Information Processed and Stored on Your Device
Depending on the features you use, BrownBearAI may access, process and store the following information locally on your device:
- Your photo library, including photos, videos, albums, capture dates and file sizes, used to show your library, find duplicates and other clutter, and manage albums.
- A search index built from your photos: what is in each photo (for example "beach" or "dog") and text that appears in it. It is created on your device by Apple's Vision framework.
- Face data for People. BrownBearAI finds faces in your photos and turns each face into a numerical description ("face print") so photos of the same person can be grouped. This is done entirely on your device by a face-recognition model included in the app. Face prints and any names you give to people are stored only on your device.
- Your edits: the light, color, filter and crop settings of a photo you edit.
- Movies and compressed videos. Movies you make from an album, and smaller copies of large videos you choose to compress, are made on your device. Nothing is uploaded to make them.
- Your songs. If you choose a song of your own for a movie, BrownBearAI reads the list of songs on your device and the song file you pick, only to add it to that movie. The list is not stored or sent anywhere.
- Review progress and settings, such as which suggestions you have reviewed and your preferences.
- Credentials. Dropbox sign-in tokens are stored in the iOS Keychain.
Like other app data, this information is included in your own device backups (iCloud Backup or a computer backup) if you use them. Those backups are handled by Apple under your Apple Account. The developer never receives them.
What BrownBearAI Does Not Do
- It does not upload your photos, search index, face data or edits to developer-operated servers. There are none.
- It does not include analytics SDKs, advertising SDKs, cross-app tracking or marketing profiling tools.
- It does not use face data for anything other than grouping your own photos by person on your device.
- The developer has no account system, dashboard or cloud copy of your library.
Permissions
BrownBearAI asks for access only when you start a feature that needs it.
- Photos (full access) is requested when you tap Allow Access, never when the app opens. It is used to show, analyze, organize and back up your library. You can instead pick a single photo to edit without granting library access.
- Add to Photos is used to save edited photos, movies you make and compressed videos to your library.
- Media & Apple Music is requested only when you open Your Songs while making a movie, never when the app opens. It is used to list songs on your device so you can add one to a movie. The music that comes with the app needs no permission.
- Photos are only ever deleted through Apple's own confirmation dialog, which you must approve. After you compress a video, its original is kept until you choose to delete it.
When Information Leaves Your Device
Information leaves your device only in the situations below, each started by you:
- Dropbox. If you connect Dropbox, you sign in with Dropbox directly. BrownBearAI then talks straight from your device to your Dropbox account to show your Dropbox name, email and storage use, list and show the photos stored there, upload the photos and videos you choose to back up, and delete files you choose to remove. Nothing is uploaded unless you start a backup. Files in Dropbox are handled under Dropbox's terms and privacy policy.
- iCloud Photos. If your photos are stored in iCloud and you turn on "Include iCloud Photos" (off by default), Apple's Photos framework downloads previews from iCloud so they can be analyzed on your device. That transfer is between your device and Apple.
- Sharing. When you share photos, they go only to the app or person you pick in the iOS share sheet. Location information is removed from shared photos and videos by default. You can change this in Settings.
- Crash reports. If you have chosen in iOS Settings to share analytics with app developers, Apple may provide anonymous crash reports to the developer. BrownBearAI adds nothing to them.
- Support contact. If you email the developer, your email provider sends your address and anything you include in the message.
How Information Is Used
Information is used only to provide the features you choose to use. It is never used for advertising, analytics, profiling or resale.
- To show and organize your photo library and albums.
- To find duplicates, similar shots, blurry, dark and low-resolution photos, screenshots and large videos.
- To let you search your photos and browse them by person.
- To edit photos.
- To make movies from your albums, with music you choose, and to make smaller copies of large videos.
- To back up the photos you choose to your own Dropbox and to free space on your device afterwards.
Storage and Security
- App data is stored in the app's private storage on your device and protected by iOS.
- Dropbox tokens are stored in the iOS Keychain.
- BrownBearAI removes a photo from your device after a Dropbox backup only if you turn on "Delete from Photos after upload" (off by default), and only after checking that the uploaded copy matches the original.
- Information stays on your device until you delete it or remove the app.
Sharing and Selling
BrownBearAI does not sell your personal information. It does not share it for advertising, cross-app tracking or marketing profiling.
The only third parties that may receive information are services you choose to use through the app: Dropbox, Apple (iCloud Photos and crash reporting), and the apps you share photos to.
Your Controls
- Photos access. Change or remove it at any time in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Photos.
- Songs access. Change or remove it at any time in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Media & Apple Music.
- Search and People. Settings > Rebuild Search Index deletes the index and face data and builds them again. Removing the app deletes them completely.
- Dropbox. Disconnect in Dropbox settings to remove the sign-in tokens from your device. Files already in your Dropbox stay there until you delete them.
- Location when sharing. Settings > Sharing > Include Location is off by default.
Children's Privacy
BrownBearAI is not directed to children under 13. It has no developer-operated servers, and the developer does not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to This Policy
If this Privacy Policy changes, this page will be updated and the Last Updated date above will be revised.
Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how BrownBearAI handles information, contact divyanshugoyal.g25@gmail.com.
If you contact the developer directly, the developer will receive your email address and any other information you choose to include in your message.