Lock In Privacy Policy

Effective date:

1. Introduction

Lock In is an iOS app lock that helps you hold yourself accountable and stay focused on the time you have already invested. We take your privacy seriously: Lock In runs on your device with no proprietary backend server, and your core data such as lock commitments and goals stays on your own device — it is not uploaded or transmitted elsewhere. (The app additionally uses Firebase and AdMob for anonymous analytics and ads — see Section 5.)

2. What Data We Collect

We ourselves do not collect any personally identifiable information. Lock In has no sign-up and no accounts, and we do not directly collect your email, name, location, or contacts (for data collected by third-party SDKs, see Section 5).

The following data you create while using Lock In is stored only on your device (via iOS AsyncStorage and an App Group). Neither we nor any third party can access it:

  • The lock commitments and durations you set;
  • The nickname and personal goals you enter;
  • The apps you choose to restrict — but note that what we receive is an Apple-encrypted opaque token, not the app's name or icon (see Section 3);
  • Your "slip" records (e.g., how often you tried to open a locked app), kept purely for your own self-awareness.

3. Use and Limits of Screen Time / FamilyControls

Lock In uses Apple's system frameworks Screen Time and FamilyControlsto intercept apps. When you choose apps to restrict, iOS asks for your authorization, and the system's Shield mechanism then intercepts a locked app when you try to open it.

Important technical limitation: Through these Apple frameworks, what we receive is an Apple-encrypted opaque token. This means Lock In's code technically cannot know which app you selected — not its name, bundle id, or icon — and cannot read any app's content or usage. All we can do is ask the system to intercept the items you selected yourself.

4. How Data Is Stored and Protected

The data you set inside the app is stored only on your deviceand is never uploaded to our servers (we don't operate a proprietary one); for data transmitted by third-party SDKs, see Section 5. Because this data lives only on your device, clearing it inside the app or uninstalling Lock In deletes the associated data along with it.

5. Third-Party Services

This app uses the following third-party services:

  • Firebase Analytics (Google): Collects anonymous, aggregated app-usage statistics (e.g., feature usage counts, crash information) to help us understand how the app is used and improve it. This aggregated data is not used to identify you personally.
  • Google AdMob (Google): Displays ads inside the app. Under iOS App Tracking Transparency (ATT), if you grant tracking permission, identifiers such as your device advertising ID may be used for personalized ads; if you decline, we serve only non-personalized ads. You can change this at any time under Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.

Both services are provided by Google, and their data handling is subject to Google's Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy. Data transmitted through these SDKs is used only for analytics and advertising — it is never used to identify the lock commitments, goals, or personal content you set inside the app; that data still stays only on your device (see Sections 2 and 4).

If we offer a paid subscription in the future, payments will be processed through the Apple App Store. Payment and credit-card information is handled entirely by Apple; we never have access to your payment data. Should we later introduce any other privacy-affecting third-party service, we will update this policy beforehand.

6. Children's Privacy

Lock In is not designed specifically for children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from children. Because the app itself collects no personally identifiable information and requires no account, we do not gather personal data from users of any age.

7. Your Rights

Because your data exists only on your device, you are always in full control of it. You can clear your data inside the app or simply uninstall Lock In to delete all associated data — no need to contact us or wait for processing.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and the "Effective date" at the top will be updated. We encourage you to revisit this page periodically for the latest version.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us: