MicroJournal - Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 22, 2026

Introduction

MicroJournal ("we", "our", or "the app") is a personal micro-journaling application developed by LAKADOKI. Your journal is for your eyes only — this policy explains exactly how your data stays private.

Information We Collect

We do not require an account and do not collect personally identifiable information such as your name, email, or contact details. We do not access your contacts, location, or files outside the app's sandbox. We do not read or transmit your journal entries.

Data Stored on Your Device

The app stores the following data locally on your device only:

• Journal entries (text, mood, date, tags)
• Photos you attach to entries
• Profile name and age (optional, used only for personalized greetings)
• App settings (theme, reminder time, app lock preferences)
• Usage statistics (writing streaks, entry counts)
• Premium subscription state (queried from Google Play, cached locally)

You can delete this data at any time by uninstalling the app or clearing app data in your device settings.

Local Encryption (Data Security)

Starting with v1.3.0, MicroJournal protects your data with multiple layers of encryption on your device:

• Database encryption: Your journal entries are stored in an AES-256 encrypted SQLite database (SQLCipher). The encryption key is generated locally and stored in Android's Keystore-backed EncryptedSharedPreferences. An attacker with physical access to your device cannot read the database without the device's Keystore unlock.
• PIN protection: If you enable App Lock with a PIN, your PIN is hashed using PBKDF2-HMAC-SHA256 (100,000 iterations). Your PIN is never stored in plain text.
• Biometric unlock (optional): Biometric authentication uses Android's BiometricPrompt API. Your fingerprint or face data never leaves your device — it is handled entirely by the operating system. MicroJournal never reads or stores biometric data.

Backup & Restore

You can manually export all your journal entries to a JSON file from Settings > Backup & Restore. This file is not encrypted — share it only with people and services you trust. You are responsible for keeping exported backup files secure. The app does not upload backups to any cloud service; the export is a manual operation initiated by you.

Restoring from a JSON file imports new entries without overwriting existing ones (entries with the same date are skipped).

Data Sent to Third-Party Services

The app sends limited data to third-party services for specific features:

1. Google Play Billing (Premium Subscription)

When you purchase a Premium subscription or one-time product, transaction processing is handled by Google Play. MicroJournal does not store your payment information. Subscription state (active/expired) is queried from Google Play and cached locally on your device. Purchase signatures are cryptographically verified to prevent fraud.

Learn more: Google Privacy Policy

2. Google AdMob (Advertising)

The app includes the Google Mobile Ads SDK. As of v1.3.0, ad requests are disabled in the build (no ads are shown). The SDK is retained for future re-activation. If and when ads are re-enabled in a future version, AdMob may collect:

• Advertising identifier (Google Advertising ID)
• IP address
• General location (country/region level)
• App usage data related to ad interactions

You can opt out of personalized advertising in your device settings under Google > Ads.

Learn more: Google Privacy Policy

Permissions

The app requests the following permissions:

• Internet & Network State: Required for Google Play Billing (purchase verification) and future advertising
• Notifications (Android 13+): For daily writing reminders, weekly summaries, and streak milestones
• Schedule Exact Alarm: For the daily reminder feature to fire at the exact time you set
• Receive Boot Completed: To re-schedule reminders after device restart
• Biometric (USE_BIOMETRIC / USE_FINGERPRINT): Used only if you enable biometric unlock; granted by Android automatically when the feature is requested
• Photo access: Only when you choose to attach a photo to an entry (system photo picker, no permission required)

Backup Disabling

To prevent your journal from being copied to Google's cloud backup or transferred to a new device automatically, the app explicitly disables allowBackup and uses dataExtractionRules to exclude all data from cloud backup and device-to-device transfer. Use the in-app Backup feature for manual control.

Children's Privacy

MicroJournal is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Data Retention and Deletion

Data stored locally on your device is retained until you uninstall the app or clear app data. Subscription history maintained by Google Play is governed by Google's privacy policy and Google Play's retention rules.

To delete all locally stored data, you can:

• Open Settings > Apps > MicroJournal > Storage > Clear data, or
• Uninstall the app

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. Significant changes will be communicated through the app or by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this policy.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or wish to exercise your rights regarding your data, please contact us at:

Email: lakadokistore@gmail.com