Our Commitment to Privacy

ChessLock is designed with privacy at its core. We believe you should be able to improve your focus without compromising your personal data. This policy explains what limited information ChessLock accesses on each platform and how it's handled.

What ChessLock Accesses

ChessLock needs certain device permissions to enforce the app blocking and focus sessions you configure. What's accessed depends on your platform:

iOS & macOS

  • Screen Time Data: ChessLock uses Apple's Screen Time and Family Controls APIs to read which apps you use and for how long. This data never leaves your device.
  • App Usage Statistics: Used exclusively to display your focus progress and app usage patterns within the app.

Android

  • Installed Apps: ChessLock reads the list of installed apps (via QUERY_ALL_PACKAGES) so you can choose which apps to block during focus sessions. No app list data leaves your device.
  • Accessibility Service: Used to detect when a blocked app is opened so ChessLock can show the blocking overlay. ChessLock only reads the foreground app package name — it does not read screen content, text, or inputs.
  • App Usage Data: ChessLock accesses usage statistics (via PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS) to calculate daily app limits you've configured.
  • Display Overlay: ChessLock uses SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW to show the blocking screen when a blocked app is opened during an active focus session.
  • Foreground Service: ChessLock runs a foreground service to keep enforcement active while your sessions or app limits are running. A persistent notification is shown during this time.
  • Boot Completed: ChessLock listens for device reboot to optionally restart the foreground service if you had an active session.

Both Platforms

  • Device Storage: ChessLock stores your preferences (blocked apps list, puzzle difficulty, focus session schedules, app limits) locally on your device.
  • Chess Puzzles: ChessLock fetches puzzles from the Lichess.org public API. Only the puzzle difficulty level is sent in the request. No personal or device data is transmitted.
  • RevenueCat: RevenueCat, our subscription service, generates an anonymous app user ID on first launch to support subscription features. This ID is a random UUID not linked to your identity. If you purchase a subscription, RevenueCat also receives the transaction token to validate the purchase. RevenueCat does not receive your name, email, or device identifiers. See RevenueCat's Privacy Policy for details.

What ChessLock Does NOT Collect

  • No Account Required: ChessLock does not require you to create an account. There is no registration, no email collection, and no login.
  • No Personal Information: We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, or any other personally identifiable information.
  • No Browsing History: ChessLock does not know which websites you visit or what content you view within apps. The Accessibility Service only checks whether the foreground app is on your blocked list.
  • No Location Data: ChessLock does not access your device's location.
  • No Third-Party Analytics or Tracking: ChessLock contains no analytics, advertising, or tracking SDKs.
  • No Data Upload: All your session data, app limits, usage stats, and puzzle progress stay on your device. We operate no backend servers that collect or store your data.

How Your Data Stays Private

ChessLock operates entirely on-device. Your focus session history, app limits, blocked app preferences, and chess puzzle progress are stored locally:

  • iOS & macOS: Data is protected by your device passcode and Apple's hardware encryption. Data is included in your iCloud backup (if enabled) but is not accessible to us.
  • Android: Data is stored in the app's internal storage, protected by the Android sandbox and your device encryption (if enabled).
  • Deleting ChessLock from your device permanently removes all associated data.

Platform-Specific Permissions

iOS & macOS — Screen Time API

ChessLock uses Apple's Screen Time API (Family Controls framework) which is controlled by iOS/macOS itself. Apple handles the authorization flow — ChessLock never sees your Apple ID or credentials. You can revoke Screen Time access at any time in your device Settings under Screen Time > App & Website Activity.

Android — Accessibility Service

ChessLock uses an Accessibility Service solely to detect when a blocked app enters the foreground. It reads only the package name of the foreground app and compares it against your configured blocked list. ChessLock does not read, collect, or transmit any screen content, text, notifications, or user input. You can disable the Accessibility Service at any time in Settings > Accessibility > ChessLock.

Android — All Permissions

You can revoke any Android permission at any time in Settings > Apps > ChessLock > Permissions. Note that disabling core permissions (Accessibility Service, Usage Access, or Display Overlay) will prevent ChessLock from enforcing app blocking.

Children's Privacy

ChessLock does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Since the app stores all data locally and requires no account, there is no mechanism for us to collect data from any user, including children.

Changes to This Policy

If we make material changes to this privacy policy, we will notify users through an app update notice. The latest version will always be available on this page.

Your Rights

Since ChessLock stores all data locally on your device, you are in complete control. You can:

  • View all your data within the ChessLock app at any time
  • Delete individual sessions, app limits, or blocked app configurations in-app
  • Delete all your data by removing the app from your device
  • Disable or revoke any permission in your device Settings at any time

Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or ChessLock's privacy practices, contact us at voyagerapps1@gmail.com.