Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 16 October 2026

The short version: ScreenTame stores your personal blocking setup and detailed usage history on your device. Optional code-based accountability buddies share your chosen nickname, friend code, current streak and connected/blocked buddy codes in Apple's public CloudKit database. These social records can be accessed by other ScreenTame users, not just your buddies. Competitions also share their details and scores. Code sharing is optional and requires an in-app agreement; no email or password is required. We use no advertising or marketing analytics and do not sell your data.

1. Who We Are

New Watch Co Limited is the data controller for any personal data processed in connection with our apps and this website. We are registered in England and Wales.

Contact: james@newwatchco.com

2. Data We Collect

Your personal setup is stored locally:

ScreenTame does not upload the following personal data to our servers. Optional social features share only the information described in the next section; this includes competition app names and limits, and aggregate streaks and scores. Your device backup settings are managed separately by Apple:

Which apps you have chosen to track, and the limits and delays you set for each
How many times you have opened each app, and how long each unlock session lasted
Your streak history and daily records
Your goals and the rewards you set yourself
Your profile photo, if you add one — this is saved only on your device and is never uploaded, so other people never see it
Any email saved in a local profile by an older version; current profiles require only a display name, not an email or password

Leaves your device — only if you use the social features:

When you choose Agree & enable code sharing, or use competitions, relevant social information is stored in Apple's CloudKit under our developer account. Code sharing uses the iCloud account already signed in on your device. It connects two buddies when either enters the other's code; each person's app discovers both incoming and outgoing connections. The shared information includes:

Your display name — the name you choose in the app. It does not have to be your real name.
Your friend code — a short code used to connect buddies. It is not a password or a guarantee of private access. Only send it to people you want to connect with.
Your buddy relationships — codes you have added and removed/blocked, plus an indicator that code sharing is enabled. We do not request access to your phone's contacts or upload your address book.
Your current accountability streak, and for competitions aggregate opens (including today's running total), completed-day totals, competition streak, elimination/forfeit status and sync timestamps. Fixed-date competitions also store a final score snapshot for the end date so the result can be calculated after devices sync. These are summary scores, not a log of individual app-opening times or session activity.
Competition details you create — the competition name, join code, selected app names and limits, mode, start/end dates, status, and the codes of its members
Social notifications and results — competition forfeits, final results and buddy streak-loss messages, with sender/recipient friend codes and timestamps. These records use the same public CloudKit database. Apple delivers push notifications when permitted; delivery timing is not guaranteed. Recent updates are also kept on your device.

Please be aware that this information is held in a public CloudKit database. It is readable by other users of ScreenTame, not only by the people you have added. Do not use a display name you would not want other users to see. We can also see this information in Apple's CloudKit dashboard.

The buddy-code feature does not upload your photo, email, personal app selections or detailed app-use history. Competitions separately share the competition's selected app names/limits and aggregate scores as described above. Existing private invitations from version 1.0 build 30 remain in Apple's private/shared CloudKit scopes and are not converted into public code relationships. Apple maintains the participant identity metadata for those private shares.

On this website (newwatchco.com):

We do not use cookies, analytics, or tracking of any kind. The website is hosted on GitHub Pages, which may process your IP address solely to serve the page — see GitHub's Privacy Statement. The site loads fonts from Google Fonts, which may log your IP address — see Google's Privacy Policy.

3. Legal Basis for Processing (UK & EU GDPR)

Where we process any personal data, we rely on the following legal bases under UK GDPR and EU GDPR:

Consent — for the social features. In build 31 and later, code sharing starts after you agree to the in-app notice about public social records. Previously saved code buddies may then be carried forward; private shares are not converted. You can withdraw code-sharing consent and delete your buddy profile in Friends, as described in section 5. Competition sharing is a separate choice.
Legitimate interests — to provide, maintain, and improve our apps and website.
Contract performance — to fulfil purchases made through the App Store.
Legal obligation — where required to comply with applicable law.

4. Apple and Third-Party Frameworks

ScreenTame uses Apple's Screen Time, Family Controls, StoreKit and CloudKit frameworks. Data Apple processes is governed by Apple's Privacy Policy. Apple handles payments for tips; we never receive your card details. Current app setup creates a device-local profile, not a password-protected online account or a cloud backup.

We use no analytics, advertising, tracking or third-party marketing services and do not sell your data. Optional social information is shared as described above; it is not private to your friends.

Social scores and alerts depend on devices syncing with iCloud. Pulling to refresh fetches the latest available records; it cannot obtain activity that another device has not uploaded. Shield summaries may show cached scores. Final results can wait for participants' final score snapshots, and push notifications may be delayed or unavailable because of connectivity, permissions or iOS background restrictions.

5. Data Retention and Deletion

On your device: everything stored locally is under your control and is removed entirely when you delete the app.

Competition withdrawals: in build 39 and later, leaving a competition records a forfeit rather than deleting your membership, so the result remains accurate for the other players. Competition results and social-notification records remain until removed. Contact us using your friend code to request deletion of these records; leaving a competition or deleting a buddy profile does not erase historical notifications.

In iCloud: In Friends → Accountability, open Add a buddy (the person-plus button in newer versions), then use Turn off code sharing & delete buddy profile. In older versions this option appears directly on the Accountability page. This deletes your public buddy profile, nickname, streak and outgoing/blocked code lists. Other users' records may still reference your code, but your deleted profile is no longer available. Removing/blocking a buddy prevents that connection from appearing on the updated app's boards; it does not make public records private or erase copies someone already obtained. Competition records and private shares are separate: leave competitions or remove private connections in the app. For remaining records, legacy data, or help with deletion, email james@newwatchco.com with your friend code; we will verify ownership before actioning the request and respond within 30 days. Records persist until removed; we do not promise automatic deletion when a competition ends.

Deleting the app does not by itself remove records already written to iCloud, so contact us if you want them erased.

6. Your Rights Under UK & EU GDPR

Under the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR) and EU GDPR, you have the following rights:

Right of access — to request a copy of personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification — to request correction of inaccurate data.
Right to erasure — to request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
Right to restriction — to request that we restrict processing of your data.
Right to data portability — to receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object — to object to processing based on legitimate interests.
Rights related to automated decision-making — the app automatically calculates streaks, competition standings and results. We do not use these scores to make decisions with legal or similarly significant effects on you.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at james@newwatchco.com. We will respond within 30 days.

7. Right to Complain

If you are based in the UK and believe we have not handled your personal data in accordance with UK GDPR, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO):

ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint
Phone: 0303 123 1113

If you are based in the EU, you may contact your local Data Protection Authority.

8. International Transfers

ScreenTame does not upload your detailed on-device history. Where you use social features, the social information listed in section 2 is stored in Apple's iCloud, which operates data centres in multiple countries including the United States — see Apple's Privacy Policy. Our website is hosted on GitHub's servers (US-based). Both Apple and GitHub maintain Standard Contractual Clauses for EU/UK data transfers.

9. Children's Privacy

Check ScreenTame's App Store listing for the age rating applicable to your region and operating system. ScreenTame requests individual Screen Time authorisation for self-management; this is not a blanket requirement for parental authorisation. Apple may impose additional restrictions for child accounts. Optional public social features are not intended for children under 13. Do not include personal details in nicknames or competition names. If you believe a child has shared personal information, contact us to request its removal.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page when changes are made. Where a change requires new consent, we will request it in the app before enabling that sharing.

11. Contact Us

New Watch Co Limited
Email: james@newwatchco.com

Also see our Terms and Conditions.