Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Welcome to Noise: Audio Stickers ("we," "our," or "the App"). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our mobile application and related services.
We operate under the principles of Data Minimization and Transparency. We only collect what is necessary to provide the core service and improve your experience.
2. Local-First Architecture
Your audio never leaves your device without your explicit action. The Noise App operates on a "local-first" privacy architecture:
| Data Type | Storage Location | Uploaded to Servers? |
|---|---|---|
| Audio Files (Private) | Device App Group | ❌ No (unless you publish) |
| Tile Images (Private) | Device App Group | ❌ No (unless you publish) |
| Published Noises | Supabase Cloud | ✅ Yes (your choice) |
| Profile Information | Supabase Cloud | ✅ Yes (username, avatar) |
3. App Group Container
All private user content is stored exclusively in the iOS App Group container (group.com.tileplay.noise), enabling:
- Seamless sharing between the main App and iMessage Extension
- Complete user control over data deletion
- No cloud dependency for private content
4. App Tracking Transparency (ATT)
On iOS 14.5 and later, we request your permission before collecting data that tracks your activity across other companies' apps and websites. This prompt appears after you complete onboarding.
- If you allow tracking: We collect anonymized analytics to improve the app and may personalize advertisements.
- If you deny tracking: We fully respect your choice. No analytics data is collected or transmitted. Advertisements will still appear but will not be personalized.
You can change your tracking preference at any time in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking.
5. Analytics & Trend Data
If you allow tracking, we collect the following anonymized data to improve the app experience:
| Data Collected | Purpose | Identifiable? |
|---|---|---|
| Search Queries | Build trending sounds, improve search results | ❌ No (aggregated only) |
| Play Counts | Surface popular content, creator analytics | ❌ No (per-noise metrics only) |
| Share Events | Measure virality, improve recommendations | ❌ No (counts only) |
| App Launch Events | Understand engagement patterns | ❌ No (session counts only) |
| Crash Reports | Fix bugs, improve stability | ❌ No (stack traces only) |
Aggregate Trend Data
We aggregate anonymized analytics to understand what people are searching for and sharing. This "trend data" helps us:
- Surface trending sounds and categories
- Identify content gaps (popular searches with few results)
- Provide creators with performance insights
We never sell individual user data. Aggregate trend insights (e.g., "funny sounds are 30% more popular this week") may be shared with partners or used for research, but these insights cannot identify any individual user.
6. Data We Do NOT Collect
- ❌ Conversation contents or message text
- ❌ Contact information or address books
- ❌ Precise location data
- ❌ Raw audio for training or AI analysis
- ❌ Biometric data
- ❌ Browsing history outside the app
- ❌ Data from other apps on your device
7. iMessage Transmission
When you send a Noise via iMessage:
- The audio file is transmitted through Apple's iMessage infrastructure
- A Noise ID is embedded in the message payload for playback
- We do not operate intermediate servers that intercept or store message content
- If the recipient doesn't have the app, they see a web preview link
8. Advertising
To support the free version of Noise, we display advertisements via Google AdMob:
- With tracking allowed: Ads may be personalized based on your interests.
- With tracking denied: Ads are contextual (non-personalized) but still appear.
- Pro/Mega subscribers: Users with an active subscription see no advertisements and are exempt from ad-related data collection.
9. Permissions Required
| Permission | Purpose | When Requested |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | Record audio for your Noises | First recording attempt |
| Photos | Import images for tile backgrounds | When selecting a photo tile |
| Tracking (ATT) | Analytics and personalized ads | After onboarding completes |
| Notifications | Engagement reminders, social updates | When enabling notifications |
10. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services to operate the App:
- Supabase: Database, authentication, and file storage for published content.
- Google AdMob: Advertisement delivery (free tier only).
- Google Sign-In: Optional OAuth authentication.
- Apple StoreKit: In-app purchases and subscription management.
Each service operates under its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them.
11. Data Retention
- Private content: Stored on your device until you delete it.
- Published content: Stored on our servers until you delete it or delete your account.
- Analytics data: Retained in aggregate form indefinitely. Individual session data is not stored.
- Account data: Retained until you request deletion.
12. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)
Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Correction: Request correction of inaccurate data.
- Deletion: Request deletion of your account and all associated data ("Right to be Forgotten").
- Opt-Out: Opt-out of tracking via iOS Settings or by denying the ATT prompt.
- Portability: Request your data in a portable format.
To exercise these rights: Navigate to Settings > Support > Request Data Deletion in the Noise App, or email us at support@noiseapp.io with the subject line "Privacy Request".
13. Children's Privacy
Noise is rated 4+ on the App Store. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will immediately delete such information from our servers.
14. Security
We implement industry-standard security measures including:
- HTTPS encryption for all data transmission
- Row-Level Security (RLS) on our database
- Secure authentication via Supabase Auth and Google OAuth
- Regular security audits
15. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Last Updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the App after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
16. Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy, please contact us at:
- Email: support@noiseapp.io
- Website: https://noise.app