Privacy Policy

CloudEx Inc. ("we", "us", or "our") operates the apps "Mute Camera Plus" (the paid version) and "Mute Camera" (its free version) — collectively, the "App" or the "Service". This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices available to you. By using the Service, you are deemed to have agreed to the practices described in this Policy.

1. Our Core Principle

The App silences the camera shutter sound by adjusting your device's system audio while a camera app is in the foreground. Everything happens entirely on your device. The App does not access your camera, your photos, or the images you capture, and we never look into what you display on your screen or what you do in other apps. Specifically, we do not record, store, or transmit any of the following:

  • The photos or videos you take, or the contents shown on your screen
  • Your browsing history or the contents of your communications
  • A personally identifiable history of the apps you use

2. Detecting the Foreground App

To know when to silence the shutter, the App needs to detect when a camera app you have registered comes to the foreground. It does this using Android's usage-access API (UsageStatsManager).

  • This is used solely to determine which app is currently in the foreground, so muting can be applied while a camera app is active.
  • This information is used on your device only. It is never collected, stored, or transmitted, and no personally identifiable usage history is created.

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information Collected Automatically

  • Anonymous crash reports: Via Firebase Crashlytics. When the app crashes, we collect the stack trace, device model, OS version, and app version. This does not include personally identifiable information or screen contents.
  • App usage statistics: Via Google Analytics for Firebase. We collect anonymous app usage events (such as the app being opened for the first time) together with device information and the device's advertising ID (AAID). We use this data to understand aggregate app usage and to measure the effectiveness of our own advertising campaigns (counting app installs that resulted from an ad). It is never used to display ads in the app.
  • Purchase / license information: We use purchase tokens issued by Google Play to verify your purchase. We never receive any payment information such as credit card numbers.

3.1a Free-Trial Abuse Prevention (free version only)

The free version ("Mute Camera") offers a 48-hour free trial, after which a one-time in-app purchase unlocks the app. To prevent the trial from being reset by uninstalling and reinstalling the app, the app sends a one-way hash (SHA-256 with an app-specific salt) of the device's Android ID (SSAID) to our server, which remembers only the date your trial first started.

  • The raw Android ID never leaves your device — only the irreversible hash is sent.
  • The hash cannot be used to identify you personally and is not linked to any other data.
  • It is used exclusively to prevent abuse of the free trial (fraud prevention).
  • This applies to the free version only. The paid version ("Mute Camera Plus") does not send this information.

3.2 Information Stored Only on Your Device

  • App settings: The list of apps you registered as "camera apps", the on/off state, and other preferences are stored only on your device. They are erased when you uninstall the app or clear the app's data.

3.3 Information We Explicitly Do Not Collect

  • The photos or videos you take, or the contents displayed on your screen
  • A history of the websites you visit or the contents of your communications
  • Location information such as GPS coordinates
  • Phone number, contacts, calendar, microphone, or camera imagery

3.4 Permissions the App Requests and Their Purposes

Silencing the shutter requires several OS permissions. The App uses them only for the stated purposes:

  • Usage access (PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS) — Used to detect when a registered camera app comes to the foreground, so muting can be applied. Used on your device only; never collected or transmitted. See Section 2.
  • Modify audio settings (MODIFY_AUDIO_SETTINGS) — The core mechanism: used to silence the camera shutter sound by adjusting the system audio while a camera app is active.
  • Display over other apps (SYSTEM_ALERT_WINDOW) — Used to show the App's optional overlay UI (such as on-screen notices). It does not read any screen content.
  • Notifications (Android 13+) — Used to show the persistent foreground-service notification with an on/off button, which is the App's main quick control.
  • Foreground service (special use) — Used to keep the detection service running while the screen is on so the shutter can be silenced reliably.
  • Run at startup (RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED) — Used to restore the App's on/off state after the device restarts.
  • Internet — Used by both the paid and free versions for the anonymous crash and usage diagnostics described above. In the free version, it is additionally used for the free-trial abuse-prevention check described in Section 3.1a.

4. How We Use Information

The limited information we collect is used only for the following purposes:

  • Operating and maintaining the Service
  • Verifying purchases and (in the free version) preventing abuse of the free trial
  • Understanding aggregate app usage and improving the app (analytics)
  • Measuring the effectiveness of our own advertising campaigns (install conversion measurement)
  • Diagnosing and fixing crashes
  • Responding to support inquiries
  • Complying with applicable laws

5. Third-Party Services

The App uses the following third-party services. Each service has its own privacy policy.

  • Firebase Crashlytics (Google LLC) — anonymous crash diagnostic data
  • Google Analytics for Firebase (Google LLC) — anonymous app usage statistics and measurement of our own ad campaigns (install conversions)
  • Google Play Billing — payments are completed on the store platform side
  • Cloudflare (Cloudflare, Inc.) — hosting of the trial-registry server that stores the hashed identifier described in Section 3.1a (free version only)

The App does not display ads within the app and does not share your data with advertising networks in order to show you ads.

6. Data Retention

  • Crash reports: retained for 90 days, then deleted.
  • Analytics data: retained by Google Analytics for up to 14 months, then deleted.
  • Support emails: retained for 12 months after the last reply, then deleted (except where legally required).
  • Hashed trial identifier (free version): retained for as long as necessary to prevent abuse of the free trial; deleted upon request via the contact address below.
  • Settings stored on your device: erased when you uninstall the app or clear the app's data.

7. International Data Transfers

We are based in Japan. The infrastructure used for crash diagnostics and analytics may be located in various countries. When you use the Service, the minimal information described above may be processed outside your country of residence under standard contractual safeguards.

8. Your Rights

Depending on where you reside (e.g., the EEA, UK, California, Japan), you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of the limited information we hold. You can:

  • Reset or delete your device's advertising ID in your device settings (Settings → Google → Ads)
  • Uninstall the app or clear the app's data to erase the settings on your device
  • Contact us at the address below to make a request regarding the information we hold

9. Children's Privacy

The App is not directed to children under the age of 13 (or the minimum age applicable in your region). If we inadvertently collect information from such a child, we will delete it promptly upon being contacted.

10. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. The latest version is always published at this URL together with its effective date. We will also notify you within the app of significant changes as appropriate.

11. Contact

For questions about privacy, data requests, or to report concerns, please email us at ifeeqp2002+mutecamera@gmail.com.

CloudEx Inc. (Japan)

Effective Date: June 16, 2026