Privacy Policy

Halo (“Halo,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a family parental-control app that helps parents manage safer access to social media for children. Halo provides filtered in-app experiences for selected social platforms and may use Apple Screen Time features to pause native apps on a child’s device when a parent turns protection on.

This Privacy Policy explains what information Halo collects, how it’s used, how it’s shared, and the choices families have. It applies to the Halo iOS app, related app extensions (such as Screen Time shield extensions and Home Screen widgets), and our website pages linked from the app (including this policy and our Terms of Service).

• We do not ask children (or parents) to enter Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Snapchat, Facebook, Reddit, or other social-media passwords into a Halo form.
• Sign-in to those platforms happens on the platform’s own pages inside Halo’s in-app browser (or related system browser surfaces Halo uses for a platform).
• We do not sell personal information.
• We do not use advertising trackers for core parental-control features. Separately, when we run Meta ads, we may use Meta’s SDK for install/ad measurement as described below. We may also use Firebase Analytics for product analytics as described below.
• We do not read private social-media messages or passwords.
• Halo Pro is a family subscription: when Pro is active for a family, Pro features (such as Analytics and Home Screen widgets/icons) can unlock for parents and paired children in that family according to how the product works.

A. Account and identity (parents and guardians)

• Sign in with Apple: When a parent signs in, Apple may provide an opaque Apple user identifier and, if the user chooses to share it, a name and/or email (including Apple’s private relay email).
• Optional display name / Halo member identifiers used inside the family experience.
• Parent PIN / Face ID: Parents may set a PIN so only a parent can change protection, filters, and schedule settings. Face ID may be used locally on the device to unlock those controls. Biometric data stays on the device and is processed by Apple’s system; Halo does not store Face ID templates.

B. Family and device setup

• Family pairing / invite codes and family membership relationships (parent–child / parent–parent).
• Child profile display names and setup status.
• Whether protection is on, which apps are included, and related parent policy settings.
• Basic device/session status needed for family sync (for example, whether a child device is connected or Screen Time setup is finished).
• Limited operational stats used to run and improve Halo (for example, hashed device identifiers for “app install / active device” style counts, and coarse “app open / presence” style heartbeats). These are for product operations and admin insights, not for advertising children’s data.

C. Parental control settings

• Filter preferences for supported platforms (examples: remove Reels, block Explore, schedule windows, and similar toggles).
• App-blocking / protection preferences for supported social apps and any parent-selected extra apps.
• Schedule / bedtime-style availability settings for Halo usage and related native-app windows where the product supports them.
• Reels / similar daily limits and related parent-configured constraints where offered.

D. In-app social browsing and family usage insights

• Halo opens selected social platforms in an in-app browser (and, for some platforms, related system browser surfaces) and applies parent-chosen filters.
• Halo may record high-level usage for family insights and Halo Pro Analytics, such as:
  • which filtered app was opened in Halo;
  • approximate time spent / session timing;
  • blocked navigation attempts under parent rules;
  • limited Reels-related usage signals when Reels limits are enabled.
• This usage data may sync within the family (for example via Apple CloudKit / iCloud-backed family records) so parents can view Analytics for a selected child.
• Halo does not collect social-media passwords.
• Halo does not intentionally scrape private message content.
• Content you see inside the social platform remains subject to that platform’s own privacy policy.

E. Purchases (Halo Pro)

• Subscription and purchase status are handled by Apple StoreKit / App Store.
• We receive purchase entitlement information needed to unlock Halo Pro features and may sync Pro status across a family (one subscription can unlock Pro features for parents and paired children in that family where the product supports it).
• Payment card details are processed by Apple, not by Halo.

F. Home Screen widgets and icons

• Halo may offer Home Screen widgets and guided Home Screen icon / Shortcuts setup so a child can open filtered apps quickly.
• These features are typically available only when Halo Pro is active for the family and the child is paired.
• Widgets and related extensions may read a shared on-device App Group flag (such as whether Pro is active) so they can show the correct unlocked or locked state. They do not independently process App Store payments.

G. Device permissions Halo may request

Depending on features used, iOS may ask for:

• Screen Time / Family Controls — to pause selected native apps when protection is on.
• Face ID — to protect parent settings.
• Camera / Microphone — so certain web experiences (when a platform needs them) can use photo, voice, or video features that platform requests.
• Photo Library (add only) — to save a Home Screen icon image the user chooses to create.
• App Tracking Transparency — only for advertising/install measurement (see section J). Declining does not disable parental-control features.
• Shortcuts / URL schemes — to help add Home Screen icons.

Permission prompts explain the reason in the system dialog. You can change permissions later in iOS Settings.

H. Diagnostics, product analytics, and support

• If you contact us, we collect whatever you send (email address and message content).
• The app may produce limited technical logs needed to keep sync, auth, and purchases working. We avoid logging passwords, full browsing contents, cookies, or private message content.
• Halo may use Google Firebase services, including:
  • Firebase Analytics for product events (for example feature usage signals that help us improve Halo);
  • Firebase Auth / Firestore for limited account/ops records tied to Halo accounts (for example hashed or opaque identifiers and display names we store for support/ops).
• Firebase is a service provider. Google’s processing is also subject to Google’s privacy terms for Firebase.

I. Website

When you visit our website, we may collect basic analytics (such as page views) through our hosting provider to understand how the site is used. If you email us or submit a bug report, we collect the information you send (such as your email address and message) so we can respond and improve Halo.

J. Advertising and install measurement

Halo may include the Meta (Facebook) SDK so we can measure app installs and ad campaign performance when we advertise on Meta. This may log app install and app open (“activate”) style events for measurement.

On iOS, Apple may show an App Tracking Transparency prompt. If you allow tracking, Meta and/or we may use the advertising identifier (IDFA) for attribution. If you decline, Halo still works; measurement may be limited.

This advertising measurement is for marketing the Halo app. It is not used to sell children’s data, and it is not required for Screen Time, filters, family sync, Analytics for parents, widgets, or other parental-control features.

For more about how Meta processes data, see Meta’s Privacy Policy.

We do not sell personal information.

We use the information described above to:

• Provide, operate, and improve Halo’s parental-control features.
• Sync family membership, protection status, parent settings, Pro status, and high-level usage insights.
• Apply parent-chosen filters and app-blocking policies.
• Show parents Analytics and other family insights about Halo usage (where Pro / product features allow).
• Enable Home Screen widgets and icons for Pro families.
• Process and restore Halo Pro entitlements via Apple.
• Run limited operational counts and presence signals so we can understand product health.
• Respond to support requests and fix technical issues.
• Communicate about product updates or account issues.
• Measure and improve advertising performance and attribute installs to Meta ad campaigns.
• Analyze product usage via Firebase Analytics to improve Halo.
• Comply with law and protect the safety and integrity of Halo.

We may share information only as follows:

• Within a family: Parents in the same Halo family may see child profile names, protection status, settings, and high-level usage insights needed for parenting controls and Analytics.
• Service providers: Vendors that help us host, sync, authenticate, analyze, or operate Halo (including Apple CloudKit/iCloud where used, and Google Firebase), under contracts or terms that limit their use of data.
• Apple: Sign in with Apple, StoreKit purchases, Screen Time / Family Controls, Face ID, widgets/extensions, and other iOS system features operate through Apple.
• Social platforms: When a user signs into Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Facebook, Reddit, Snapchat (when offered), or similar services inside Halo, those platforms receive information according to their own policies. Halo does not send them your Halo password or parent PIN.
• Legal / safety: If required by law, or to protect rights, safety, or security.
• Meta: When the Meta SDK is used for advertising/install measurement, we may share measurement-related information with Meta as an advertising and measurement partner, under Meta’s terms and privacy policy.

We do not sell personal information.

Halo is designed for families. Parents/guardians create and manage the family account and child profiles. Children should use Halo under parent supervision and with parent-configured protections. We do not knowingly allow children to create independent parent accounts. If you believe we have collected information from a child in a way that is inconsistent with this policy or applicable law, contact us and we will review and delete or correct it as appropriate.

We keep account, family, settings, and related usage/insights information while your family uses Halo and for a reasonable period afterward if needed for backups, disputes, or legal requirements. You may request deletion of your Halo account/family data by contacting us. Some information may remain in backups for a limited time or where retention is required by law. Apple purchase records remain subject to Apple’s systems and policies. Firebase and other provider retention may also apply under their systems for a limited period.

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect information. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. Parents should protect device unlock methods, Halo parent PINs, and Apple ID credentials.

• Change protection, filters, schedules, and related limits in the Halo parent controls.
• Manage Sign in with Apple and App Store subscriptions in iOS Settings / App Store.
• Revoke device permissions (including tracking) in iOS Settings.
• Contact us to update account details, ask questions, or request deletion.
• Stop using Halo and/or delete the app from devices (widgets/icons may need to be removed from the Home Screen separately).

Halo may be operated from the United States. If you use Halo from another country, your information may be processed in the U.S. or other locations where we or our providers (including Apple and Google/Firebase) operate.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will change the “Last updated” date above and, when appropriate, provide additional notice in the app or on our website. Continued use of Halo after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Questions about privacy? Email support@haloforparents.app.