Summary
Privacy Watchdog is an on-device privacy tool. It watches the network connections your apps make so it can show you which companies are tracking you, and it can block trackers you choose to block. Everything happens on your phone. We do not operate any server, we have no user accounts, and we do not collect, upload, transmit, sell, or share any of your data — not your browsing, not your traffic contents, not your installed-app list, nothing. There are no analytics or advertising SDKs in the app.
What the app accesses, and why
To do its job locally, the app needs access to the following on your device. This data is processed in memory and stored only in the app's private storage on your device; it never leaves the phone.
| Access | Why it is needed | Leaves the device? |
|---|---|---|
Local VPN (VpnService) |
To observe the network connections your apps make (destination host, owning app, byte counts, timestamp). This is a local VPN — traffic is inspected on-device and forwarded to its real destination. We are not a VPN provider and do not route your traffic through any server of ours. | No |
| App/network attribution | To turn the operating-system user ID that owns a network connection into a readable app name when Android's scoped package visibility makes that app available. Activity Android does not expose is shown with a technical UID label rather than a guessed app name. | No |
Usage access (PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS) |
Optional. Lets the app tell whether a tracker fired while you were actively using an app or silently in the background. You grant this manually in Android Settings; the app works without it. | No |
Notifications (POST_NOTIFICATIONS) |
To alert you locally when an app behaves unusually (e.g. a sudden spike in tracking). Notifications are generated on the device; there is no push/cloud messaging. | No |
Internet (INTERNET) |
Used to forward your apps' own traffic to its original destination as part of the local VPN. We do not send your privacy records or questions anywhere. | Traffic forwarding is your apps' own traffic; the app itself uploads nothing. |
Data we collect
None. We do not collect any personal or device data. Because there is no server and no analytics, there is nothing for us to receive, store, or share.
Data stored on your device
The following is stored locally only, in the app's private sandbox, and is deleted when you uninstall the app (or clear its data):
- Per-app network flow metadata (host, owning app, bytes, timestamp, tracker match).
- Your block rules, dismissed-alert choices, and the local action history.
You can clear all of it at any time via Android Settings → Apps → Privacy Watchdog → Storage → Clear data, or by uninstalling the app.
Third parties
- We do not share data with third parties, because we do not collect any.
- Google Play In-App Review / ratings: if you choose to leave a review, that review is handled by Google Play under Google's own policies, not by us.
Children
The app is not directed at children and does not collect data from anyone.
Changes to this policy
If this policy changes, we will update the effective date above and post the new version at the same URL.
Contact
Questions? Email admin@maonoautonomous.com (or the in-app Send feedback button).