How Tinyclock works

Tinyclock is a parental control app that helps families agree on screen time and keep to it calmly. This page explains, in plain language, how the apps work, what permissions they need and why, and where the limits of what Tinyclock can see and do are. Tinyclock is in development, so this describes the design we are building to.

The idea

A limit works best when everyone can see it. Tinyclock gives your child a visible countdown, a friendly warning before time is up and a kind way to ask for more. It gives you simple controls and reports that start a conversation instead of keeping score.

Two apps in one

Tinyclock is one app with two modes. When you open it for the first time you choose:

• I'm a parent. You create the account, add your children, set rules and answer requests.
• This is my child's phone. You pair the phone with the family using a code created by a parent. Children never create accounts.

Setting up a family

1. A parent creates an account and confirms they are the child's parent or legal guardian.
2. The parent adds a child (name or nickname and age). Tinyclock shows a QR code and a 6-digit code that expires after a few minutes.
3. On the child's phone, the child or parent chooses "This is my child's phone" and scans the code.
4. The child's phone asks for the permissions needed to apply limits. Each step explains why, in words a child can follow.
5. The parent chooses a first limit and bedtime. Your child sees what you can and cannot see before anything starts.

How limits are applied

On iPhone

Tinyclock uses Apple's own Screen Time technology (the Family Controls framework). This means:

• Limits are applied on the child's phone by iOS itself, not by Tinyclock watching the screen.
• The child's phone must be part of the parent's Apple Family Sharing group, and the parent approves Tinyclock on the child's phone with their Apple Account. The child cannot remove Tinyclock's limits without the parent.
• Apple keeps detailed information about which apps a child uses on the child's device. Tinyclock does not receive app names or per-app times from iPhone, and shows the child their own usage on their own phone.
• When time is up, iOS shows a block screen. Apple lets Tinyclock add a short message and a button, so on iPhone Timo appears in a simplified form.

On Android

Tinyclock uses the permissions Android provides to parental control apps:

• Usage access, to know which app is open and for how long, so limits and reports are accurate
• Display over other apps and accessibility access, to show Timo's time-is-up screen and pause blocked apps. Tinyclock uses these only to apply your rules. It does not read what is on the screen.
• Device protection, so Tinyclock cannot be removed without the parent
• Notifications, for warnings, requests and answers
• Camera, microphone and location, only if you switch on video requests or location check-ins, and only when needed

Android lets Tinyclock show a fully custom time-is-up screen with Timo.

What a child sees

• A countdown ring and the time left today
• Gentle warnings at 10, 5 and 1 minute before time is up
• Timo, who greets, explains and says goodnight
• A way to ask for more time with a ready reason, a voice note or a 3-second video, depending on the parent's settings
• A clear indicator whenever location is on
• A plain explanation of what parents can and cannot see

What a parent sees and can do

• Today's usage and time left for each child, where the platform allows it
• Pause all, Add 15 minutes and one-off exceptions
• Rules and schedules: daily limit, bedtime, school time, focus time, always-allowed apps
• Requests from the child, with a one-tap answer of +10, +30 or +60 minutes, or Not now with a kind reply
• Weekly reports with trends and conversation prompts
• Optional saved places and arrived or left alerts

Requests for more time

When time runs out, your child can ask for more. You get a push notification, see the reason or the recording and answer in one tap. In Settings, then Requests you choose Off, Optional or Required for recordings. Voice notes and videos are encrypted and deleted automatically after 7 days. Read more in How requests for more time work.

Location, only if you choose

Location is off until a parent turns it on. When it is on, your child sees an indicator. We recommend saved places with arrival alerts instead of a live map. Route history is optional and short, and you can end sharing and delete stored location at any time. See Location check-ins.

What Tinyclock never does

• It never reads messages, emails, calls, photos, contacts or browsing history
• It never records the screen or logs keystrokes
• It never shows ads and never sells data
• It never uses children's data for advertising or profiling
• It never shames a child, and it never uses scary messages
• It never turns on location, camera or microphone without a parent's choice and a visible indicator for the child

Limits you should know about

• No tool can stop every risk. Tinyclock supports your parenting and does not replace conversations or supervision.
• A determined older child may find a way around any parental control. Tinyclock tells you when protection is turned off, and we suggest agreeing the rules together.
• Apple and Google decide which information an app can see. Where the platforms differ, Tinyclock tells you what is and is not available.
• Tinyclock needs the permissions it asks for. If one is withdrawn, limits may stop working and the parent is notified.

Your data and your control

Everything Tinyclock holds about your family can be exported or permanently deleted from Settings, then Privacy. The privacy policy explains what we collect, why and for how long, and Security explains how we protect it. Questions? Write to hello@tinyclock.app.