Privacy Policy

PodFocus is built for kids and families, and it's designed to be private by default. We do not collect personal information, we do not track listening behavior to a server, and we do not show ads. Nearly everything the app stores — profiles, listening history, time limits, and the parent PIN — lives on your device or in your private iCloud, and nowhere we can see.

Information we do not collect

• We do not require an account to use PodFocus.
• We do not collect your name, your kids' names, email addresses, phone numbers, or location.
• We do not use advertising networks, analytics SDKs, or behavioral tracking.
• We do not sell, share, or rent your data to third parties.

What's stored on your device

The following lives inside the app's sandbox on your iPhone or iPad and is not transmitted to us:

• Kid profiles you create (name, age range)
• The shows each profile has been given access to
• Favorites, saved shows, and downloaded episodes
• Listening history and per-day time tracking
• Daily time limit settings
• Parent PIN and recovery code (stored securely in the iOS Keychain)

This data is removed when you delete the app from a device. If iCloud sync (below) is enabled, the same data also lives in your private iCloud, where Apple holds it on your behalf.

iCloud sync & family sharing

PodFocus uses Apple's CloudKit framework to sync profiles, libraries, and listening history across your own devices, and optionally to share a kid's profile to another Apple ID (for example, your child's own iPad). When sync is enabled:

• Your data lives in your private CloudKit container — not a server we operate. We have no access to it.
• The share-to-another-device feature uses Apple's CKShare. Only Apple IDs you explicitly invite can read or write the shared data.
• Apple's standard CloudKit privacy and security terms apply. See Apple's Privacy Policy.

Podcast catalog & network requests

PodFocus uses a small, curated catalog of kid-safe podcasts. To play episodes, the app fetches:

• RSS feeds directly from each show's publisher (so we can list the latest episodes).
• Audio files directly from each show's hosting CDN (so playback works).
• Artwork from each show's publisher or a public artwork URL.
• iTunes Search from Apple's public search API, only when a parent explicitly searches.

These requests go directly to the show's publisher or to Apple. They do not go through any server we operate, and they do not include personally identifying information. The publishers and Apple may log standard request metadata (IP address, user agent) per their own policies.

Children's privacy

PodFocus is designed for children, including children under 13. Because we do not require accounts, do not collect personal information, and do not run advertising or tracking inside the app, we believe PodFocus complies with applicable children's privacy laws (including COPPA in the United States). Parents do not need to request, review, or delete personal information from us — there is nothing for us to hold.

Your rights under GDPR and CCPA

If you are in the European Union, the United Kingdom, or California, you have the right to access, correct, delete, or port your personal data. Because PodFocus does not collect personal data from you or your kids, we hold nothing to access, correct, or delete. All data stays on your device and in your private iCloud, and is removed when you uninstall the app and (optionally) clear the iCloud data from Apple's Settings.

We do not sell personal information.

Security

Your data is protected by the standard iOS app sandboxing model. The parent PIN and recovery code are stored in the iOS Keychain, which is encrypted and protected by your device's hardware security. iCloud-synced data is protected by Apple's CloudKit security model.

Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Material changes will be communicated within the app.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Email us at hello@podfocus.app.