the backend sends your uploaded animal image to OpenAI to generate the walking frame and action frame. OpenAI receives the image and server-defined prompt instructions needed for frame generation. The mobile app does not contain OpenAI API keys and does not call OpenAI directly.

Seedance / BytePlus Video Provider

For final AI video generation, the backend sends the generated walking frame and action frame to the Seedance video provider. The mobile app does not contain Seedance API keys and does not call Seedance directly.

Google Play

For payments, Google Play handles payment processing. The app and backend may process plan IDs and purchase tokens to verify entitlements. We do not receive your full payment card details.

Legal or Safety Reasons

We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, security investigation, fraud prevention, or to protect the rights and safety of users, the app, the developer, or service providers.

What We Do Not Do

Data Storage and Security

Local Device Storage

Local data may be stored in Android SharedPreferences, app cache, and the app's private files directory. This includes timer state, theme settings, strict guard settings, selected package names, local companion videos, generated video downloads, thumbnails, and onboarding state. The Android manifest currently allows Android backup — depending on a user's Android backup settings, some local app data may be backed up by Android's system backup service.

Firebase Storage and Firestore

Firebase stores AI uploads, generated files, job documents, credit wallet data, billing metadata, usage counters, rate-limit records, and account-linked generation records. Firestore rules restrict users to reading their own user and generation documents. Storage rules restrict users to reading their own uploads and generated job files.

Backend Secrets

Provider API keys — including OpenAI, Seedance, and Google Play service credentials — are stored on the backend through Firebase or Google Cloud secret handling. These keys are not stored in the Android app, Firestore, Remote Config, Firebase Storage, or public client code.

Transmission

The app and backend use HTTPS or provider SDK secure transport for network communication where supported by the platform and providers.

Data Retention

Local data remains on your device until you delete it inside the app, clear app data, uninstall the app, or the app cache is cleared by Android.

AI generation records and files may remain in Firebase until they are no longer needed to provide generation history and downloads, you request deletion, or the developer removes old data under internal retention rules. Retention may be required for fraud prevention, billing, security, accounting, or legal reasons.

Rate-limit records, hashed install or network keys, error messages, purchase verification records, and billing records may be retained as needed for abuse prevention, refunds, accounting, purchase verification, or legal compliance.

Data Deletion and Account Deletion

If you want to delete your account data, generated AI media, uploaded images, billing-related app records, or other personal data associated with PetPause, visit our dedicated deletion page or contact us directly:

Your Choices and Controls

You can control app data and permissions in these ways:

• Use the core timer without signing in.
• Sign in with Google only if you want AI generation, credit sync, or purchase features.
• Choose camera or gallery for AI photo input, or avoid AI generation entirely to prevent any image upload.
• Use local companion videos without uploading them.
• Delete user-added companions inside the app.
• Choose Strict Guard Off, Soft, Guard, or Deep mode.
• Change blocked and allowed app selections.
• Disable the focus notice overlay, boot restore, or the flip-phone trigger.
• Revoke overlay permission, usage access, notification permission, or notification listener access in Android settings at any time.
• Clear app data or uninstall the app to remove local data from the device.
• Contact us to request deletion of server-side account and generated media records.

Android Permissions Used

The app may request or declare the following Android permissions:

The app also declares package visibility queries for launcher and home apps so it can display app choices for strict blocking and resolve home/system exclusions.

Children's Privacy

PetPause is not directed to children under 13 or the minimum age required by applicable law. If you believe a child has provided personal information through the app, contact us so we can review and delete the information where required.

International Processing

Firebase, Google, OpenAI, Seedance/BytePlus, and other service providers may process information in countries other than your own. By using features that require these services, you understand that data may be processed where those providers operate.

Third-Party Service Policies

The app relies on third-party services that have their own privacy and data handling practices, including:

• Google Firebase and Google Play services.
• OpenAI.
• Seedance / BytePlus ModelArk or the configured Seedance video provider.

You should review their policies for additional details about how they process data submitted through their services.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as the app changes. If we make material changes, we will update the effective date and, where appropriate, provide notice in the app or through the store listing.

Contact

For privacy questions, data access requests, or deletion requests, contact: