Privacy Policy for Sober-Sync

Last Updated: January 20, 2026

Overview

Sober-Sync ("the App") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use our multi-addiction recovery tracking application.

Our Privacy-First Approach

Sober-Sync is 100% FREE and operates on a strict privacy-first philosophy:

• No account creation required
• No email, phone number, or personal identity required
• All recovery data stays on YOUR device only
• Cloud sync is OPTIONAL (Firebase sign-in)
• Addiction tracking is completely private

Information We Do NOT Collect

The App does NOT collect any of the following:

• Your real name or identity
• Email addresses or phone numbers
• Precise location data (GPS)
• Camera or microphone access
• Contacts or call logs
• SMS or phone access
• Social media accounts (except optional Google Sign-In for cloud backup)
• Health data beyond what you manually enter in the app
• Financial information or payment methods

Information Stored Locally (On Your Device)

The App stores the following data only on your device using Android's SharedPreferences and local database (SQLite):

• Addictions you track (name, icon, color, clean date)
• Your sobriety streaks (days clean, hours, minutes)
• Cost savings calculations (based on your input)
• Relapse incidents (date, trigger, severity, lessons learned)
• Journal entries about your recovery journey
• Motivational quotes you've bookmarked
• App settings (dark mode, notifications)
• Milestone achievements and badges

Important:

• This data never leaves your device unless you enable Cloud Sync
• Data is not transmitted to any server by default
• Data is not accessible to the developer
• Data is deleted if you uninstall the app or clear data

Optional Cloud Sync (Firebase)

If you choose to sign in with Google for cloud backup, the following applies:

Firebase Authentication (Optional)

• Stores Google account data (name, email, profile photo)
• Generates unique anonymous user ID
• Required for Cloud Sync feature only

Cloud Firestore (Optional - Signed-in users only)

• Stores your addiction tracking data (sobriety streaks, relapses, journal entries)
• Data is private to your account (not visible to other users)
• Enables recovery data sync across multiple devices
• Encrypted in transit and at rest
• You can delete cloud data anytime via Settings → Data → Delete Cloud Data

Firebase Realtime Database (Optional - Community Feature)

• Stores anonymous community posts (support messages, milestones)
• Data is public and visible to all app users
• You control what you share (no addiction details required)
• Posts can be made anonymously or with display name

Firebase Analytics (All Users)

• Collects anonymous usage statistics (screens viewed, feature usage)
• Country-level location (not precise GPS)
• App version, device model, OS version
• Crash reports (anonymous, no personal data)

Firebase Privacy Policy: Firebase Privacy Information

Third-Party Services

Google AdMob (100% Free App - Strategic Ad Placement)

Sober-Sync is 100% FREE and displays advertisements using Google AdMob to support development. AdMob may collect and use:

• Device advertising identifiers
• IP address
• Ad interaction data (clicks, impressions)
• General device information (OS version, screen size)

AdMob's data collection is governed by:

• Google Privacy Policy
• Google Ads Privacy Notice

You can opt out of personalized advertising through your device settings:

• Android: Settings → Google → Ads → Opt out of Ads Personalization

Ad Placement Strategy: Ads are strategically placed to be minimally disruptive to your recovery journey. We prioritize your experience and mental health over aggressive monetization.

Text-to-Speech (TTS) - CBT Meditations

The App uses Android's built-in Text-to-Speech engine for Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) meditation audio guides. TTS processing happens entirely on-device. No audio data is recorded or transmitted.

Permissions Required

The App requests the following Android permissions:

• INTERNET: Load advertisements, sync data (optional cloud backup), access community features
• ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE: Detect internet connectivity for Firebase sync
• POST_NOTIFICATIONS (Android 13+): Send daily sobriety reminder notifications (optional)
• SCHEDULE_EXACT_ALARM: Schedule reminders at your chosen time (optional)
• USE_EXACT_ALARM: Set precise alarm times for reminders (optional)
• VIBRATE: Haptic feedback for milestone achievements and Panic Button (optional)

The App does NOT request:

• Camera
• Microphone
• Contacts
• Phone/SMS
• Precise location
• External storage access (beyond app-specific folders)

Data Security

• All local data is stored securely using Android's encrypted storage mechanisms
• Firebase data (for signed-in users) is encrypted in transit (HTTPS) and at rest
• The App uses HTTPS for all network requests (ads, Firebase, community)
• Code obfuscation (R8/ProGuard) prevents unauthorized access to app internals
• Firebase security rules protect your cloud data from unauthorized access
• Addiction data is treated with the highest level of confidentiality

Sensitive Addiction Data

Your recovery journey is deeply personal. Sober-Sync handles addiction data with extreme care:

• Addiction types you track are NEVER shared with third parties
• Relapse details are stored securely and encrypted
• Journal entries are private to your device/account only
• Community posts are OPTIONAL - you choose what to share publicly
• Panic Button contacts (sponsor system) are stored locally only
• We do NOT sell or share your recovery data with anyone

Children's Privacy

The App is designed for users age 13 and older. The App does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 18, please use this App with parental supervision, especially for addictions requiring professional treatment.

Your Rights

For Local-Only Users (No Cloud Sync)

Since local mode does not collect personal data, there is no data to access, correct, or delete from our servers. You control all data on your device:

• View data: Settings → Data → Export Data (generates PDF report)
• Delete specific addiction: Home → Long-press addiction → Delete
• Archive addiction: Home → Long-press addiction → Archive
• Delete all data: Settings → Data → Clear All Data
• Uninstall: Removes all local data permanently

For Cloud Sync Users (Google Sign-In)

You have the following rights regarding your cloud data:

• Access your data: View synced data in Settings → Cloud Sync
• Export data: Settings → Data → Export Data (PDF report)
• Delete cloud data: Settings → Account → Delete Cloud Data (removes from Firestore)
• Delete account: Settings → Account → Delete Account (removes all data + account)
• Stop syncing: Sign out (local data preserved, cloud sync stops)

Community posts: Public community posts can be removed by contacting nimscraze@gmail.com with your post details.

Data Retention

• Local data: Stored indefinitely until you delete it or uninstall the app
• Cloud data (signed-in users): Stored indefinitely until you delete it via Settings
• Community posts: Stored indefinitely unless manually deleted or reported
• Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized after 60 days

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy or the App, contact:

Email: nimscraze@gmail.com