Privacy Policy
Last updated October 5, 2026
Hate Watch sends you alerts when the athletes and teams you choose to track have a bad moment. This policy explains exactly what the app collects to do that, and nothing more. There is no sign-up: we never ask for your name, email address or phone number.
What we collect
| Data | Why |
|---|---|
| A random device ID created when you first open the app, plus a secret key that proves requests come from your device | To keep your settings and alerts separate from everyone else's. The ID is random; it is not your Apple or Google advertising ID. |
| Device platform (iOS or Android) | To format notifications correctly. |
| Push notification token, only if you allow notifications | To deliver alerts to your device. |
| The teams and players you track, and your notification settings (alert types, leagues, muted items, quiet hours and the time zone they apply in) | To decide which alerts to send you and when. |
| Your alert feed: the alerts that were delivered to you | To show your feed history in the app. |
| Feedback emails, only if you choose to send one (Settings → Give feedback opens your own mail app) | We receive your email address and message, and use them only to read and reply to your feedback. The email includes the app version, platform and device model to help with bug reports. |
What we don't collect
- No name, phone number, contacts, photos or precise location, and no email address unless you email us yourself.
- No advertising identifiers, no ads, and no analytics or tracking SDKs.
- We do not track you across other companies' apps or websites, and we do not sell or share your data for advertising.
- Shared alerts: when you share an alert, the link opens a public page showing that alert, the same for everyone who got it. The link contains nothing about you or your device, and opening it isn't tracked.
Who else processes data
We use a small number of service providers, only to run the app:
- Fly.io hosts our server and database in the United States. Like any web host, it processes your IP address to route requests.
- Expo push service, Apple Push Notification service and Google Firebase Cloud Messaging receive your push token and the text of each alert in order to deliver it.
- Apple App Store and Google Play process the optional Hate Watch Plus subscription. The payment happens entirely between you and Apple or Google; we never receive your name, card or payment details, and we never learn whether you subscribe. Your device asks the store whether the subscription is active and saves, on the device only, whether you switched on Gold accents.
- ESPN. Our server reads public sports data (rosters, scores, play-by-play) from ESPN. The app loads player photos and team logos directly from ESPN's image servers, so ESPN receives your device's IP address and standard request information when those images load. We never send ESPN any of the data listed above.
How long we keep it
We keep your data while you use the app. You can delete it at any time:
- Settings → Delete all my data immediately and permanently deletes your device ID, tracked teams and players, settings, push token and alert feed from our server, and gives the app a fresh anonymous identity.
- Settings → Clear feed deletes your alert history only.
- Deleted data may remain in encrypted server backups for up to 5 days before those backups expire.
Uninstalling the app removes the device ID from your phone, but not from our server. To remove server data, use Delete all my data before uninstalling, or email us.
Security
All traffic between the app and our server is encrypted with HTTPS/TLS. Our database is stored on an encrypted volume. Your device's secret key is kept in the iOS Keychain or Android Keystore.
Children
Hate Watch is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them.
Your choices and rights
You can turn notifications off in the app's Settings or your phone's settings, change exactly which alerts you get, and delete your data as described above. Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR or CCPA), you may have the right to access, correct or delete your data. Because we never know who you are, the easiest way to exercise these rights is in the app; you can also email hatewatchfeedback@gmail.com.
Changes
If this policy changes, we will update the date at the top of this page. Significant changes will also be noted in the app.