Lab Trace Privacy Policy

1. Scope and summary

Lab Trace is a local-first research inventory and catalogue app. It does not create a Beginners Lab account, and Beginners Lab does not operate a server that receives your catalogue records. Most records and photos remain on the device unless you choose to create a backup, transfer a file, pair a desktop, or use optional OneDrive synchronization.

Lab Trace is not intended for patient records, protected health information, clinical decisions, medical treatment, government services, or financial services.

2. Information stored locally

You may enter experiment and specimen names, identifiers, objectives, procedures, remarks, locations, relationships, QR assignments, shared-drive links, timestamps, photos, photo captions, and app preferences. This information is stored locally in the app's private storage or the desktop data directory.

Camera and photo access is used only when you choose to scan a QR code or attach a photo. Lab Trace does not continuously access the camera or upload photos to Beginners Lab.

3. Backups and file transfers

Lab Trace can create a portable .labtrace file containing catalogue records, QR assignments, attached photos, and non-sensitive preferences. You choose the local folder and filename. On Android, folder access is granted through the system folder picker.

You may protect a backup with a password using interoperable WinZip AES-256 encryption. Lab Trace does not store or recover backup passwords. If you create an unencrypted backup, anyone who obtains the file may be able to read its records and photos. You are responsible for protecting and deleting copies exported to Downloads, removable storage, computers, email, or other locations.

Microsoft credentials, OAuth tokens, purchase tokens, subscription caches, advertising identifiers, pairing grants, and backup passwords are excluded from Lab Trace backups.

4. Optional Microsoft OneDrive synchronization

If you connect OneDrive, Microsoft authenticates your account and Lab Trace receives access and refresh tokens plus identifiers for the folder you selected. Tokens and connection details are stored in secure device storage. Lab Trace uses Microsoft Graph over encrypted connections to read and write catalogue records and photos only in the OneDrive folder you choose.

This transfer is initiated by you and is governed by your Microsoft account settings and Microsoft's privacy terms. Disconnecting OneDrive deletes the locally stored connection and token, but does not delete files already stored in OneDrive. Delete those files through OneDrive if you no longer want them there.

5. Advertising and consent

The free tier uses Google Mobile Ads. Depending on your consent choices, region, device settings, and Google's limited-ads controls, Google's advertising services may collect and share:

• an IP address used to estimate approximate location;
• app interactions such as launches, taps, and ad views;
• diagnostic and performance information; and
• device or account identifiers, including the Android advertising ID or app set ID when available.

Google uses this information for advertising or marketing, analytics, and fraud prevention or security. Google states that Mobile Ads data is encrypted in transit. Lab Trace uses Google's consent tools where required and provides a Privacy choices control when Google indicates it is necessary. Paid tiers may remove ads.

See Google's Privacy Policy and Google Mobile Ads data disclosure.

6. Subscriptions and Google Play Billing

Google Play processes Lab Trace subscription payments. Lab Trace does not receive payment-card or bank-account details. The app receives product, purchase-status, and purchase-token information needed to complete a purchase, restore access, and grant the selected tier. It stores a limited local entitlement cache containing the tier, product, and last verification time; it does not send purchase tokens to Beginners Lab servers.

Google's handling of purchases is governed by the Google Privacy Policy and Google Play terms.

7. Local desktop pairing

Plus users may initiate pairing with the desktop app on the same local network. Lab Trace sends a short-lived pairing code and subscription tier to the desktop address entered or discovered by the user. Catalogue contents, backup passwords, payment details, and Microsoft credentials are not sent during pairing. Pair only with a computer and local network you trust.

8. Retention and deletion

• Delete individual catalogue records and photos with the app's controls.
• Clear all remaining local mobile data by using Android's Clear storage control or uninstalling Lab Trace.
• Delete desktop data and exported backups with your operating system's file manager.
• Disconnect OneDrive in Lab Trace, then separately delete synchronized files from OneDrive if desired.
• Manage or delete the Android advertising ID through Android privacy settings and use Lab Trace's Privacy choices control where available.
• Manage subscriptions and purchase records through Google Play.

Lab Trace has no first-party account to delete and Beginners Lab ordinarily has no server-side catalogue data to erase. For privacy questions or help locating data, see Data deletion support or email us.

9. Security

Lab Trace uses private app storage, Android secure storage for credentials, scoped folder access, encrypted HTTPS connections to Google and Microsoft, archive validation, optional AES-256 backup encryption, and restore safety checks. No method of storage or transmission is completely secure. Keep devices updated, use device access controls, protect backup passwords, and do not use untrusted folders or networks.

10. Children

Lab Trace is designed for adult researchers and laboratory personnel and is not directed to children. Its declared Google Play target audience is ages 18 and over.

11. Website hosting

These pages are hosted using GitHub Pages with Cloudflare providing DNS services. Those providers may process ordinary web-request information such as IP addresses, browser details, timestamps, and security logs under their own privacy terms. These compliance pages intentionally contain no advertising, analytics, forms, or external web fonts.

12. Changes and contact

We may update this policy when Lab Trace features, providers, or legal obligations change. The current version and effective date will remain on this page.

Beginners Lab
Email: beginnersforbeginners@gmail.com
Support: Lab Trace Support