Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026
The short version
Background Cafe runs entirely on your device. We do not collect your personal data, we do not use tracking cookies, and we do not have servers that store your sessions. What happens in the cafe, stays in the cafe.
01

What we collect

We collect nothing. Background Cafe is a client-side application — it runs entirely inside your browser with no backend servers, no databases, and no user accounts.

Your preferences (dark mode, last genre, sticky notes) are saved only in your browser's localStorage — they never leave your device.

02

Third-party services

To deliver music, Background Cafe loads content from third-party platforms. When you play a track, your browser connects directly to those services — subject to their own privacy policies.

Service Purpose Their policy
Spotify Music streaming via embedded player spotify.com/privacy
YouTube Music streaming via embedded player policies.google.com/privacy
Google Fonts Playfair Display & DM Mono typefaces policies.google.com/privacy

We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party services. We encourage you to review their privacy policies.

03

Local storage

Background Cafe uses your browser's localStorage to remember your preferences between sessions. This data is:

Examples of what is stored locally: your dark/light mode preference, your last selected genre, any sticky notes you've written, and focus session streaks.

04

Ambient sound files

Ambient sound files (barista, rain, fireplace, etc.) are served directly from our hosting. These requests include only the information your browser sends with any standard HTTP request — no personal identifiers. We do not log these requests beyond standard server access logs, which are automatically deleted on a rolling basis.

05

Children's privacy

Background Cafe does not knowingly collect any information from anyone under the age of 13. Since we collect no personal data from any user, we believe we comply with COPPA and similar regulations by design.

06

Changes to this policy

If we ever change this policy in a meaningful way, we will update the date at the top of this page. Our commitment is simple: if we ever collect anything, we will tell you clearly what, why, and how to opt out — before we do it.

07

Contact

Questions about this policy? You can reach us at hello@backgroundcafe.com. We're a small independent project, so responses may take a few days — but we do read every message.