1. Introduction
Folder Share ("we", "our", or "the application") is an open-source, zero-touch local network folder sharing and media streaming utility created by Hammad (@hammadbawara).
This Privacy Policy informs you of our philosophy, policies, and practices regarding the privacy of your personal data, files, and device permissions when using Folder Share on Android, Linux, Windows, or any other platform.
2. Information We Do Not Collect
Folder Share does not collect, process, record, or transmit any personal or sensitive user data. Specifically:
- No Personal Identifiable Information (PII): We never ask for or collect your name, email address, phone number, address, or government identifiers.
- No Account Data: The application does not have user accounts, profiles, or authentication portals.
- No File or Content Data: Your files, directory trees, file names, photos, music, and videos remain strictly on your local hardware. We cannot read, access, or view any of your shared data.
- No Usage Statistics or Telemetry: We do not log what files you share, which devices connect to you, your network speed, or your session duration.
- No Device Identifiers: We do not harvest unique device identifiers such as IMEI, Android ID, Advertising IDs, or MAC addresses.
- No Location Data: We do not track, query, or log your GPS coordinates or physical location.
3. How Folder Share Operates (Local Network Only)
Folder Share is deliberately built to operate exclusively on your Local Area Network (LAN) or Wi-Fi network:
- Peer Discovery (mDNS): The app uses standard Multicast DNS (Zeroconf) to announce its presence to other devices connected to your same Wi-Fi router. This data never leaves your home or office network.
- Direct WebDAV & HTTP Server: When sharing is enabled, Folder Share runs a lightweight local server on your device. Other devices connect directly to your local IP address over your local network.
- Seekable Media Streaming: Media files stream point-to-point between devices using standard HTTP 206 Partial Content byte ranges. There are no intermediate cloud proxies or relay servers.
4. Device Permissions and Why They Are Needed
To deliver local file sharing and media streaming functionality, Folder Share requests specific device permissions. We adhere strictly to the principle of least privilege:
| Permission | Platform | Rationale |
|---|---|---|
INTERNET | Android | Required by the Android OS to open local network sockets (running the local HTTP/WebDAV server and connecting to local peers). No data is sent to external internet servers. |
ACCESS_NETWORK_STATEACCESS_WIFI_STATE | Android | Detects whether your device is connected to a local Wi-Fi or Ethernet network and retrieves your local IP address to show connection URLs. |
CHANGE_WIFI_MULTICAST_STATE | Android | Allows the application to send and receive multicast packets required for zero-touch local peer discovery (mDNS). |
READ/WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGEMANAGE_EXTERNAL_STORAGEREAD_MEDIA_* | Android | Required strictly to access folders you select for sharing and to save files you choose to download. Folder Share will never inspect or access files outside of folders you choose to share. |
FOREGROUND_SERVICEFOREGROUND_SERVICE_DATA_SYNC | Android | Keeps the local file server and media streams running smoothly in the background while the screen is off or another app is open. |
POST_NOTIFICATIONS | Android | Displays a system notification while the sharing service is running, showing active status and providing a quick-stop action. |
WAKE_LOCKREQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS | Android | Prevents the operating system from suspending active file transfers or media streaming sessions during prolonged background transfers. |
| Local Network & File System | Desktop (Linux / Windows) | Binds the local WebDAV server to local network interfaces and accesses only directories you explicitly select through the system file picker. |
5. Third-Party Services & SDKs
Folder Share does not include any third-party SDKs for:
- Advertising (e.g., Google AdMob, Unity, AppLovin)
- Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Firebase Analytics, Flurry, Mixpanel)
- Crash Reporting (e.g., Firebase Crashlytics, Sentry)
- Behavioral profiling or tracking beacons
The software is built solely with reputable open-source runtimes and libraries (such as Kotlin Multiplatform, Compose Multiplatform, Ktor HTTP Engine, Okio, and Room Database), running entirely on your local machine.
6. Data Storage & Local Persistence
Any preferences or operational states (such as your device display name, custom port number, and saved shared folder bookmarks) are stored locally on your device in a private SQLite database managed by Room.
This data never leaves your device. Uninstalling the app or clearing application data permanently removes all stored preferences.
7. Security Best Practices
Because Folder Share operates as an HTTP/WebDAV server over your local network:
- We recommend using the application on secured private Wi-Fi networks protected by modern encryption (e.g., WPA2 or WPA3).
- Be cautious when running the sharing server on public, untrusted Wi-Fi hotspots (such as in airports or cafes), as other devices on the same subnet may access your shared folder unless authentication is enabled.
8. Children's Privacy
Folder Share does not knowingly collect or solicit any personal information from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions), in accordance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). In fact, because we collect no personal data whatsoever, the app is safe for users of all ages.
9. Free, Open Source & Auditable
We believe that true privacy requires verification, not just promises. Folder Share is free and open-source software licensed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3).
You can verify our network behaviors, security mechanisms, and zero-data collection guarantee by reviewing the complete source code on GitHub:
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may occasionally update this Privacy Policy to reflect app enhancements or evolving platform guidelines. Any changes will be posted with an updated "Last Updated" date at the top of this document and recorded in the Git history of our repository.
11. Contact & Support
If you have questions, concerns, or recommendations regarding this Privacy Policy or data privacy in Folder Share, feel free to contact us:
- GitHub Issue Tracker: https://github.com/hammadbawara/FolderShare/issues
- Developer Profile: https://github.com/hammadbawara