Privacy Policy
In short: Hooklings has no accounts, no ads, no analytics and no tracking, and I don't run any servers that collect your data. The microphone listens only while you press REC, and the audio never leaves your phone: only an anonymous fingerprint goes to Apple to name the song. Your collection lives on your device and in your own iCloud, where I can't see it.
Who is responsible
Hooklings is made by Roberto Neamtu, an independent developer based in Romania ("I", "me"). I am the data controller for the app. Contact: [email protected].
The microphone and song matching
The app uses the microphone only when you press REC, for a few seconds at a time, and only after you've allowed it. While it listens:
- Apple's ShazamKit turns the sound into an audio signature, a fingerprint that can't be turned back into audio, on your phone. Only that signature is sent to Apple's Shazam service, which replies with the song it matches (its title, artist and Apple Music link). Apple handles this under its own privacy policy.
- Apple's Music Understanding framework reads the clip's tempo, key, instruments and loudness on your phone, to shape the monster that hatches. Nothing from it is sent anywhere.
- The audio itself is never recorded, stored or sent: not to me and not to Apple.
The demo tape in the tutorial is matched on your phone, without a connection. You can turn the microphone off at any time in the iPhone's Settings app, under Hooklings.
What the app keeps
To play, the app saves your Hooklings, your progress (levels, stars, items, Gear and gold), your settings and the scout name you choose. Each Hookling remembers the song it hatched from (title, artist, an Apple Music link and whether it's explicit) so you can find the song again. Turn off Settings → Remember songs and new catches keep no song title or artist. None of this is sent to me.
iCloud sync
If you're signed in to iCloud, the app keeps your save in your private iCloud database (Apple's CloudKit), so your collection follows you to your other devices. It's stored by Apple in your iCloud account, and I can't read it. Without iCloud, the save stays on your device only. You can delete it in the iPhone's Settings app → your name → iCloud → Manage Account Storage → Hooklings.
The app also reads a small public file of game settings from Apple's CloudKit, the same for every player. Nothing about you is written there.
Purchases (Backstage)
Backstage, the optional membership, is sold through Apple's App Store. Apple handles the payment, and I never see your name, email or payment details. The app only receives Apple's confirmation of what you own, and checks it on your device.
Reminders
If you turn them on, the daily goals reminder and the free week's reminder are local notifications, scheduled by your phone's own notification system. Nothing is sent to me or to any server, and you can turn them off in Settings in the app or in the iPhone's Settings app.
Sharing
Share cards are made on your phone and only leave it when you choose a place to send them in the share sheet. With "Show song title" off, the song stays off the card.
Links to Apple Music
A song's Apple Music link opens Apple Music, which is covered by Apple's own privacy policy.
Crash reports
If you've turned on sharing with app developers in the iPhone's settings (Privacy & Security → Analytics & Improvements), Apple may send me anonymous crash reports and usage statistics. They don't identify you.
No ads, analytics or tracking
The app contains no advertising, analytics or tracking code, and it doesn't track you across other companies' apps or websites.
Legal basis (GDPR)
The data above is processed on your device and in your own iCloud account to provide the game you asked for. I don't receive personal data from the app.
Your rights
You have the right to access, correct, delete or move your personal data, to object to processing and to withdraw consent. Since I don't hold any of your data, you can delete it yourself: delete the app, and its iCloud data as described above. I'm happy to help with any request: email me. You can also complain to your local data protection authority. In Romania this is the Autoritatea Națională de Supraveghere a Prelucrării Datelor cu Caracter Personal (dataprotection.ro).
Children
Hooklings collects no personal data from anyone, children included. Purchases go through Apple, whose parental controls such as Ask to Buy apply.
Retention
Your save stays on your device until you delete the app, and in your iCloud until you delete it there.
This website
hooklings.app has no cookies, no analytics and no tracking, and loads nothing from other companies. If you pick Day or Night at the top of a page, your browser remembers that choice on your device. The site is hosted by Cloudflare, whose servers, like any web server, briefly log requests (such as your IP address) to deliver the pages and keep them secure.
Changes
If this policy changes, I'll update the date above and, for significant changes, mention it in the app's release notes.