Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 26, 2026
Decibel — Sound Level Meter ("the App") is published by Bulpara Inc ("we", "us", "our"). This policy describes how we collect, use, and protect information when you use the App.
1. Microphone Audio
- The App listens, but it does not record. Decibel reads the live microphone signal only to compute sound levels (dB, peak, average, Leq) in real time. The raw audio is analyzed on-device and discarded immediately — it is never written to disk.
- The App does not save voice recordings, does not upload audio, and does not transmit, stream, or store any audio on our servers.
- What is saved is the measurement result — numbers like average and peak dB and a level-over-time graph — not the sound itself.
2. Data We Store Locally
- Measurement sessions: Name, timestamps, duration, weighting (A/C/Z), min/average/max/peak/Leq, and a compressed level-over-time series. Stored locally via SwiftData.
- Noise-exposure history: Daily NIOSH/OSHA dose rollups, time-weighted average, and total exposure time, computed from your saved sessions.
- Preferences: Calibration offset, default weighting and standard (NIOSH/OSHA), theme, and notification settings.
- Purchase status: Subscription state is managed by Apple's StoreKit and cached locally for feature gating.
3. Permissions We Request
- Microphone: Required to measure sound levels. The App only reads the mic while the meter is on screen and measuring. It does not listen in the background or while the App is closed.
- Notifications (optional): Used only for loud-event alerts ("sustained 85 dBA — protect your hearing") and exposure reminders you opt into. You can disable them in iOS Settings.
4. Third-Party Services
The App uses the following third-party services:
- Apple App Store / StoreKit: Manages subscriptions and purchases. Governed by Apple's privacy policy.
- Google AdMob (free tier only): Displays banner and interstitial ads to free-tier users and may collect device identifiers and usage data for ad personalization and measurement. Your microphone audio and saved measurements are never shared with AdMob. See Google's Privacy Policy.
Premium subscribers see no ads and trigger no AdMob requests.
5. Data Storage and Security
- All measurement sessions, exposure history, and preferences are stored locally on your device.
- No audio, measurements, or device-identifiable content is transmitted to or stored on our servers. We have no servers that hold user data.
- Purchase verification uses Apple's secure StoreKit framework.
- The App's core metering, dose calculation, and report export all work completely offline.
6. Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We do not share your audio or measurements with any third party. AdMob may collect device-level data for ad personalization (free tier only); your microphone audio and saved measurements are excluded.
7. Your Rights
You can:
- Delete individual measurement sessions from the History tab inside the App
- Delete the App to remove all local sessions, exposure history, and preferences
- Disable Notifications and Microphone permission from iOS Settings at any time
- Request information about data handling by contacting us at privacy@bulpara.com
8. Children's Privacy
The App is rated 4+ and is not intended to collect data from children under 13. Because the App does not collect personal data on our servers, this is enforced by design.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy, contact us at: