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Privacy policy

Effective date: 19 September 2026

FlockFlow is an offline sheep-counting application. It does not require an account and does not collect, transmit, sell, or share personal data.

Camera, selected videos, and inference

FlockFlow uses the rear camera, the bundled example sheep video, or a video you explicitly choose to detect, track, and count sheep on the device. Apple's system Photos picker lets you add multiple movies to a selected-video list without giving FlockFlow general access to your photo library. Adding movies copies only the chosen files and reads their duration and thumbnails; it does not activate those movies for inference. FlockFlow stores app-owned source copies, durations, list order, and Photos picker identifiers in private Application Support storage so the list survives app relaunches and avoids duplicate additions. These copies are excluded from device backups. If a chosen movie exists only in iCloud Photos, Apple's picker may download it before handing the selected copy to FlockFlow; that transfer follows your Apple and Photos settings. You can delete all app-owned copies with Clear Selected Videos in the video chooser, without changing the original movies in Photos. They are also removed when you remove the app.

Tapping a selected thumbnail prepares a separate temporary playback copy, preserving other selections. A playback copy (including the bundled example) is removed when replaced, when playback fails, or when the video controller is released. Camera and video frames are processed by the bundled Core ML model. The app does not upload frames or download a model at runtime.

During a count, FlockFlow creates a temporary annotated recording that can show the video image, sheep statuses, counting zone, direction, totals, and FlockFlow app badge. Recordings made from selected videos retain their source audio when present; live-camera recordings are silent. The result is available only for review in the session summary. Before saving, you may choose a 480p, 720p, or 1080p output and opt to add the session's pasture name, completion date and time, and final total to the saved copy; this details option is off by default and never adds pasture coordinates. Resized or details-bearing copies are also temporary and remain on the device. You may explicitly choose Save to Photos; only then does FlockFlow request Photos add access and save the annotated video to your library. If you discard it, change the save options, or leave the summary without saving it, FlockFlow removes obsolete temporary copies. FlockFlow never overwrites the selected source video.

Pastures and location

You may create an optional pasture by placing a point on the map or entering coordinates manually. A pasture record stores its name, latitude, longitude, stable identifier, and creation/update dates locally in the app's Application Support storage. FlockFlow does not upload these coordinates to the developer. Displaying a map uses Apple Maps, which may process map requests under Apple's privacy policy. FlockFlow uses the coordinates only to display your pastures and associate your selected pasture with a completed count, never for advertising, tracking, or geofencing.

FlockFlow asks for location permission only when you tap Use My Location while adding a pasture. The request is foreground-only and one-shot: after it receives a usable coordinate, the app stops location updates. Location is optional; manual placement and unassigned counting remain available. FlockFlow does not request background location and does not continuously record your location.

Data stored on the device

The app stores selected-video source copies and metadata, the selected counting-zone configuration, pasture records, and completed session summaries locally. A summary contains timestamps, directional totals, model version, frame counts, aggregate inference timing, and, when selected, a pasture name and identifier snapshot plus the input source. Session summaries contain no raw camera or selected-video frames and do not include pasture coordinates. Home, Pastures, and History analytics are derived from those local session records and remain on the device.

Clear Selected Videos removes the selected-video source copies and metadata stored by FlockFlow. If one of those videos is currently prepared for counting, its separate temporary playback copy is also removed and the input returns to the camera. Removing the app removes its remaining application data through the normal iOS process. A video you explicitly saved to Photos remains in your Photos library until you delete it there.

Analytics, advertising, and tracking

FlockFlow contains no advertising SDK, third-party analytics SDK, or cross-app tracking code. It does not create an account or use your data to build an advertising profile.

The Privacy Policy and Support links under Settings → Privacy & Legal open FlockFlow's public documentation in your default browser. Opening either link makes a normal web request outside the app; the app does not attach camera frames, selected videos, pasture coordinates, or session records to that request.

Documentation website comments

Pages that show comments use Giscus and public GitHub Discussions. Loading or using that section connects your browser to those services. Posting requires a GitHub account, and comments are public. GitHub and Giscus process website-comment data under their respective terms and privacy policies; this service is separate from the FlockFlow iPhone app.

Changes and contact

Material changes to this policy will be documented with the corresponding app change.

For privacy questions, use the contact guidance on the FlockFlow support page. Do not attach camera images or field recordings unless a private transfer has been agreed in advance.