MachineCam

Last Updated: August 16, 2026

        Core Privacy Commitment: Machine Cam is a local-first application built with user privacy and data sovereignty as fundamental design principles. Machine Cam does not operate external cloud servers to collect, harvest, store, or transmit your video streams, camera credentials, or personal telemetry.    

1. Introduction & Scope

This Privacy Policy applies to the Machine Cam suite of applications, including the Android Mobile app, Wear OS smartwatch app, and Android TV app (collectively referred to as the "Application" or "Machine Cam").

Machine Cam enables users to monitor their own IP cameras (via RTSP, HLS, MJPEG, and ONVIF protocols) and stream video locally between connected devices (e.g., streaming a smartphone's camera feed to an Android TV or Wear OS watch).

2. Information We Do NOT Collect

Unlike cloud-reliant camera services, Machine Cam operates entirely under your control. We do not collect:

No Personal Identity Data: We do not ask for or collect your name, physical address, email address (unless you contact support directly), or phone number.
No Video Feeds or Snapshots: Live camera video streams, recordings, and snapshots remain strictly between your camera and your viewing device.
No Tracking or Telemetry: We do not integrate any third-party tracking, advertising networks (e.g., Google AdMob), or behavioral analytics SDKs (e.g., Firebase Analytics, Google Analytics, Sentry).
No Cloud Account Requirement: You do not need to register an account with Machine Cam or log into any third-party cloud service to use the app.

3. Device Permissions & Their Specific Purpose

Machine Cam requests only the minimum set of permissions necessary to deliver its core camera streaming and network viewing functionality:

Permission	Technical Purpose
Camera (`android.permission.CAMERA`)	Used exclusively to scan pairing QR codes and to provide local phone-to-TV/watch video streaming (Vision Mode). Video is encoded and transferred strictly over your local Wi-Fi network and is never uploaded to external servers.
Network & Internet (`INTERNET`, `ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE`, `ACCESS_WIFI_STATE`)	Required to establish direct TCP/UDP connections to your IP cameras, local NVRs, Home Assistant, Frigate, go2rtc instances, or MQTT brokers on your Local Area Network (LAN), VPN, or user-configured camera URLs.
Wi-Fi Multicast (`CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE`)	Used for local WS-Discovery to automatically discover ONVIF-compliant cameras on your local Wi-Fi network without requiring manual IP entry.
Foreground Service (`FOREGROUND_SERVICE`, `FOREGROUND_SERVICE_CAMERA`)	Allows the phone to reliably stream its camera to a paired TV or watch while displaying a persistent, clear notification in the status bar indicating that streaming is active.
Notifications (`POST_NOTIFICATIONS`)	Used to display active foreground service status and optional alerts for connected services.
Keep Awake (`WAKE_LOCK`)	Prevents the smartwatch or mobile screen from turning off while you are actively viewing a live camera feed.

4. Data Storage & Security

Hardware-Backed Encryption: Camera credentials (usernames and passwords) and long-lived access tokens (e.g., Home Assistant or Frigate tokens) are encrypted on your device using the Android Keystore system.
Device Synchronization: Camera lists and configurations synchronized between your phone and Wear OS watch are transmitted securely via Google Play Services (Wear OS Data Layer API) or direct local network sockets.
Privacy Redaction in Logs: Camera URLs, user credentials, authentication query tokens, and sensitive query parameters are automatically redacted from error logs and diagnostic outputs to prevent accidental exposure.

5. Third-Party Integrations

Machine Cam allows you to connect to third-party home automation and video services that you choose to configure, such as:

Home Assistant (API token-based discovery & streaming)
Frigate NVR (local event snapshots & stream review)
go2rtc / MediaMTX (stream bridging & codec negotiation)
MQTT Brokers (live event monitoring with optional TLS)

All communications with these services occur directly between your device and your specified server endpoint. No credentials, tokens, or event data pass through any servers owned or operated by Machine Cam.

6. Children's Privacy (COPPA & GDPR Compliance)

Machine Cam does not knowingly collect, request, or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Union). Because Machine Cam is a local-first utility that does not collect personal data, it is inherently safe for users of all ages.

7. Data Retention & Deletion

Since all data is stored locally on your device:

You can delete any saved camera or integration at any time directly within the application.
Uninstalling the application or clearing the application's storage in your device's Android settings immediately and permanently removes all stored credentials, tokens, and configurations.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect new features, security enhancements, or legal requirements. Any modifications will be posted to this page with an updated "Last Updated" date.

9. Contact Information

If you have any questions, feedback, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or the security practices of Machine Cam, please reach out to us:

Developer / Contact: [email protected]