Privacy policy for “BeepHunt”
As of 16 August 2026
Courtesy translation. Only the German version is legally binding.
Controller
Timo Britz
Sülzgürtel 47, 50937 Cologne, Germany
E-mail: info@timobritz.de
Key points in brief
“BeepHunt” helps to find a particular sound – such as a beep – in a flat or a building. To do so, the app analyses sound via the device’s microphone.
- Audio analysis takes place exclusively on your device and nowhere else.
- The microphone is active only during a search that you have started.
- Audio recordings are not stored, unless you explicitly request a sample clip.
- Data is not transmitted to me. There is no user account, no analytics tools, no advertising and no tracking libraries.
Processing on the device
Audio
While a search is running, the app continuously records sound and keeps the most recent approx. 15 seconds in a ring buffer in working memory. This lead time is necessary so that you can still select a sound even if it is already over by the time you tap the button.
The ring buffer is held exclusively in volatile working memory. It is not written to storage and is discarded when the search ends. Only abstract features are calculated from the sound: frequencies, durations, repetition intervals, spectral shapes. The sound itself is not stored permanently.
Note regarding third parties: As recording may take place in living spaces, it is possible that the voices of people present are also captured. These recordings do not leave working memory and are neither stored nor transmitted. Nevertheless, please inform people present when a search is running.
Data stored permanently on the device
| Data | Purpose | Storage location |
|---|---|---|
| Saved sounds: frequencies, duration, repetition interval, spectral features, name assigned by you | so that a sound found once can be recognised again later | local database |
| Session statistics: time, number of detected events, signal strength, target frequency | search history in the app | local database |
| Hardware reports: device model, Android version, audio configuration, microphone details, measured values | troubleshooting and assessing which functions the device supports | local database |
| Settings: language, sensitivity, switches | retaining your configuration | local settings storage |
| Randomly generated device identifier | recognition when pairing with a second phone | local settings |
| Sample clip (audio) | only if you explicitly request it | app’s own storage area |
The device identifier is a random character string generated on your device. It is not an advertising ID, is not transmitted to me and is regenerated when the app data is deleted.
Deletion
You can delete saved sounds individually, clear the search history in the settings and reset all settings. When the app is uninstalled, all locally stored data is removed.
Permissions
| Permission | Used for | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Microphone | core function: hearing the sound being searched for | yes |
| Foreground service with microphone | continuing the search with the screen switched off | only if activated by you |
| Notifications | visible notice while the microphone is running | only for background search |
| Bluetooth | detecting whether headphones with a stereo microphone are connected | no |
| Internet and network status | exclusively a local connection to a second phone on the same network | no |
| Nearby devices | distance measurement between two phones, expressly not for determining location | no |
| Distance measurement (Android 16+) | distance measurement between two phones | no |
The app does not request access to the camera, contacts, calendar, photos, phone status or location. The “Nearby devices” permission is technically flagged with the declaration that it is not used to determine location.
Data transmission
To me as the provider
There is no transmission of data to me. The app contains no server connection, no user account and no telemetry function.
Search with several devices
If you pair two phones, they communicate directly via your local network. The following is transmitted:
- device name, model designation and the random device identifier,
- features of the sound being searched for,
- short audio snippets of typically approx. 0.25 seconds around a confirmed detection, as well as calibration tones.
A continuous audio stream is not transmitted. The connection is only established after both sides have confirmed a six-digit code. The data does not leave your local network and is not routed via any server.
Diagnostic report, only at your instigation
In the hardware diagnostics you can export a report as a file and pass it on yourself. It contains the device model, Android version, audio configuration, microphone details and measured values. It contains no audio, no identifiers and no location data. The export is carried out exclusively by you and goes to the recipient you choose.
Google backup
If you have activated the backup of your device in the Android settings, Android transfers the app’s saved sounds, search history and settings to your Google account. This is done by the operating system, not by the app, and is subject to Google’s privacy policy. Any sample clips are excluded from the backup. You can switch off the backup in the Android settings.
Legal bases
Audio and usage data are processed on the device for the performance of the usage relationship and to provide the function you have requested, pursuant to Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR.
Where you activate optional functions – background search, saving sample clips, diagnostic export, pairing with a second device – this is done on the basis of your consent pursuant to Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR, which you can withdraw at any time by switching off the function.
Storing information on your terminal device is strictly necessary to provide the function you have expressly requested within the meaning of Section 25(2) no. 2 TDDDG.
Storage period
Sound in the ring buffer is discarded when a search ends. All other data remains on your device until you delete it or uninstall the app. In addition, search history entries are removed automatically as soon as they are more than 180 days old.
Your rights
Under the GDPR you have the right of access (Art. 15), rectification (Art. 16), erasure (Art. 17), restriction of processing (Art. 18), data portability (Art. 20) and objection (Art. 21).
As all data is held exclusively locally on your device and I hold no data, you can exercise these rights directly yourself: via the functions in the app and via the Android system settings. For queries, you can reach me at the address given above.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority (in North Rhine-Westphalia: Landesbeauftragte für Datenschutz und Informationsfreiheit Nordrhein-Westfalen, the State Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information).
Children
The app is not specifically aimed at children and does not knowingly collect data from children. It contains no advertising and no purchase options.
Changes
This policy will be updated if the app’s functions or the legal framework change. The current version is always available at this address. The date given above is authoritative.
Contact
Questions about privacy: info@timobritz.de