Why Kidlyoo asks for each permission

Set Kidlyoo as your Home app

Short answer

When Kidlyoo is the Home app, every Home-button press opens Kidlyoo instead of the device's default launcher. Your kid can't escape the kiosk session by hitting Home.

The detail

If Kidlyoo is not the Home app, pressing Home flashes the parent's home screen for a second before our Watchdog bounces it back. With Kidlyoo as Home, that flash never happens.

Is this safe?

Yes. Setting an app as Home is a normal Android feature. Many launchers do it. It only affects which app opens when you press Home.

You can switch back any time: Settings - Apps - Default apps - Home app. Kidlyoo's parent dashboard also has a "Switch to my phone" button that takes you straight there.

Stuck-parent rescue

If you accidentally lock yourself out (Kidlyoo is Home and you forgot the PIN), press Home three times quickly. Kidlyoo offers a one-tap modal that takes you to the launcher chooser.

Accessibility permission (KidlyooKioskWatchdog)

Short answer

Our Watchdog needs to know which app is in the foreground so it can bounce your kid back to Kidlyoo if they try to escape. Android only exposes that information to apps with Accessibility permission.

The detail

By default, no Android app can know which other app is in the foreground. The Accessibility API was originally built for screen-readers, but it also exposes foreground-app information.

We use Accessibility for one thing only: detecting when the foreground app changes. When it changes to something not on your kid's approved list, we send the kid back to Kidlyoo.

We do not:

• Read your screen contents
• Capture text from other apps
• Log keystrokes
• Send any data anywhere
• Use the permission for anything other than the kiosk Watchdog

What if I revoke it?

The kiosk Watchdog stops working. Re-grant in Settings - Accessibility - Installed services - Kidlyoo Watchdog.

Google Play declared use

For transparency: Kidlyoo's use of Accessibility is declared with Google as "Parental Control / Kiosk Mode", which is a category Google explicitly allows. If you ever see a Google Play warning saying our accessibility use isn't justified, email us at support@kidlyoo.com and we'll provide our declaration.

Usage Access permission (PACKAGE_USAGE_STATS)

Short answer

A backup signal for the Watchdog. On some devices, Android kills the Watchdog without warning. The Usage Access fallback bounces escapes anyway.

The detail

If the primary Accessibility-based Watchdog gets killed, your lockdown becomes unreliable. The fallback uses the Usage Stats API to poll once per second for the foreground-app name. It's slower (~1s lag instead of milliseconds) but more resilient.

We use Usage Access for one thing only: that polling fallback. We never read history.

What if I don't grant it?

The Watchdog still works. The fallback just isn't there. On devices with aggressive battery-saver, you may see occasional escapes.

Battery optimisation exemption

Short answer

Android's battery saver kills background services to save battery. The exemption tells Android to leave Kidlyoo's services running.

Battery impact

The Watchdog uses about 0.5 to 1% battery per hour while a kid is in a session. Outside sessions, essentially nothing. If your kid uses Kidlyoo for two hours a day, you'll see roughly a 1 to 2% battery hit per day from us.

Phone permission (CALL_PHONE) - only if speed-dial is enabled

Short answer

If you turn on speed-dial calls for your kid, Kidlyoo needs permission to place calls without exiting the kiosk.

What if my kid's phone access is "Off"?

We never request CALL_PHONE if you have phone access set to "Off" for every child. The permission is request-on-demand.