Privacy policy

Effective date: 30 October 2026. This policy describes MACPod, an Android podcast player maintained by Miguel Arriaga.

Data on your device

MACPod stores your library, cached episode metadata, subscriptions, favourites, queue, listening positions, latest listening timestamps, played and skipped states, settings and browsing preferences locally. Downloaded audio is stored in app-private storage. History records the latest listening state per episode, rather than every listening session.

Podcast search and playback

Search terms are sent to Apple's podcast directory and gpodder.net. Refreshing feeds, loading artwork, streaming and downloading connect to the relevant providers. Those services receive ordinary network information, including your IP address and requested resources, and apply their own privacy policies. Private feed URLs may contain subscription credentials; treat them as sensitive.

Optional Google Drive backup

When you choose to connect Google and approve access, MACPod reads and writes backup snapshots in your selected account's hidden Drive app-data folder using the drive.appdata permission. It does not request access to your other Drive documents. The developer does not receive these backup files on a developer-operated server.

Backups include retained shows and episodes, feed and audio URLs, artwork URLs, library choices, listening progress and history, favourites, skipped and played states, queue order, global and per-show settings, and saved episode filters and sorting. They exclude downloaded audio, Google tokens, GitHub updater credentials, signing keys and temporary playback state.

Backups can reveal listening habits and private feed URLs. MACPod does not add application-level encryption to backup files. Google stores them under your Google account and its terms and privacy policy.

Retention and control

Each installation retains its seven newest successful snapshots; snapshots from other installations can remain. Disconnecting stops scheduled backups but does not delete existing local or cloud data or revoke Google's authorisation. You can revoke access through your Google account's third-party connections settings and remove hidden app data through Google Drive's Manage apps settings. Revoking access alone does not delete backups.

Uninstalling MACPod removes its app-private device data, subject to Android behaviour, but does not by itself remove Drive snapshots. Manual JSON exports remain wherever you saved them until you delete them.

App updates

If you configure the GitHub updater, its access token is encrypted using Android Keystore and used to fetch authorised build information and updates from GitHub. It is excluded from backups. Disconnecting the updater removes stored access and cached update files.

Website

This static website uses no application analytics scripts, advertising scripts or tracking cookies. GitHub Pages and its infrastructure may process request information to host and protect the site.

Questions and changes

Contact the maintainer through their public GitHub profile for privacy questions or to request a private contact route. Do not publish sensitive data in public messages. This policy will be updated when relevant data practices change.