Effective 11 September 2026. Published by Carlyon Apps.
Flock is a shared household app for lists, chores and reminders. This page explains, in plain terms, what information Flock collects, why, who it's shared with, and how you can delete it.
OVERVIEW
Flock lets the people in a household share a shopping list, chores, a calendar, a board and a few other tools. To make that sharing work, some information has to be stored on a server rather than only on your phone. This policy covers what that information is and how it's handled.
Flock does not ask you to create an account with an email address, phone number, or social login. There is no sign-up form and no password.
INFORMATION WE COLLECT
Anonymous device ID: The first time you open Flock, your device is automatically given an anonymous ID (via Firebase Authentication's anonymous sign-in). This ID isn't linked to your name, email or phone number, and Flock never asks for those.
Household content you create: When you use Flock's features, the content you enter is stored so it can be shared with the other members of your household: your display name; shopping list names, items and quantities; chore names, schedule, who last completed them and streaks; calendar event titles, dates and notes; household board notes, links and photos you post; recipe names and ingredient lists you save; and food names, calories and barcodes you log if you use the fitness/food log tab.
Camera and photos: Flock uses your device's camera to scan barcodes (for shopping and food logging) and receipts, and to let you attach photos to chores and board posts. Barcode and receipt scans are processed to read the text or code; photos you choose to attach are stored so your household can see them. Flock does not access your photo library beyond a picture you actively choose to attach.
Location (optional, off by default): If you turn on location sharing, Flock stores your device's approximate location so other household members can see it and so "safe zone" arrival/departure alerts can work. This is off unless you switch it on, and you can turn it off again at any time in Flock's Family settings, which also removes your last shared location from our servers.
Purchases: If you buy Flock Plus, the purchase itself is handled entirely by Google Play Billing. Flock never sees or stores your payment card details, we only receive confirmation from Google that Plus has been unlocked for your device.
Advertising identifier: Free-tier users are shown a small banner ad, served by Google AdMob, on the household/settings screen only, never on the shopping list or chores themselves. AdMob uses your device's advertising ID to do this. Flock Plus removes ads entirely.
Recipe lookups: If you use the Recipe box's ingredient suggestions, the meal name you type is sent to the free public recipe database TheMealDB to find a matching recipe. No other personal information is included in that request.
HOW WE USE IT
To run the shared features that make Flock useful, showing everyone in a household the same list, chores, calendar, board and location map. To remember your preferences, such as your chosen theme. To show ads to free-tier users, and to unlock Flock Plus once purchased. To diagnose and fix bugs. We do not use your household content to build advertising profiles, and we do not sell it.
WHO WE SHARE IT WITH
Flock shares data only with the service providers needed to run the app, and with the other members of your own household (for the household content described above): Google Firebase (Firestore database and Authentication) stores your household's data and issues your device's anonymous ID; Google AdMob shows ads to free-tier users, using the advertising identifier; Google Play Billing processes the one-time Flock Plus purchase; TheMealDB receives only the meal name you search for, when you use recipe suggestions. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.
HOW YOUR DATA IS PROTECTED
Flock's server-side security rules only allow a device to read or write a household's data if that device is a recognised member of that household. Someone outside your household, including other Flock users in a different household, cannot see your shopping list, chores, board, location or any other content.
DATA RETENTION AND DELETION
Your household content is kept for as long as your household exists and you remain a member of it, so that it stays available to your household. You're in control of deleting it.
To delete your data: open Flock, tap Invite, then Leave this household. This immediately deletes your own membership record and shared location from our servers. If you're the only person left in the household, leaving deletes the entire household and everything in it, shopping lists, chores, board posts, photos, recipes and location history, permanently.
You can also email us at the address below to request deletion of any data associated with your device.
CHILDREN'S PRIVACY
Flock is intended for general household use and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
INTERNATIONAL DATA TRANSFERS
Flock's data is stored using Google Firebase, which may process and store data on servers located outside the UK or European Economic Area. Google maintains its own safeguards for these transfers; see Firebase's privacy and security documentation for details.
YOUR RIGHTS
If you're in the UK or EEA, data protection law gives you rights over your personal data, including the right to access, correct or delete it, and the right to complain to a supervisory authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office). You can exercise these rights using the in-app deletion described above, or by contacting us directly.
CHANGES TO THIS POLICY
We may update this policy from time to time as Flock's features change. The effective date at the top of this page will always reflect the latest version.
CONTACT US
Questions about this policy or your data can be sent to tdcarlyon1@gmail.com.
Flock is published by Carlyon Apps.