Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how the Discata iPhone app (“Discata”, “we”, “us”) handles information. Discata is developed by Mevinton Kugathasan, who is the data controller for the purposes of UK and EU data-protection law. Contact details are at the end of this policy.

Information that stays on your device

Discata works offline. The following is created and stored only on your iPhone (and in your device backups, if you use them). We have no access to it:

• Music files you import from Files or iCloud Drive, and the library index built from them.
• Artwork and lyrics embedded in your files, or saved from online look-ups.
• Playlists, queue, play counts and listening history.
• Sound settings, EQ, room and headphone choices.
• Head-tracking motion data from supported headphones, used in real time for spatial audio and never stored or sent anywhere. You can refuse motion access in iOS Settings.

Deleting the app deletes all of this data.

Advertising (free version)

The free version of Discata shows a small native ad card after about every seven minutes of listening, only between songs or when you return to the app. Ads are provided by Google AdMob (Google LLC / Google Ireland Limited). The Google Mobile Ads SDK in the app collects and sends information to Google so that ads can be served, measured and protected against fraud. According to Google, this can include:

• Device identifiers — the Apple advertising identifier (IDFA), only if you allow tracking in Apple’s prompt, and the identifier for vendors (IDFV).
• Usage and advertising data — ad impressions, clicks and interactions with ads.
• Diagnostics — performance data about the ad SDK.
• Approximate location — derived from your IP address.
• Device information — such as device model, iOS version and language.

Google uses this data as described in How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services and the Google Privacy Policy. Google’s disclosure for the ad SDK is at developers.google.com/admob/ios/privacy/data-disclosure. We do not receive your identifiers or any personal data from Google; we only see aggregated ad reports.

Ads are limited to content suitable for general audiences (rated PG), never play sound and never interrupt your music.

Your ad choices

• Consent (UK, EEA and Switzerland). Before any ad is requested, Discata shows Google’s consent form. You can accept or refuse personalised ads. If you refuse, Google serves non-personalised ads, which use only limited data such as approximate location and the current context.
• US state privacy rights. If you live in a US state with a consumer privacy law (such as California, Virginia, Colorado or Connecticut), you can opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your personal information for targeted advertising using the same privacy choices form.
• App Tracking Transparency. After the consent step, iOS may ask whether Discata may track you. If you choose “Ask App Not to Track”, the IDFA is not shared and ads are non-personalised. You can change this any time in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
• Change your mind any time in Discata: About → Ads and privacy → Ad privacy choices.
• Remove ads. With the “Remove ads forever” purchase, Discata makes no ad requests at all, and no consent or tracking prompts are shown.

In-app purchase

“Remove ads forever” is a one-time purchase handled entirely by Apple through the App Store. We never see your payment details, name or Apple Account. Discata only checks with Apple, on your device, whether your Apple Account owns the purchase. Offer codes are redeemed through Apple’s own sheet. Apple’s handling of your data is described in Apple’s Privacy Policy.

Online artwork and lyrics look-up (optional)

If a song has no artwork or lyrics, Discata can look them up online — but only after you allow it. It is off by default and can be switched off at any time in About → Online lookups. When enabled, Discata sends only the song’s title, artist, album and length to:

• MusicBrainz and the Cover Art Archive (run by the MetaBrainz Foundation) — for album artwork. MetaBrainz privacy policy.
• LRCLIB (lrclib.net) — for lyrics.

These requests contain no identifiers, accounts or cookies. Like any web service, these providers receive your IP address with the request and may keep server logs. Results are saved on your iPhone, so they work offline afterwards.

Problem reports and email

If you choose to report a problem, Discata opens an email in your own mail app, addressed to us. Nothing is sent until you press Send. You can preview and remove the optional technical details (app and iOS version, device model, language, sound and playback settings, library counts and a random report number). They never include song titles, file names, playlist names or your headphones’ name. We use what you send only to answer you and fix the problem, and we delete report emails when they are no longer needed for that.

What we do not do

• No accounts, sign-in or user profiles.
• No analytics, crash-reporting or tracking code of our own.
• No upload of your music, library or listening history.
• We do not sell your personal information. Sharing with Google for advertising only happens as described above and according to your choices.

Legal bases (UK and EEA users)

• Consent — personalised advertising, the device storage Google uses for ads, and online look-ups. You can withdraw consent at any time using the settings above.
• Legitimate interests — showing non-personalised ads to fund the free version, and preventing ad fraud.
• Contract — providing the ad-free purchase.
• Legitimate interests — answering emails you send us.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or port your personal data, to object to or restrict processing, to withdraw consent, and to opt out of targeted advertising or the “sale”/“sharing” of personal information. We will not treat you differently for using these rights.

Because we hold almost no data about you, most requests concern Google’s ad data — use the in-app Ad privacy choices, iOS tracking settings, or Google’s My Ad Center. For anything we hold (such as emails you sent us), contact us below. You also have the right to complain to a data-protection authority — in the UK, the Information Commissioner’s Office, or in the EEA, your local supervisory authority.

International transfers

Google, MetaBrainz and LRCLIB may process data in the United States and other countries. Google relies on safeguards such as the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and Standard Contractual Clauses for these transfers.

Data retention

Data on your device stays until you delete it or the app. Emails you send us are kept only as long as needed to deal with your request. Google’s retention of ad data is described in Google’s Privacy Policy.

Children

Discata is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Security

Discata’s network requests use encrypted HTTPS connections through Apple’s system networking. Your library is protected by iOS’s own data protection.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy, for example when the app gains new features. The “Last updated” date above shows the latest version. Material changes will also be noted in the app’s release notes.

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