HomePrivacy Policy

Last updated: October 18, 2026

This policy covers the Code News Android app (Code News - Articles for Programmers & Developers) and the website codenews.app.

Who we are

Code News is operated by CODE BLDR S.R.L., Sibiu, Romania, tax number (CUI) 44030127, which is the controller of the personal data described here. Contact: codenews@codebldr.com.

What we collect and why

Without an account

  • A random app identifier generated on your device, so the app can keep your preferences between sessions.
  • Your preferences: favorite programming languages, app settings, bookmarks, the articles you open and the bolts you give, and the search terms you use. We use these to build your feed and to rank articles.
  • App version and device platform, to keep the app and server compatible.
  • Your device time zone and when you last opened the app, so notifications arrive at a sensible local hour, not on weekends, and not about posts you have already seen.

With an account

  • Email address, name or username, and avatar, if you sign in with email, Google, GitHub or Twitter/X. From the sign-in provider we receive only these details and an identifier for your account with them.
  • Content you send us: articles you submit to the feed, feedback and reports about articles.
  • Purchases: if you buy Premium through Google Play, we receive the product, the purchase token, the order number, the country and the subscription dates and status from Google Play. We check this with Google Play when you buy, when you open the app and when a period ends, so Premium follows renewals, cancellations and refunds. We never see your payment details.

Collected by services built into the app

  • Push notifications (Firebase Cloud Messaging, Google): a device token so we can send you notifications. These are new posts on the tags you follow, a weekly recap of your stack, a reminder to pick your tags if you have none, and a summary of what you missed if you have not opened the app for a while. You can turn them off in the app under Settings → Notifications or in your device settings.
  • Usage statistics (Firebase Analytics, Google): which screens and features are used, to improve the app.
  • Crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics, Google): technical data about crashes (device model, OS version, app state).

The app does not show ads and does not use your advertising ID for ads.

Our web server also keeps standard access logs (IP address, time, requested page, browser) for security and troubleshooting.

Legal basis

We process data to provide the service you ask for (your feed, bookmarks, account, purchases), on the basis of our legitimate interest in keeping the app working, secure and improving (statistics, crash reports, logs, the timing of notifications), and, where the law requires it, on the basis of your consent (notifications). You can withdraw consent at any time in the app or your device settings.

Who we share it with

We do not sell personal data. We use these providers to run the service:

  • Hetzner Online GmbH (Germany) – servers and database hosting.
  • Google (Firebase, Google Play, Google Sign-In) – see the Google privacy policy.
  • Brevo (Sendinblue SAS, France) – sending emails such as sign-in links.
  • GitHub and Twitter/X – only if you choose to sign in with them.

Some of these providers may process data outside the European Economic Area under the safeguards required by the GDPR (such as Standard Contractual Clauses).

How long we keep it

  • Account data: until you delete your account.
  • App identifier and preferences without an account: until you uninstall the app and the data stays unused, or until you ask us to delete it.
  • Purchase records: as long as the law requires (for example for accounting).
  • Server logs: up to 8 weeks.

Delete your account

You can delete your account in the app under Settings → Delete account, or by following the steps on codenews.app/page/delete-account.

Your rights

Under the GDPR you can ask us for access to your data, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, and you can object to processing based on legitimate interest. Write to codenews@codebldr.com; we answer within one month. You can also complain to the Romanian data protection authority, ANSPDCP (dataprotection.ro).

Children

Code News is not directed at children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect their personal data. If you believe a child has given us personal data, write to us and we will delete it.

Security

Data is sent over encrypted connections (HTTPS) and stored on servers in the European Union with restricted access. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect your data.

Changes

We will post any change to this policy on this page and update the date above.

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