Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 5, 2026

This Privacy Policy applies to the IndieNews mobile application (the “Application”), developed and operated by 617 Software LLC (“we,” “us,” or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains what information the Application may collect, how that information is used, and the choices available to you.

1. Information We Collect

a. Information You Voluntarily Provide
The Application does not require you to create an account or register to use the service. We do not intentionally collect direct personal identifiers such as your name, email address, mailing address, or phone number through the Application unless you voluntarily provide them to us, such as by contacting us by email.

b. Information Stored Locally on Your Device
To operate the Application and provide customization features, the Application may store certain information locally on your device, including:
• Selected news sources
• Excluded keywords and content preferences
• Subscribed keywords for personalized “For You” content
• Notification settings and scheduled notification times
• Locally cached headline and article metadata used for scheduled notifications
• App settings and display preferences
• Contextual interest or category data derived from your activity within the app for personalization and advertising-related features

This locally stored data is generally used to provide app functionality, personalization, and on-device features.

c. Automatically Collected Information
The Application and its third-party service providers may automatically collect certain technical and usage information, which may include:
• Device type
• Operating system and version
• App performance, crash, and diagnostic information
• Interactions with articles, categories, and in-app content
• Advertising-related identifiers, including the Android Advertising ID and Google App Set ID
• IP address or similar network information, which third-party providers may use to infer approximate location

2. How We Use Information

We may use information handled by the Application to:
• Provide, operate, and maintain the Application
• Deliver news content and personalized recommendations
• Support “For You” features and topic subscriptions
• Schedule and display local notifications that you enable
• Improve app functionality, stability, and reliability
• Support advertising, including contextual and personalized advertising
• Measure ad performance, engagement, and relevance
• Respond to questions, support requests, or privacy-related inquiries

3. Advertising and Third-Party Services

The Application uses third-party services, including Google Play Services and Google AdMob. These services may collect or receive information such as device information, advertising identifiers, App Set ID, IP address, usage data, and ad interaction data in accordance with their own privacy practices.

The Application may also use contextual categories, keywords, or similar signals derived from article content or in-app activity to support ad relevance and advertising-related features. These signals are intended to reflect content and app activity, not sensitive personal characteristics.

Third-party provider:
Google Play Services / Google AdMob
Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

4. Personalized Content and Automated Features

The Application uses automated systems, including AI-generated analysis and content processing, to improve the reading experience. These features may include:
• Contextual article explanations
• Keyword extraction
• Safety or content labeling
• Recommendation features based on article content and in-app activity

These features are intended to improve navigation, relevance, and user awareness within the Application.

5. Location Information

The Application does not request or collect precise GPS or real-time location data from your device. However, third-party providers such as advertising or platform services may use IP address or similar network-based information to infer an approximate location, such as a city or region.

6. Notifications

If you enable notifications, the Application may store your notification preferences on your device and generate local scheduled notifications based on your selected settings. You can disable notifications at any time through:
• The Application’s settings, or
• Your device’s system notification settings

7. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal information for money. We may share or make available certain technical information, identifiers, usage signals, and contextual advertising data to third-party service providers such as Google for advertising, analytics, app functionality, and service delivery. Depending on your jurisdiction, this type of disclosure may be considered “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising or similar purposes under applicable law.

8. Data Retention

Information stored locally by the Application generally remains on your device until you remove it, clear the app’s data, change or delete settings within the app, or uninstall the Application. Information handled by third-party providers is retained according to those providers’ own retention practices and privacy policies.

If you contact us directly, we may retain your communications for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to you, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, or enforce our agreements.

9. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding personal information, including rights to request access, deletion, correction, or additional information about how information is handled. Because much of the Application’s customization data is stored locally on your device, you can often manage or remove that information by:
• Clearing the app’s data
• Changing or deleting settings within the Application
• Resetting or limiting your Android Advertising ID
• Adjusting your device privacy settings
• Changing ad personalization settings available through Google
• Disabling notifications
• Uninstalling the Application

If you submit a privacy-related request to us, we will review it and respond as required by applicable law. For data controlled by third-party providers, you may also need to use those providers’ privacy controls or contact them directly.

California residents may have the right to opt out of certain forms of “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising. Residents of the EEA, UK, and similar jurisdictions may have additional rights under applicable law.

10. Children’s Privacy

The Application is not directed to children under 13, and children under 13 are not permitted to use the Application. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information through the Application or to us, contact us and we will review the report and take appropriate steps within our control.

11. Data Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect information handled by the Application. However, no method of electronic storage, transmission, or storage on a device is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the Effective Date above. Your continued use of the Application after an updated Privacy Policy becomes effective means you acknowledge the revised Policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, privacy rights, or privacy-related requests, contact us at:
[email protected]