Privacy Policy
Last updated: 11 October 2026
Plain Hacker News is an unofficial, independent client for reading Hacker News on Android. This policy explains what data the app handles and why. We keep it short and honest on purpose.
The short version
- There is no account and we don’t ask for your name, email, or phone number.
- We collect anonymous, aggregate usage analytics to understand how the app is used and to fix what’s broken.
- Your read history, keywords, and preferences are stored only on your device.
- We do not sell your data.
Information we collect
Usage analytics
The app uses Mixpanel, a third-party analytics service, to understand how features are used. This includes events such as: screens viewed, stories opened, searches performed, keywords added or removed, and notification or widget activity. Each event may include technical context such as the app version, your device model and operating system version, your general region, and your IP address. These events are tied to a randomly generated, pseudonymous identifier rather than to your name or account.
We use this information in aggregate to understand which features are used, diagnose crashes and errors, and improve the app.
Search queries
When you search, your query is sent to Algolia to return results, and the query text is also recorded in analytics (as described above) to help us improve search. Do not search for information you consider sensitive.
Information we do not collect
We do not collect your name, email address, phone number, precise location, or contacts. The app does not require an account and does not access your Hacker News account.
Data stored on your device
Plain Hacker News stores the following locally on your device using Android DataStore. This data never leaves your device unless you uninstall the app:
- Read history — the IDs of stories you’ve opened (optional toggle).
- Keyword alerts — the keywords you’ve added and their options.
- Notified stories — stories you’ve already been notified about (auto-pruned after 24 hours).
- Theme settings — your System / Light / Dark preference.
Keyword matching runs entirely on your device. Notification content is generated locally.
Third-party services
The app talks to the following services to function:
- Hacker News API (
hacker-news.firebaseio.com) — public, read-only story and comment data. - Algolia (
hn.algolia.com) — search queries. - Mixpanel — product analytics, as described above.
- Google Play — app distribution and updates.
Each of these services processes data under its own privacy policy. We recommend reviewing Mixpanel’s and Algolia’s policies.
Data retention
Analytics events are retained per our analytics provider’s retention settings. Data stored on your device is kept until you clear it in the app or uninstall the app.
Your choices
- Read history and notifications can be disabled in the app’s settings.
- Keywords can be deleted at any time.
- Uninstalling the app removes all locally stored data.
- There is no account to delete.
Children’s privacy
The app is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by the “last updated” date above.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email us at hey@itsjzt.com.