FAQ
Ask us the hard questions
These are the questions we think every parent should ask any family safety product — including ours. Each answer links to its proof.
Data & privacy
Is my child's data safe?
Data travels over TLS-encrypted connections. Passwords are stored only as bcrypt hashes; session tokens, invites, and pairing codes are stored as SHA-256 hashes. Access tokens expire in 15 minutes, and replaying a stolen session token revokes every session on the account.
Who owns my family's data?
Your family does. It exists to power the features you turned on, it's visible only inside your family group, and it's deleted when an account leaves the family. We claim no rights to use it for anything else.
Do you sell data?
No. No advertisers, no data brokers, no analytics resale, and zero third-party ad or tracking SDKs in the app — which you're welcome to verify by inspecting its network traffic.
Where is data stored?
On your family's Safentora server, reachable only over TLS. Credentials are stored exclusively in hashed form. A hosting-region and subprocessor list will be published on the Trust Center ahead of general availability.
Can I delete everything?
Yes. Removing a member deletes their associated data; you can unpair devices or dissolve the whole family at any time. For a full deletion request, email privacy@scientistshublabs.dev — completed within 30 days, usually much faster.
Permissions
Why do you need Accessibility permissions?
It's the only reliable way Android lets an app know which app is in the foreground — which is how app blocking works. Safentora's service requests no window content: it cannot read messages, screens, or anything typed. The block screen is a normal labelled screen, not a hidden overlay.
Why do you need background location?
So 'arrived at school' alerts work while the phone is in a pocket with the screen off. While it runs, the child's device shows a persistent 'Sharing your location with your family' notification — background never means hidden.
Can Safentora read my child's messages or notifications?
No — and not as a policy choice, as a technical fact. Safentora does not request notification access, SMS access, or screen-capture permissions, so reading messages is impossible for it. We list every not-requested permission publicly.
Monitoring ethics
Can my child see what is being monitored?
Yes, by design. Before monitoring starts they review and accept a plain-language consent screen. During monitoring, location sharing shows a persistent notification, and every block or lock shows a labelled notice. There is no stealth mode to enable.
Is monitoring transparent — really?
The transparency isn't a setting, it's architecture: the consent gate blocks monitoring until accepted, the sharing notification can't be hidden while tracking runs, and enforcement screens are part of how blocking works. We compare these behaviors against typical stealth apps openly.
Can I use Safentora to keep an eye on my partner or employees?
No. Safentora is for parents and guardians of children in their care. Covert tracking of adults violates our terms, gets accounts terminated, and is illegal in many places. The product's visible-by-design behavior makes it a poor spy tool on purpose.
Account & control
Can I stop using the service anytime?
Yes. Unpair devices, remove members, or delete the family whenever you want — associated data is deleted with them. Nothing is designed to lock you in.
What happens if my child turns permissions off?
That feature stops working and your dashboard shows the honest state (for example, a lock command reported as not enforced). We document each permission's revocation path and its consequence — the child keeping device-level control is part of the design.
Who at ScientistsHub can access my family's information?
Family data APIs are reachable only by your family's accounts. Our operations staff use a separate, restricted admin portal for account-level support (emails, family names, counts) — its credentials are structurally invalid on family data routes.