Sievr Privacy Policy

1. Overview

Sievr ("the App") is developed and published by Kynoss Studios ("we," "us," or "our"). Sievr is a photo cleanup app for iPhone (iOS 17 and later) that helps you find duplicate and similar photos, score their quality, and clean up your photo library.

This Privacy Policy explains what data Sievr accesses, how that data is processed, and your rights regarding your information. We are committed to transparency and to protecting your privacy.

Sievr operates entirely on your device. We do not operate servers, databases, or cloud services. We do not create user accounts. We have no mechanism to collect, receive, view, or store your personal data. The data Sievr works with exists solely on your iPhone, under your control.

2. Photo Library Access

Why Full Library Access Is Needed

Sievr requests full photo library access (PHPhotoLibrary.requestAuthorization(for: .readWrite)) because scanning your entire library for similar and duplicate photos requires access to all photos — not just a manually selected subset. Limited access would make automatic scanning impossible.

How Photos Are Used

• Photos are loaded one at a time for on-device analysis using Apple's Vision framework.
• Sievr computes a perceptual fingerprint (a numerical vector) and quality scores for each photo.
• Only the fingerprint, scores, and a reference identifier (Apple's PHAsset local identifier) are stored — never the photo itself.
• The original photo data is released from memory immediately after analysis.
• Photos are accessed read-only for analysis. Write access is used only when you explicitly choose to delete a photo, which moves it to your Recently Deleted album (recoverable for 30 days).

What We Store

Your Control

Photo library access requires your explicit permission via the iOS permission prompt. You can revoke access at any time in Settings > Sievr. If you grant limited access instead of full access, Sievr will work with only the photos you select, though automatic full-library scanning will not be available.

3. On-Device AI Processing

Sievr uses Apple's built-in frameworks for all AI and machine learning features:

• Vision framework: Computes perceptual similarity fingerprints (using VNGenerateImageFeaturePrintRequest) and face quality assessments (using VNDetectFaceCaptureQualityRequest) on every supported iOS version (iOS 17+). On iOS 26 and later, Sievr additionally computes aesthetic quality scores (CalculateImageAestheticsScoresRequest) and lens smudge detection (DetectLensSmudgeRequest). All processing runs on your device's Neural Engine.
• Foundation Models framework (iOS 26 and later only): Generates plain-language explanations of quality scores (e.g., "This photo has sharper focus and better lighting"). This model runs entirely on your device — no data is sent to any server, including Apple's. On iOS 17 through iOS 25, Sievr generates equivalent explanations from a built-in template that uses the same on-device quality scores; the user-facing experience is the same.

No AI processing involves any external service, API call, or network request. All intelligence is computed locally using Apple's on-device frameworks.

4. Data Storage & On-Device Processing

Scan metadata is stored locally on your device using Apple's SwiftData framework. This data is protected by:

• iOS Data Protection (encrypted at rest, tied to your device passcode)
• App sandboxing (only Sievr can access its own data store)
• Standard iOS security architecture

Sievr does not use:

• iCloud or any cloud storage
• Any third-party SDKs, frameworks, or libraries (beyond the NSHipster DBSCAN open-source package for clustering, which runs entirely on-device and makes no network calls)
• Third-party analytics services (no Firebase, no Mixpanel, no Amplitude, no RevenueCat, no Adapty, no Superwall, etc.)
• Advertising SDKs or ad networks
• Third-party crash reporting services
• Any form of user tracking or fingerprinting

Apple-Native Diagnostic Signposts

Sievr emits anonymous diagnostic signposts to Apple's first-party logging stack (OSLog, OSSignposter, and MetricKit's os_signpost events) at key points during scans, cleanups, and the in-app upgrade flow. These signposts contain only event names and short event tags (for example, scan_completed, paywall_view trigger=first_launch, paywall_purchase_success product=sievr.pro.lifetime). They never include photo data, photo identifiers, or any personally-identifying information.

By default these signposts stay on your device and are visible only to you (in Settings > Privacy & Security > Analytics & Improvements > Analytics Data and in macOS Console.app while your iPhone is connected). They are transmitted to Apple only if you have enabled Share iPhone Analytics in iOS Settings, which is an opt-in iOS-wide setting. If you have enabled that setting, Apple aggregates the signposts and may share anonymous, aggregated diagnostic reports with developers via Apple's MetricKit framework. Apple's privacy classifier does not treat this opt-in diagnostic flow as "Usage Data Collected" by Sievr.

Kynoss Studios does not operate any analytics endpoint and never receives the signpost data directly. We rely on Apple's aggregated MetricKit reports and App Store Connect's existing per-app analytics (impressions, page views, downloads, purchases, subscription status) for any product-improvement insights — all of which are Apple-managed and anonymized by Apple before we see them.

5. Data Retention & Deletion

Retention Policy

• Scan metadata (fingerprints, scores, group assignments) is retained on your device until you delete it or delete the app.
• When you re-scan your library, previous scan data is updated to reflect the current state of your photo library.
• Photos deleted through Sievr are moved to your Recently Deleted album in the Photos app, where they remain recoverable for 30 days per Apple's standard behavior.

Deletion

• Delete the app: Deleting Sievr from your device permanently removes all scan metadata. Your photos remain in your Photos library, unaffected.
• In-app data management: You can clear scan data from within the app's settings.
• There is no server-side data to delete, no account to close, and no request process needed. You have full and immediate control.

6. Data Sharing & Third Parties

• We do not sell your data.
• We do not share your data with third parties.
• We do not transmit your photo data, scan results, or fingerprints off your device.
• We do not use third-party SDKs that could collect data.
• We do not serve advertisements.
• We do not engage in data mining or user profiling.
• We do not share data with parent companies, subsidiaries, or related entities (Kynoss Studios is an independent sole developer).

Network Use

Sievr functions entirely offline for all photo analysis, scoring, clustering, cleanup, and in-app navigation. The only network traffic Sievr generates is initiated by Apple's first-party StoreKit framework when you tap a purchase, restore, or subscription-management action — and that traffic flows directly between your iPhone and Apple's App Store servers; Sievr does not see, route, or store any of it. If you have enabled Share iPhone Analytics (see Section 4), Apple's MetricKit daemon may also send anonymous diagnostic signposts to Apple. No other network use occurs.

In-App Purchases & Subscriptions

Sievr offers in-app purchases through Apple's StoreKit framework. Available products may include a one-time lifetime upgrade (non-consumable), an auto-renewable weekly subscription with a free introductory trial, and (for legacy customers) the original one-time Sievr Pro upgrade — exact products and prices are shown on the in-app upgrade screen and on the App Store listing. All payment processing, receipt validation, subscription renewal, trial management, and cancellation are handled by Apple, not by Kynoss Studios. We never see, store, or process your payment information. To manage or cancel an active subscription, open Settings > [your name] > Subscriptions on your iPhone; you can also tap "Manage Subscription" inside Sievr's settings, which deep-links to the same iOS surface.

7. Data Security

Sievr relies on Apple's built-in security infrastructure to protect your data:

• Encryption at rest: All local data is protected by iOS Data Protection, which encrypts data using keys tied to your device passcode.
• App sandboxing: iOS prevents other apps from accessing Sievr's data store.
• No network exposure: Because Sievr does not transmit any data over any network, there is no risk of data interception, server breaches, or unauthorized remote access.
• No accounts: There are no credentials to steal, no passwords to breach, and no accounts to compromise.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

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

Because Sievr does not collect, transmit, or store personal information on any server, and because all data remains solely on the user's device, Sievr does not create the data collection risks that COPPA is designed to address. Nonetheless:

• Sievr does not collect personal information from any user, including children.
• Sievr does not require or support account creation.
• Sievr contains no advertising or social features.
• Sievr does not transmit any data to Kynoss Studios or any third party.

If you are a parent or guardian and have questions about this policy, please contact us at kynossstudios@gmail.com.

9. Your Rights Under GDPR (European Economic Area)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) provides you with specific rights regarding your personal data. We respect these rights, even though Sievr's on-device architecture means we do not act as a data controller or processor of your personal data in the traditional sense — because your data never reaches us.

Legal Basis for Processing

To the extent any on-device processing constitutes "processing" under the GDPR, the legal basis is:

• Consent: You explicitly grant permission for photo library access through the iOS permission prompt. You may withdraw consent at any time via iOS Settings.
• Legitimate interest: Processing your data on your own device to provide the app's functionality directly to you.

Your Rights

• Right of access: All data is stored on your device and accessible to you at all times within the app.
• Right to rectification: You can re-scan your library to update all data.
• Right to erasure: You can delete all data by deleting the app, or clear scan data within the app's settings.
• Right to restrict processing: You can revoke photo library permission at any time without affecting other app functionality.
• Right to data portability: Your data is stored locally on your device and is accessible to you.
• Right to object: You can stop all data processing by revoking permissions or deleting the app.

Data Transfers

Sievr does not transfer personal data outside your device. No cross-border data transfers occur because no data is transmitted to any server, anywhere.

Data Protection Officer

Due to the nature of our data processing (entirely on-device, no data collection), we are not required to appoint a Data Protection Officer. For any privacy-related inquiries, please contact us at kynossstudios@gmail.com.

10. Your Rights Under CCPA/CPRA (California)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provides you with specific rights.

Information We Collect

Under CCPA/CPRA definitions, Sievr processes the following categories of information on your device only:

• Photos and visual content (accessed for on-device analysis, never copied or stored)

However, because all processing occurs on your device and we never collect, receive, or access this information, Kynoss Studios does not "collect" personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA.

Your Rights

• Right to know: This Privacy Policy describes all data the app processes. We do not collect additional data beyond what is described here.
• Right to delete: Delete the app to remove all scan data, or use in-app data management features.
• Right to opt out of sale: We do not sell your personal information. We never have and never will.
• Right to opt out of sharing: We do not share your personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioral advertising or any other purpose.
• Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your privacy rights.

"Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information"

Sievr does not sell or share personal information. Because no data is transmitted from your device to us or any third party, there is no sale or sharing to opt out of. We fully comply with the CCPA/CPRA without requiring any user action.

11. Apple Platform Disclosures

In compliance with Apple's App Store Review Guidelines and platform requirements:

PhotoKit (Photo Library Access)

• Sievr uses PhotoKit to access your photo library for the sole purpose of analyzing photos for similarity and quality on your device.
• Photo data is never copied, stored, uploaded, or transmitted.
• Only metadata references (PHAsset identifiers) and computed numerical scores are stored locally.
• Write access is used exclusively for moving photos to Recently Deleted at the user's explicit request.

Required Reason APIs

Sievr uses only Apple's first-party frameworks and does not access any APIs that require declared reasons beyond those already disclosed in this policy and in the app's App Store privacy nutrition label.

App Tracking Transparency

Sievr does not track users across apps or websites owned by other companies. The App Tracking Transparency framework is not used because no tracking occurs.

App Privacy Nutrition Label

Sievr's App Store privacy nutrition label accurately reflects that the app does not collect data linked to user identity and does not track users.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in the app's functionality or legal requirements. When we make changes:

• The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page will be revised.
• Material changes will be communicated through the app or its App Store listing.
• Continued use of Sievr after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your privacy rights, or Sievr's data practices, please contact us:

• Email: kynossstudios@gmail.com
• Developer: Kynoss Studios
• Support Page: Sievr Support

We will respond to privacy inquiries within 30 days.