Holdfast Privacy Policy

Effective date: October 25, 2026
Last updated: October 25, 2026
Publisher: Holdfast LLC

1. Who we are

Holdfast is a mobile application published by Holdfast LLC, a Wyoming limited liability company ("Holdfast LLC," "we," "us," or "our").

Mailing address:
Holdfast LLC
30 N Gould St Ste 67031
Sheridan, WY 82801

Support and privacy contact:
holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com

This Privacy Policy covers the Holdfast mobile application and the Holdfast partner website (holdfast-partner.pages.dev). It does not cover our separate Scripture and screen-time application, Steadfast, which has its own Privacy Policy.

2. What Holdfast does, in plain language

Holdfast helps adults stay away from pornographic and adult content, with accountability from trusted partners.

• Website blocking (on-device DNS VPN). Holdfast runs a local VPN on your device that handles DNS lookups only. When your device asks for the address of a website, Holdfast checks the domain name against an adult-content blocklist stored on your device (plus any custom block lists you add in Holdfast Plus). If the site is on the blocklist, the lookup is blocked locally on your device. All other traffic goes straight to the internet as normal. Holdfast is not a full-traffic VPN and does not route, read, or inspect the content of your web browsing.
• In-app blocking wall. Holdfast uses Android's Accessibility service to show a blocking wall when adult content or a restricted screen is detected inside apps you have chosen to guard. To do this, it checks screen structure, NSFW-related labels, and search text on screen inside those listed apps on your device.
• Partner accountability. You pair Holdfast with an accountability partner who signs in with a different email address (up to 3 partners with Holdfast Plus). Your partner, not you, approves changes such as Unlock (for example 1 hour or 24 hours), Lock, Allow protection off, Allow uninstall, Allow partner change, and Release NSFW Sharing.
• Holdfast Plus ($3.99/month or $29.99/year). Holdfast offers an optional subscription, Holdfast Plus, which includes support for up to 3 accountability partners, optional Cloud Image Check, a weekly partner report, custom block lists and custom app blocking, and real-time tamper alerts.

3. Information we collect

3.1 Account information

• Your email address and password, handled through Google Firebase Authentication (Identity Toolkit and Secure Token REST APIs over HTTPS). We do not see or store your password in plain text.
• Your accountability partner's email address (or up to 3 partners' email addresses in Holdfast Plus), which each partner uses to sign in on the partner website or app. The phone user and each partner must use different email addresses.
• Internal account and pairing identifiers generated to link your device with your partner(s).

3.2 Pairing, partner controls, and tamper alerts

• One-time pairing codes used to link your account to your partner's account.
• Partner control commands and approval state: Unlock (1 hour or 24 hours), Lock, Allow protection off, Allow uninstall, Allow partner change, and Release NSFW Sharing, including whether each request is pending, approved, or used.
• Protection status, check-in timestamps, and tamper alerts (such as notifications when the local VPN, Accessibility service, Device Admin uninstall protection, or Safe Mode status changes).
• Push notification tokens used to deliver approval requests and tamper alerts to your linked partner(s).

3.3 Accountability events and weekly partner reports

• When Holdfast blocks adult content or a restricted screen in a guarded app, it records a block signal consisting of the app name and the timestamp.
• These signals are used for your partner's digest, lock screen status, and the Holdfast Plus weekly partner report when Release NSFW Sharing or partner reporting is enabled.
• Block signals and weekly partner reports do not include screenshots, the text you typed, private message content, or the full list of websites you visited.

3.4 Optional Cloud Image Check (Holdfast Plus)

• Off by default. Holdfast Plus includes an optional Cloud Image Check feature that you can choose to turn on for additional self-accountability.
• When enabled and consented to through your device's screen-capture permission dialog, Holdfast captures a single screen frame approximately every 20 seconds while active and sends a hash or encrypted small JPEG frame over HTTPS to our vision check service solely to detect explicit adult imagery.
• Checked and immediately discarded. Screen frames are analyzed in memory and immediately deleted. Holdfast LLC does not store your screen frames on disk or in a database, does not use them to train AI models, and never shows them to human reviewers or to your accountability partner.

3.5 Custom block lists and custom app blocking (Holdfast Plus)

• In Holdfast Plus, you can configure custom domain block lists and custom guarded apps. Your custom block list entries and guarded app selections are stored and matched on your device to enforce your blocking rules.

3.6 Device and technical information

• Basic technical information needed for the app to communicate with our partner server (holdfast-remote.brandonbbreon.workers.dev), such as app version, request timestamps, and authentication tokens.
• Holdfast does not include advertising SDKs, cross-app trackers, or third-party marketing analytics SDKs.

3.7 Payments (Holdfast Plus)

• Holdfast Plus is offered at $3.99 per month or $29.99 per year (plus applicable taxes).
• Subscriptions are billed and processed through Google Play (or the Apple App Store on iOS). Holdfast LLC does not collect, see, or store your full credit card number or billing address. We receive only limited purchase metadata (such as subscription status, product ID, and a purchase or order token) needed to verify and unlock Holdfast Plus features.

3.8 What we do not collect

• We do not collect or log your full web browsing history or DNS queries.
• We do not collect the content of your private messages, emails, photos, or files.
• We do not collect your contacts, precise GPS location, camera feed, or microphone audio.
• Because use of an adult-content filter may imply sensitive personal information, we process account and accountability data strictly to deliver the features you choose. We never use it for advertising, profiling, or data brokerage.

4. How we use information

We use the information described above only to:

• Create and secure your account and your partner's account(s).
• Link your phone with up to 1 partner on the free tier or up to 3 partners on Holdfast Plus.
• Carry out partner approvals and commands (Unlock, Lock, Allow protection off, Allow uninstall, Allow partner change, Release NSFW Sharing).
• Send tamper alerts, block signals (app name and time), and weekly partner reports to your linked partner(s) according to your settings.
• Perform ephemeral, automated explicit-image detection when you enable the optional Cloud Image Check in Holdfast Plus.
• Verify your Holdfast Plus subscription status, maintain service reliability, prevent abuse, and respond to support requests.

We do not sell your personal information. We do not sell, rent, or share your browsing or DNS activity with third parties. We do not use your information for targeted advertising.

5. On-device processing vs. server sync

6. VPN and DNS: how the filter works

Holdfast uses Android's VpnService (or Apple's Network Extension framework on iOS) to create a local VPN tunnel on your device. This VPN:

• Intercepts DNS lookups only, so Holdfast can block domains matching the on-device adult blocklist and your custom block lists.
• Forwards allowed DNS queries over encrypted DNS (DNS-over-HTTPS or DNS-over-TLS) to your chosen public DNS resolver (such as Cloudflare, Quad9, or Google).
• Does not route, decrypt, or inspect the rest of your internet traffic through Holdfast servers.
• Does not log, store, sell, or disclose your DNS queries or browsing history to third parties.

Because Holdfast handles DNS only on the local tunnel, Android's "Block connections without VPN" setting must remain off so normal app and internet traffic can flow.

7. Accessibility service disclosure (Android)

Holdfast uses Android's Accessibility service only to:

• Recognize restricted in-app screens and NSFW-related labels or search text inside apps you have chosen to guard, so Holdfast can display a blocking wall on your device.
• Record a minimal block signal (app name and timestamp only) when a guarded screen is blocked.

Holdfast does not use the Accessibility service to read your passwords, capture private message conversations, or auto-tap system dialogs. You can turn off the Accessibility service at any time in Android Settings, and your linked partner(s) will receive a tamper alert that app blocking was turned off.

8. Partner accountability and Holdfast Plus features

• Up to 3 partners (Holdfast Plus): The free version supports 1 accountability partner; Holdfast Plus supports up to 3 linked accountability partners.
• What partners see: Linked partners can see your pairing status, protection status, tamper alerts, and approval requests you initiate. When Release NSFW Sharing or the Holdfast Plus weekly partner report is enabled, partners can also see block signals (app name and time) and weekly summary reports.
• What partners never see: Partners cannot see your full browsing history, your private messages, what you typed, or any screen frames from Cloud Image Check.
• Authenticated partner controls: Partner approvals only work from a linked, signed-in partner account. Only pair with people you trust.

9. Device Admin and optional advanced mode (Android)

• Device Admin uninstall protection: Holdfast uses Android's Device Admin permission so the app cannot be uninstalled in a single tap. Removing Holdfast from inside the app requires your partner's approval. If you turn off Device Admin directly in Android Settings, your partner is notified via a tamper alert. Holdfast does not use Device Admin to wipe your device or change your screen lock password.
• Optional Device Owner advanced mode: The Android APK also includes optional Device Owner code for advanced users who deliberately provision their own device via computer (ADB). It is not turned on by a standard Google Play install and is not required to use Holdfast.

10. Third-party service providers

Reference links:

• Google Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
• Cloudflare Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/
• Apple Privacy Policy: https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/

We may also disclose information if required to do so by law or valid legal process, or to protect the rights and safety of users or the public.

11. Data retention and account deletion

• Account and pairing data is kept while your account remains active.
• Block signals and weekly partner report history are kept for up to 90 days to power your partner digest and weekly reports, and are then automatically pruned or overwritten.
• Cloud Image Check frames are retained for 0 seconds after the check completes (analyzed in memory and immediately discarded).
• How to delete your account and data: You may request complete account and data deletion at any time by visiting our Account Deletion page (/account-deletion/) or by emailing holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com from the email address associated with your account with the subject line "Delete my Holdfast account". Within 30 days of verifying your request, we will:

1. Delete your Firebase Authentication account.
2. Unlink your device from all connected partners and permanently delete your pairing records, partner control state, tamper history, and synced block signals from our partner server.

• Uninstalling the Holdfast app removes local settings and custom block lists stored on your phone, but does not automatically delete your cloud account until you submit a deletion request.

12. Children's privacy and age requirements

Holdfast is designed for adults (ages 18 and older) seeking accountability around adult content. Holdfast is not intended for or directed to children under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If you believe a minor has created a Holdfast account, please contact holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com and we will promptly delete the account and associated data.

13. Security

• Account authentication is protected by Google Firebase Authentication over HTTPS.
• All communication between the Holdfast app, the partner website, and our Cloudflare Worker backend is encrypted in transit using HTTPS/TLS.
• Partner approvals require cryptographic verification and an authenticated partner session.
• No method of transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. Please use a strong, unique password and contact holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com immediately if you suspect unauthorized access.

14. Your privacy rights

Depending on where you live (including California, other US states, the European Economic Area, or the United Kingdom), you may have legal rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or receive a portable copy of your personal information, and to opt out of certain processing. To exercise any of these rights, email holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

15. Changes to this Privacy Policy

If we update this Privacy Policy, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and publish the updated version at this URL. For material changes that expand how we collect or share personal data, we will provide notice inside the app before the change takes effect.

16. Contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or Holdfast's privacy practices, please contact us:

Holdfast LLC
30 N Gould St Ste 67031
Sheridan, WY 82801
Email: holdfast.helpdesk@gmail.com