Privacy policy
Last updated: 17 October 2026
Unreel ("the app", "we") helps you understand and reduce how many short videos ("reels", "shorts") you watch. This policy explains exactly what the app reads, what it stores, where it is stored and how you can delete it.
1. The Accessibility Service — what it reads
Counting reels requires Android's Accessibility Service permission, which you turn on yourself and can turn off at any time in Android Settings → Accessibility → Unreel.
- Which apps: the service only reacts to the supported short-video apps (Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, Snapchat and TikTok). Events from every other app are ignored.
- What it looks at: the structure of the screen in those apps (for example, that a reels/shorts player is visible and that it scrolled to the next video) so it can add one to the count.
- What it never does: it does not read or store your messages, comments, captions, passwords or anything you type; it does not record or capture your screen; it does not read the content of videos; and it does not control other apps except, when you have turned on blocking, leaving the reels screen (going back) after your limit.
- All of this processing happens on your phone. The raw screen information is never stored and never sent anywhere — only the resulting numbers (counts) are kept.
2. Data stored on your phone
Reel counts per app per day and per hour, short-lived counting events (deleted after a few days), your block / limit settings and app preferences.
3. Data stored on our server (only for sync, backup and friends)
| Data | Why |
|---|---|
| A random user ID and an app-specific device ID | To keep your data separate and sync between your devices |
| If you sign in with Google: your name, email address and profile photo URL (from Google) | To restore your data on a new phone and show your name to friends you add |
| Daily reel counts per app, per-hour counts and watch time | Backup, multi-device totals and weekly duels |
| Block / limit settings | Keep the same settings on all your devices |
| Friends list and your invite code | Friends and duels — friends you add can see your name, photo and your reel counts for the duel |
| A push notification token (Firebase Cloud Messaging) | Notify you when a friend accepts your invite or when data needs to sync |
| Feedback you send (text, app version, phone model and optional diagnostic logs you choose to attach) | Fix bugs and answer you |
You can use the app without signing in; in that case an anonymous account is used for sync and you can still delete it.
4. What we do not do
- We do not sell or rent your data and do not use it for advertising.
- We do not collect your contacts, location, messages, photos or browsing history.
5. Who processes the data
Our server is hosted by our web-hosting provider. Google provides Google Sign-In and Firebase Cloud Messaging (push). They process data only to provide those services. Data is sent over encrypted HTTPS connections.
6. How long we keep it
Until you delete your account. Login sessions expire after 60 days without use.
7. Deleting your data
In the app: Settings → Account → Delete account. This immediately and permanently deletes your account and everything listed in section 3 from our server, and removes you from your friends' lists. You can also uninstall the app to delete the data on your phone. More options: Delete your account.
8. Children
Unreel is not directed to children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect their data.
9. Changes and contact
If this policy changes we will update this page and the date above. Questions: use Settings → Send feedback in the app or email support@vickeysen.com.