Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

This Privacy Policy describes how AE Solutions LLC, operating under the brand MicGuard, collects, uses, stores, and protects your information when you use our mobile application (the "App" or the "Service").

2. Information We Collect

All data processing occurs exclusively on your device. We fundamentally do not record, transmit, or parse the contents of your audio streams.

2.1 Data Processed Locally

2.2 What We Do NOT Collect

• ❌ Audio recordings or transcripts
• ❌ Your location, contacts, or call logs
• ❌ Photos, files, or storage contents
• ❌ Google Advertising ID or any advertising identifiers
• ❌ Device fingerprints or hardware serial numbers
• ❌ Browsing history or search queries
• ❌ Account credentials or financial information

2.3 Optional Diagnostics

If you contact support via the in-app email feature, you may optionally attach a diagnostic report containing only: device model, Android version, and app version. This is sent via your own email client — not through our servers. No microphone event data is included.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the locally processed information solely to:

• Monitor and alert you in real-time when an app uses your microphone
• Maintain a local history log of microphone access events
• Display usage analytics and risk assessments
• Block microphone access when you enable MicBlock
• Customize notification behavior based on your preferences

We do not use your information for advertising, marketing, profiling, behavioral analysis, or sale to third parties.

4. Data Storage & Security

All microphone event data is stored in a local database on your device. No microphone event data is transmitted to any external server. If you opt in to crash reporting via Settings, anonymized crash diagnostics (stack traces, device model, OS version) may be sent to Firebase Crashlytics. No microphone events, audio, or personal information is included in crash reports.

Security Measures

• HTTPS-Only: All network traffic is forced through encrypted channels
• Backup Exclusion: Database and preferences are excluded from cloud backup and device transfer
• Backup Disabled: allowBackup is set to false
• Code Obfuscation: Release builds use ProGuard/R8 minification
• Private Storage: All data is in Android's private app directory, inaccessible to other apps

No method of electronic storage is 100% secure. On rooted or compromised devices, locally stored data may be accessible. We encourage you to keep your OS updated and use a screen lock.

5. Data Retention & Deletion

You retain absolute sovereign control over your information with configurable retention:

You can delete all stored history at any time from "About & Transparency" → "Data & Retention" → "Delete All History." This is immediate and irreversible.

Upon uninstallation, Android's OS automatically purges all locally stored data — database, preferences, and cached data.

6. Data Sharing & Third Parties

We operate under a strict no-sale, no-share pact. We will never sell, lease, rent, or disclose any data to third-party data brokers, advertising networks, or government entities. Because no telemetry leaves your device, there is physically no data to sell.

Third-Party SDKs

The App does not integrate any third-party analytics, advertising, or tracking SDKs. No AdMob, Google Analytics, Facebook SDK, Amplitude, Mixpanel, or any similar service.

The App does include Firebase Crashlytics for crash reporting. Crashlytics is disabled by default and only activates if you explicitly opt in via Settings. When enabled, it collects anonymized crash data (stack traces, device model, and OS version) to help us fix bugs. It does not collect microphone events, audio, personal information, or advertising identifiers. You can disable it at any time from Settings.

Legal Disclosure

We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request. We will make reasonable efforts to notify you before such disclosure, unless prohibited by law.

7. Permissions Explained

Every permission we request serves a specific and necessary purpose:

• Microphone: Detect when the mic is active — never records audio
• Notifications: Alert you when apps access your microphone
• Foreground Service: Run monitoring continuously in the background
• Modify Audio Settings: Mute the system mic for the MicBlock feature
• Vibrate: Haptic feedback for notifications and interactions
• Usage Stats: Fallback method to identify the recording app when direct attribution is unavailable (optional, granted manually)

8. Your Rights

GDPR (European Economic Area)

• Right of Access: View all collected data directly within the App
• Right to Erasure: Delete all data at any time from within the App
• Right to Restriction: Pause monitoring at any time from Settings
• Right to Portability: Data export feature planned for a future release
• Right to Object: Stop all processing by disabling monitoring or uninstalling
• Right to Complain: Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

Since all data is stored locally, you exercise these rights directly through the App without contacting us.

CCPA/CPRA (California, USA)

• Right to Know: Data categories are described in Section 2
• Right to Delete: Delete all data from within the App at any time
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale: We do not sell your personal information
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate for exercising your rights

LGPD (Brazil)

Brazilian users have similar rights including confirmation of processing, access, correction, anonymization, deletion, portability, and third-party information. All exercisable through the App.

9. Children's Privacy

MicGuard is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children. The App is not subject to the Google Play Families Policy.

10. MicBlock Feature

MicBlock mutes the system microphone as a privacy measure. When activated, MicGuard uses the Modify Audio Settings permission to set the microphone to a muted state. If another app unmutes it, MicGuard will attempt to re-mute with exponential backoff.

11. Third-Party Links & Services

The App may contain links to external websites or services (e.g., system settings, your email client). These are governed by their own privacy policies, and we are not responsible for their content or practices. We encourage you to review them independently.

12. Disclaimer of Liability

MicGuard relies on Android system APIs to detect microphone usage. Detection accuracy varies by device manufacturer, Android version, and system configuration. We do not guarantee 100% detection of all events, accurate attribution in all cases, or detection of deeply embedded system processes.

We shall not be held liable for unauthorized access to locally stored data resulting from physical device access, rooting, malware, or user actions that compromise device security. The MicBlock feature is provided on an "as-is" basis.

13. Changes to This Policy

If we alter our core privacy principles, we will update the "Last Updated" date and make reasonable efforts to notify you via an in-app notice or update notes. Your continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Google Play Data Safety

• App interactions: ✅ Collected on-device only — not shared
• Diagnostics: ✅ Optional, user-initiated — not shared
• Device IDs: ❌ Not collected
• Location: ❌ Not collected
• Personal info: ❌ Not collected
• Audio files: ❌ Not collected

15. Contact Us

For privacy inquiries, vulnerability disclosures, or general questions, our line is always open. We aim to respond within 30 days.

AE Solutions LLC