Privacy Policy — Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control
Privacy Policy
Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control v1.0
This Privacy Policy describes how Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control ("the App", "we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and shares information when you use our mobile application available on Google Play. We are committed to protecting your privacy and being transparent about our data practices.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Information You Provide
Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control does not require you to create an account, log in, or provide any personal information (such as your name, email address, or phone number) to use the App. We do not knowingly collect any personally identifiable information directly from you.
1.2 Information Collected Automatically
- Device pairing data (stored only on your device). The App stores the IP address, Bluetooth MAC address, port number, friendly name and pairing certificate of TVs you connect to. This data is saved locally in the App's private storage so you can reconnect quickly. It is never transmitted to us or to any third party.
- Crash & diagnostic data. Google Play may collect anonymous crash reports and basic device information (Android version, device model) to help us fix bugs. This is handled entirely by Google under their own policy.
- Advertising identifiers. The App displays ads via Google AdMob. AdMob may access your device's Advertising ID to serve personalised or non‑personalised ads in accordance with your consent (see Section 4).
1.3 Information We Do Not Collect
- We do not collect contacts, photos, files, microphone or camera data.
- We do not track your location.
- We do not access your messages, call logs, or browsing history.
- We do not sell or rent any data to anyone, ever.
2. Permissions We Request and Why
- Bluetooth (BLUETOOTH_SCAN, BLUETOOTH_CONNECT, BLUETOOTH_ADVERTISE). Used to discover nearby Bluetooth TVs and to act as a Bluetooth HID keyboard / remote. Not used for tracking.
- Location (ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION, ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION) — Android 11 and below only. Required by Android itself to perform a Bluetooth Classic scan on older versions. Your actual GPS location is never read, stored, or transmitted.
- Internet, Wi‑Fi state, network state. Used to communicate with Android TV / ADB devices on your local Wi‑Fi network and to load ads.
- Foreground service & "connected device" foreground service type. Used to keep the active remote‑control session alive in the background so your connection to the TV is not killed by Android battery optimisations. A persistent notification is shown the entire time this service is running so you can see exactly when the App is connected to your TV.
- Post notifications (Android 13+). Required only to show the persistent "Controlling [your TV]" notification while a session is active.
- Vibrate. Used for haptic feedback when you press a remote button.
3. How We Use Information
- To establish and maintain the Bluetooth / Wi‑Fi connection between your phone and your TV.
- To remember TVs you have previously paired with so you can reconnect quickly.
- To show ads that keep the App free for everyone.
- To diagnose crashes and improve the App.
4. Advertising & Third‑Party Services
The App uses Google AdMob to display banner, native and occasional interstitial / app‑open ads. AdMob is provided by Google LLC and may collect and process data as described in Google's privacy policy.
For users located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom or Switzerland, the App displays a Google‑certified consent form (UMP SDK) on first launch that lets you choose whether ads are personalised. You can change this choice at any time from Settings → Privacy options inside the App.
5. Children's Privacy
Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control is not directed to children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in the relevant jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
6. Data Retention & Deletion
All data created by the App (paired devices, history, certificates, theme preferences) is stored locally on your device. You can delete it at any time by:
- Tapping the 3‑dot menu on any device in History → "Forget device", or
- Clearing the App's data from Android Settings → Apps → Smart TV and TvBox Remote Control → Storage → Clear data, or
- Uninstalling the App.
Because we do not store any data on our servers, there is no server‑side data to delete. If you have any questions, email mail.sabinchy@gmail.com.
7. Security
All communication between your phone and your TV happens directly on your local network. Android TV V2 connections are end‑to‑end encrypted with TLS using a certificate generated on your device the first time you pair. We follow industry standard security practices, but no method of electronic storage or transmission is 100% secure.
8. Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or port your personal data, and to object to or restrict certain processing. Because we do not collect or store personal data on our servers, most of these rights apply automatically — uninstalling the App or clearing its data permanently removes everything we know about you. To exercise any right relating to advertising data handled by Google, please use the consent options inside the App or follow the instructions in Google's privacy policy.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes to the App or to applicable law. If we make a material change we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify you inside the App. Continued use of the App after the change means you accept the updated policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please contact us: