Privacy Policy

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Privacy-First Policy

Rhythm is designed with your privacy in mind. We do not harvest, track, sell, or collect your personal information.

Effective & Last Updated: August 2026

1. Scope & Application

This Privacy Policy applies to the Rhythm Music Player application for Android, including the Google Play build (chromahub.rhythm.play) and open-source / standalone builds (chromahub.rhythm.app), maintained by Team ChromaHub.

2. No Personal Data Collection

Rhythm does not collect, log, transmit, or share any personally identifiable information (PII). Specifically:

  • No Personal Details: We do not ask for or collect names, email addresses, phone numbers, or contacts.
  • No Location Data: Rhythm never requests or accesses your device GPS or network location.
  • No Analytics or Ad Trackers: The app contains zero telemetry SDKs, zero advertising networks, and zero behavioral tracking frameworks.
  • No Audio File Harvesting: Your audio files and music tags are processed strictly on your device and are never uploaded to any remote server.

3. Local-First On-Device Storage

All application data is stored locally on your device in private SQLite / Room databases and SharedPreferences:

  • Media Index: Scanned track titles, artists, albums, durations, and local folder paths.
  • User Content: Custom playlists, play counts, favorite tracks, and listening history (Rhythm Stats).
  • Preferences: Theme customizations, equalizer presets, Replay Gain values, and UI configurations.

Clearing application data in Android settings or uninstalling the app permanently erases all locally stored data.

4. Android Permissions & Technical Justification

Rhythm requests only the minimum permissions necessary to function as an advanced audio player in accordance with Google Play Developer Policies:

  • READ_MEDIA_AUDIO / READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE: Required to scan, index, and play your local audio library.
  • READ_MEDIA_IMAGES: Required to display embedded album artwork and folder images associated with your music.
  • FOREGROUND_SERVICE & FOREGROUND_SERVICE_MEDIA_PLAYBACK: Essential for continuous background playback when the screen is turned off or when multitasking.
  • POST_NOTIFICATIONS: Required on Android 13+ to display media player playback controls in the system notification drawer and lockscreen.
  • BLUETOOTH / BLUETOOTH_CONNECT: Used for audio routing, media button controls, and device switching.
  • INTERNET: Used strictly for optional, user-requested online features (synchronized lyrics, album artwork fetching, and streaming mode).

5. Optional Third-Party Online Integrations

When user-initiated online features are enabled, Rhythm communicates with third-party APIs solely to fetch public media metadata:

  • LRCLib: Used to fetch synchronized and plain lyrics. Only song title and artist queries are sent.
  • Deezer & YouTube Music: Used to fetch missing album cover art for tracks that lack embedded artwork.
  • Google Play Services: For the Google Play build (chromahub.rhythm.play), standard Google Play distribution, app updates, and system crash diagnostics operate in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy.

These third-party requests transmit only song metadata (e.g., song title and artist) and never include user identifiers or personal details. You can disable online artwork or lyrics fetching at any time in Settings → Advanced → API Management.

6. Google Play Open Testing & Distribution

For users installing via Google Play (including open testing and production tracks): app distribution, crash diagnostics, and automated updates are handled directly through Google Play in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy. Any feedback submitted through testing feedback forms is used solely to troubleshoot and improve Rhythm.

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA & Families Policy)

Rhythm is suitable for general audiences of all ages. Because Rhythm does not collect any personal data from any user, it is fully compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and Google Play Families policy requirements.

8. Open Source Transparency & License

Rhythm is Free and Open Source Software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3). Anyone can inspect, audit, or verify the source code and network activities at github.com/cromaguy/Rhythm.

9. Contact & Inquiries

If you have any questions, concerns, or feedback regarding this Privacy Policy or Rhythm's privacy practices, please contact us: