Tilewick Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

Tilewick is published by Daria Efremova, trading as AcutaLabs (“AcutaLabs”, “we”, “us”). This policy explains what the App does and does not do with your data. It covers the iOS app only.

For the purposes of the UK GDPR, the EU GDPR and equivalent laws, the data controller is Daria Efremova, contactable at [email protected].

2. Your photos and designs stay on your device

Photos and videos you add to a design, the projects you make, and your brand kit (its colors, fonts and logo) are stored locally on your device. Editing, rendering and export all happen on the device. The App does not upload your photos, your projects or your brand kit to us or to any third party, and it does not sync them to a cloud service.

Your projects may be included in your own iCloud or Finder device backups, which are governed by Apple’s privacy policy, not ours. Deleting a project removes it from the App; deleting the App removes its working data from your device.

3. Background removal, on-device only

When you cut a subject out of a photo, the App uses a machine-learning model that is bundled with the App and runs on your device. The photo is not sent to us or to any online service to do this.

4. Photo library access

The App asks for two separate permissions, both of which you can change or revoke at any time in iOS Settings.

Reading your library lets the App’s own picker show your recent photos and albums so you can choose what goes into a design. The App copies only the items you pick. You can give it full access or limit it to selected photos.

Adding to your library lets the App save your finished designs at full resolution. With full access, the App also files them in an album called “Tilewick”; without it, your designs are saved to your library without the album.

If a photo you pick is stored in iCloud Photos, iOS downloads it from Apple on the App’s behalf. The App does not use the camera or the microphone.

5. The template catalog

Templates, fonts, stickers and icons come from our own catalog service at acutalabs.com, and their files are downloaded from our content server. To read the catalog, the App signs in anonymously with Google Firebase Authentication. This creates a random identifier that is not linked to your name, email, Apple ID or any other account; we use it to authenticate requests and to keep the order of some catalog sections stable for you during a day.

With each catalog request the App sends the language the App is displayed in and your device’s region setting, so that names appear in your language and seasonal collections match where you are. Like any web request, it also reveals your IP address to the server.

The App also tells the catalog which templates, fonts and stickers were shown and which were used, as anonymous counts tied to that random identifier, so we can tell what is popular. These counts carry the catalog item’s ID and nothing about your design.

6. Stock photos

The App’s picker can search free stock photo libraries from Pexels and Unsplash. When you browse or search them, the App sends your search words, along with page and orientation settings, directly to that provider, and downloads the images you view and pick from it. When you use an Unsplash photo, the App also notifies Unsplash that the photo was used, as Unsplash’s terms require. These requests go to the provider, not to us, and are governed by Pexels’ and Unsplash’s own privacy policies.

7. What we do collect

Usage analytics. The App uses Google Firebase Analytics to understand how the App is used: which screens are opened, which tools and templates are used, export settings such as format and quality, whether background removal succeeded and how long it took, the length of a search (not its words), and paywall and purchase steps. Firebase also records standard device information such as device model, iOS version, App version and approximate country. Analytics never include your photos, the text in your designs, your project names or your brand kit.

Performance data. Google Firebase Performance Monitoring records how long exports, App launch and network requests take, so we can find slow spots. It contains no content from your designs.

Purchases. When you subscribe, Apple processes the payment. We receive a purchase receipt and an anonymous identifier through our subscription-management provider, Adapty, so the App can tell whether your subscription is active and show you current prices. We never receive your name, email address or payment details from Apple.

Diagnostics. If you have enabled sharing of analytics and crash data with developers in iOS Settings, Apple may send us anonymized crash reports. These contain no images and no personal content. You can turn this off in iOS Settings › Privacy & Security › Analytics & Improvements.

There is no account system and no advertising SDK.

8. No tracking

The App does not track you across other companies’ apps or websites, does not show the App Tracking Transparency prompt and does not read your device’s advertising identifier. Firebase Analytics is linked without its advertising-identifier support, every advertising consent signal is set to “denied”, and Adapty is configured not to collect the advertising identifier.

9. The free-export counter

The free tier allows a limited number of exports each week. The App keeps that count in your device’s Keychain, so it survives deleting and reinstalling the App. It stays on your device and is not sent to us.

10. Legal basis and retention

Where GDPR applies, we process catalog requests and purchase data to perform our contract with you, and usage analytics and performance data on the basis of our legitimate interest in keeping the App working and improving it. Optional Apple diagnostics are processed on the basis of the consent you give through iOS. Purchase records are kept only as long as needed to validate subscriptions and to meet tax and accounting obligations. Analytics data is kept for the retention period set in Google Firebase and then deleted.

11. Your rights

We hold no account and no personal profile; the identifiers described above are random and not linked to you by name. If you believe we hold data about you, email [email protected] and we will respond within 30 days. Depending on your location you may have rights of access, correction, erasure, restriction, objection and complaint to a supervisory authority.

12. Children

Tilewick is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal data from them.

13. Changes and contact

If this policy changes materially we will update the date above and note the change in the App Store release notes. Contact: [email protected]