Privacy Policy

1. Overview

ScreenPulse is a desktop screen time tracking application for Windows. We are committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data ScreenPulse accesses, how it is stored, and what network requests the application makes.

2. Data Stored Locally

ScreenPulse tracks the following information and stores it exclusively in a local SQLite database on your computer:

• Application names and window titles of foreground applications
• Duration of time spent in each application
• Timestamps of application usage sessions
• User-configured categories and productivity labels
• Focus session records
• Application settings and preferences

This data never leaves your machine. It is not synced, uploaded, or shared with any external service.

3. Data We Do NOT Collect

ScreenPulse does not collect, process, or transmit:

• Screenshots or screen recordings
• Keystrokes or typed content
• Browsing history, URLs, or web page content
• Personal identity information (name, email, address)
• Location data
• Usage analytics or telemetry

4. Network Requests

ScreenPulse makes a limited number of network requests. Each is documented below:

4.1 Application Configuration

ScreenPulse periodically fetches a small JSON configuration file over HTTPS from our server. This file contains display settings for the in-app sponsor banner and branding information. This request does not send any personal data, usage statistics, or cookies. Our server does not log IP addresses for user tracking purposes.

4.2 Update Checks

ScreenPulse periodically checks for application updates over HTTPS. This request contains only the current application version number and operating system version. No personal or usage data is transmitted. Updates are never installed automatically without your explicit consent.

4.3 User Feedback (Optional)

If you choose to submit feedback through the built-in feedback form, the following data is sent to our server:

• Your feedback message text
• Feedback type (bug report, feature request, or general)
• Your email address (only if you choose to provide it)
• Application version and operating system
• An anonymized device identifier (see Section 5)

Feedback submission is entirely optional. No data is sent unless you actively click the submit button.

5. Anonymized Device Identifier

To prevent abuse of the feedback system (spam, flooding), ScreenPulse generates a one-way cryptographic hash (SHA-256) derived from your Windows Machine GUID. This hash:

• Cannot be reversed to recover your original Machine GUID
• Is only transmitted when you voluntarily submit feedback
• Is used solely for rate-limiting feedback submissions (max 1 per hour)
• Is not used for tracking, advertising, analytics, or user profiling
• Is not shared with any third party

You can view the first 16 characters of this identifier in Settings > About within the application.

6. Data Storage & Security

All usage data is stored in a SQLite database file located in your local application data directory (%APPDATA%\screenpulse). The data resides on your own machine and is protected by your operating system's user account controls.

You have full control over your data at all times:

• View all recorded data within the application
• Export your data as CSV at any time
• Delete specific records or all data from within the app
• Manually delete the database file from your filesystem
• Uninstalling with the "delete app data" option removes everything

7. Third Parties

ScreenPulse does not share any data with third parties. There are no analytics SDKs, advertising trackers, crash reporting services, or any other third-party code that collects user data embedded in the application.

The in-app sponsor banner is served from our own server using a static configuration file. No third-party ad network code runs inside the application.

8. Children's Privacy

ScreenPulse does not knowingly collect any personal information from children. Since the application does not collect or transmit personal data during normal operation, there is no age-related data concern.

9. Your Rights

Because ScreenPulse stores all data locally and does not maintain user accounts or server-side databases of user information:

• Right to Access: All your data is already accessible to you locally
• Right to Delete: You can delete all data at any time by removing the database file or using the in-app data management tools
• Right to Portability: You can export all data as CSV
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can pause tracking at any time from the system tray

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated revision date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or ScreenPulse's data practices, please contact us at [email protected].