Privacy Policy
Quitting porn is private. Turnoff is built around that: the blocklist is evaluated locally in your browser, we do not log your browsing history, and we do not use advertising or third-party analytics. This policy explains exactly what we do process, why, and your rights.
1. Who is responsible
The controller for the processing described here is Follow Your Instincts UG (haftungsbeschränkt), Birkenstr. 14, 67067 Ludwigshafen am Rhein, Germany (“we”, “us”) — Imprint. Contact: support@turnoff.now.
2. What we never do
- We do not log the pages you visit. The blocklist is matched inside your browser by the extension (Chrome’s declarativeNetRequest). Your browsing history never reaches our servers, and the extension does not read the content of the pages you view.
- No advertising or tracking. No ad networks, no third-party analytics (no Google Analytics), no tracking cookies, no cross-site tracking.
- We do not sell or share your personal data for advertising or any similar purpose.
3. What we process
Account data
Your email address, a user ID, and authentication data, processed through Firebase Authentication. If you sign in with Google, Google shares your name, email address, and profile picture with us as part of the sign-in.
Subscription status
Whether your subscription is active, its timestamps (started, renewed, cancelled, period end), and Stripe reference IDs (customer and subscription ID). Your full payment details (card number etc.) never reach our systems.
Payment data (processed by Stripe)
Payments are handled by Stripe as merchant of record. Stripe processes your payment and billing data under its own responsibility; see the Stripe Privacy Policy. We receive only the subscription status and reference IDs described above.
Your progress stats
When you make a choice on the interrupt screen (“I don’t need it” or “Open anyway”), we store the outcome, the domain that triggered the interrupt, and a timestamp in your account, together with your streak and counters. This is what powers your dashboard. It exists only for you; you can delete it at any time by deleting your account.
Your custom blocklist
Domains you choose to block in addition to the default list, stored in your account so all your browsers can use them.
Extension link token
A random token that connects your installed extension to your account. It is stored in the extension’s storage in your browser and used to fetch your blocklist and subscription status and to record interrupt outcomes. Web pages cannot read it.
Usage events (first-party, anonymous by design)
To understand whether the product works, we record a small, fixed set of events (for example “landing page viewed” or “checkout opened”) with a random session identifier. These events contain no user ID and no IP address, are never joined with your account, and are automatically deleted after 90 days.
Support communication
If you contact us, we process your message and email address to answer you.
Technical logs
Our infrastructure (Google Cloud / Firebase) produces short-lived technical logs (such as request metadata and IP addresses) for security, abuse prevention, and troubleshooting.
4. The browser extension in detail
The extension asks for permission to act on websites so that it can match your blocklist against the sites you open — this matching happens entirely on your device. The only data the extension sends to our servers is: periodic fetches of your blocklist and subscription status (authenticated with your link token), and — when you make a choice on the interrupt screen — the outcome described under “progress stats” above. Nothing else about your browsing leaves your browser.
5. Sensitive data
Using a tool made for quitting porn can itself reveal information about your sex life — data that is specially protected under Art. 9 GDPR. We treat everything connected to your use of Turnoff that way: we process it only to provide the service you explicitly signed up for, based on your explicit consent given when you create your account and start using the Service. We never use it for advertising, never sell it, and never share it beyond the processors listed below. You can withdraw consent and erase this data at any time by deleting your account.
6. Purposes and legal bases (GDPR)
- Providing the Service (account, blocking, interrupt, stats, custom blocklist, billing status): performance of a contract, Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR; for the sensitive aspects described in section 5, your explicit consent, Art. 9(2)(a) GDPR.
- Payments and tax: handled by Stripe as merchant of record under Stripe’s own legal obligations.
- Security, abuse prevention, troubleshooting: legitimate interests, Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR.
- Anonymous product measurement (the 90-day events in section 3): legitimate interests, Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR — designed so it cannot be linked to you.
7. Who receives data (processors)
- Google Ireland Ltd. / Google LLC — Firebase (authentication, database, hosting, cloud functions). Our database and functions run in EU regions; some Firebase services operate globally.
- Stripe — payment processing as merchant of record (independent controller for payment data).
We use no advertising networks and no third-party analytics providers.
8. International transfers
Where data is transferred outside the EU/EEA (for example to Google LLC or Stripe, Inc. in the USA), this happens under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and/or EU Standard Contractual Clauses, supplemented by technical safeguards such as encryption in transit.
9. How long we keep data
- Account data, stats, and custom blocklists: until you delete your account (the dashboard has a “Delete account” button that removes them).
- Usage events: automatically deleted after 90 days.
- Technical logs: short retention periods, then deleted.
- Payment and tax records: retained by Stripe under its statutory obligations.
- Support emails: as long as needed to handle your request and any follow-ups.
10. Your rights (GDPR — EU/EEA)
You have the right to access (Art. 15), rectification (Art. 16), erasure (Art. 17), restriction (Art. 18), data portability (Art. 20), and objection to processing based on legitimate interests (Art. 21). Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time with effect for the future. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority — for us the competent authority is the Landesbeauftragte für den Datenschutz und die Informationsfreiheit Rheinland-Pfalz, but you may complain to the authority of your own country as well. To exercise your rights, email support@turnoff.now or use the in-product tools (account deletion).
11. United Kingdom and Switzerland
If you are in the UK, the rights above apply under the UK GDPR, and you may complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). If you are in Switzerland, equivalent rights apply under the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (FADP); the competent authority is the FDPIC.
12. California (CCPA/CPRA)
To the extent the California Consumer Privacy Act applies: in the last 12 months we have collected the categories described in section 3 (identifiers, commercial information, limited internet activity within our own Service). We do not sell personal information and do not “share” it for cross-context behavioural advertising, so there is nothing to opt out of. You have the rights to know, correct, delete, and to non-discrimination for exercising them. Exercise them via support@turnoff.now or the in-product account deletion.
13. Canada, Mexico, and other regions
Where local data protection law applies (for example PIPEDA in Canada or the LFPDPPP in Mexico), you can exercise your rights of access, correction, and deletion through the same contact. We apply the protections described in this policy to all users, regardless of location.
14. Cookies and local storage
We use no advertising or analytics cookies. Your browser stores only what is strictly necessary for the Service to work: your login session and, briefly, an interrupt outcome awaiting sign-in. Stripe’s hosted checkout and billing pages use their own cookies under Stripe’s policy.
15. Security
All traffic is encrypted in transit (TLS). Access to production data is restricted, and per-user data is protected by server-side security rules. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we design for data minimisation: the most sensitive information — the pages you visit — never leaves your browser in the first place.
16. Age
The Service is for adults (18+). We do not knowingly process data of anyone under 18; if you believe a minor has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.
17. Changes to this policy
When we change this policy, we will update the date above and, for material changes, notify you by email or in-product notice.