Locate The Phone is a mobile security application for Android that helps you locate and protect your own device. We take your privacy seriously and only collect what is needed to provide the app's features.
1. Introduction
At Locate The Phone, we value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect,
why we collect it, how we use it, and the measures wetake to keep it secure while providing our anti-theft security services. This policy applies to the Locate The Phone
mobile application for Android devices.
By using Locate The Phone, you agree to the collection and use of your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
We collect only the information necessary to make the app work. This includes:
Account information
- Your email address and password, used to create and secure your account.
- An optional emergency contact phone number provided by you to receive SMS alerts when the phone got stolen
Device information
- A unique device identifier is used to securely link your account with your registered device..
- Basic device information, such as the device manufacturer, model, and version, collected to ensure compatibility and proper functionality.
- A device messaging token is used to deliver important notifications and security alerts.
Location information
- Your device's GPS location — collected only when tracking is activated by you or an authorized session, so your device can be shown on a map. Location may be collected in the background so tracking continues to work when the app is not open.
Camera and microphone
- Camera and microphone access — used only during an active tracking session to provide the live view and to record short evidence clips. The app does not access your camera or microphone at any other time
Captured Evidence
- Short video clips and location points recorded during a session — stored securely so you can review them later. You can delete this evidence at any time from within the app.
Messages
- If you enable this feature, the app may send a text message containing your device's location to the contact number you provided. This is used only as a fallback when internet access is unavailable.
- The app does not use SMS for advertising, marketing, or unrelated communication.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information collected through Locate The Phone solely to provide, maintain, and improve the app's anti-theft and device security services. Specifically, your information is used to::
- Create, authenticate, and secure your account.
- Link your registered device to your account for authorized access.
- Display your device's live location during active tracking sessions.
- Provide anti-theft features such as live video streaming, evidence capture, anti-shutdown protection, SMS fallback, and SIM ejection alerts (only when the permissions are granted by the user).
- Send important security notifications and alerts related to your registered device.
- Maintain, troubleshoot, improve, and ensure the reliability, performance, and security of the application.
We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes. Your information is used only to provide the services described in this Privacy Policy and to comply with applicable legal obligations where required.
4. Device Permissions
Locate The Phone requests only the permissions required to deliver its security features. Each permission is used strictly for the purpose described below, and you can review or revoke any permission at any time in your device settings.
- INTERNET — Required to securely communicate with our servers, synchronize account information, provide live tracking, upload evidence, and deliver notifications.
- CAMERA — Used solely during an active, user-initiated anti-theft tracking session to stream a live view and capture short evidence clips of the device's surroundings. This helps the owner identify the location and recover a lost or stolen device. The camera is never accessed outside an active session, and never silently. A persistent foreground-service notification is shown whenever the camera is in use, so the user is always aware.
- RECORD_AUDIO — Used only during an active tracking session to provide live audio alongside the live view, helping the owner assess the device's environment during recovery. Never used outside an active session, and always accompanied by a visible notification.
- POST_NOTIFICATIONS — Required on Android 13+ to alert the owner about important security events and to display the mandatory foreground-service notification.
- FOREGROUND_SERVICE / FOREGROUND_SERVICE_CAMERA / FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MICROPHONE / FOREGROUND_SERVICE_LOCATION — Required on Android 14+ to run the anti-theft tracking session reliably in the foreground with a visible notification. These typed foreground-service permissions declare exactly which capabilities (camera, microphone, location) the service uses, in line with Android's transparency requirements.
- ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION / ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION — The core purpose of the app is to locate a lost or stolen device. Precise location is displayed on a map so the owner can find and recover the device. Location is only collected when tracking is activated by the owner or an authorized session.
- ACCESS_BACKGROUND_LOCATION — This is essential to the app's core anti-theft function. A lost or stolen phone must remain locatable even when the app is not open on screen — a thief will not keep the tracking app in the foreground. Without background location, tracking stops the moment the device leaves the app, defeating the entire purpose of an anti-theft product. Background location is used exclusively to provide the user's own device location to the verified account owner during an active tracking session, and for no other purpose. It is never shared with third parties or used for advertising.
- WAKE_LOCK — Keeps the CPU active during a tracking session so live streaming and location updates continue reliably without the device sleeping mid-session.
- SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW — Used by the anti-theft protection feature to display a secure lock overlay when an unauthorized user attempts to shut down or tamper with the stolen device. This prevents a thief from quickly disabling the device and helps keep it locatable long enough for recovery. The overlay is only triggered during an active anti-theft event, not during normal use.
- VIBRATE — Provides tactile feedback within the anti-theft protection screen (for example, on an incorrect password attempt).
- SEND_SMS — This is a critical safety fallback, not a messaging feature. When a lost or stolen device has no internet or mobile data, the app can send a single SMS containing the device's location to a trusted contact number that the owner configured in advance. This is often the only way to recover a device's location when no data connection exists. The app only sends SMS to the owner's own pre-set trusted number, only for delivering location during an anti-theft event. It does not read incoming SMS, does not access the user's message inbox, does not send messages to contacts, and is never used for marketing or bulk messaging. The feature is optional and controlled by the owner.
- MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS — Used by the SIM-removal alarm feature to raise the alarm volume so the alert is audible if someone removes the SIM from the stolen device. Limited to controlling alarm/ringer volume during a security event.
- BIND_ACCESSIBILITY_SERVICE — Locate The Phone uses the Accessibility Service exclusively to provide its optional Anti-Shutdown Protection feature. When explicitly enabled by the device owner, the service helps detect attempts to access the device's power menu during an active protection session and displays a security verification screen to help prevent unauthorized shutdown of the registered device before it can be located or recovered.The Accessibility Service is used solely for the anti-theft functionality of the application and only with the device owner's explicit consent. It is not used to monitor user activity, read or collect on-screen content, record keystrokes, capture personal information, or perform any actions unrelated to protecting the owner's registered device. Users can enable or disable this feature at any time through the Android Accessibility Settings.
- FOREGROUND_SERVICE_SPECIAL_USE — Declares the specialized, continuous anti-theft monitoring service (SIM-removal detection and device-protection alarm) that does not fit the standard foreground-service categories(camera, location, microphone, etc.). It runs only to support the app's core security function of keeping the device protected and locatable, with a visible notification.
- RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED — Allows the anti-theft protection to resume automatically after the device restarts, so protection is not lost if the phone is rebooted (for example, by someone attempting to evade tracking).
5. Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell or rent your personal information. We only share data in these limited situations:
- Service providers. We use trusted third-party services (such as Google Firebase for authentication, database, cloud storage, and messaging) to operate the app. These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy and security terms.
- Legal requirements. We may disclose information if required by law or to respond to valid legal requests.
- With your direction. Data is shared as needed to provide features you activate, such as delivering a location message to your chosen contact.
Our current third-party service provider is Google Firebase. You can review Google's privacy practices at policies.google.com/privacy.
6. Storage & Security
Locate The Phone stores your account information, registered device details, location records, and captured evidence using secure cloud services provided by Google Firebase. Access to your data is protected through secure authentication and Firebase Security Rules, ensuring that only you can access your information unless you choose to share it.
We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or loss. While no method of electronic storage or data transmission is completely secure, we continuously strive to use industry-standard security practices to safeguard your personal information
7. Data Retention
Locate The Phone retains your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide the application's anti-theft and device security services or to comply with applicable legal obligations. The retention period depends on the type of data and the purpose for which it was collected.
You may delete your captured evidence and other stored data within the application at any time. If you choose to delete your account or stop using the application, your personal information and associated data will be deleted or anonymized within a reasonable period, unless retention is required by applicable law or for legitimate security purposes.
8. Your Rights & Choices
- Access & Update: You can access and update your account information at any time through the application.
- Delete Evidence:You can permanently delete your captured photos, videos, and other evidence from within the application whenever you choose.
- Manage Permissions:You can grant, deny, or revoke permissions such as Location, Camera, Microphone, SMS, Notifications, and Accessibility Service at any time through your device settings.
- Request Account Deletion:You can request the deletion of your account and associated personal data by contacting us through the support information provided.
9. Children's Privacy
Locate The Phone is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or the minimum age required by applicable law). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children without appropriate parental or legal guardian consent.
If we become aware that personal information has been collected from a child in violation of applicable laws, we will take reasonable steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe that a child has provided personal information through our application, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the app after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us:
