Sunnah Lock uses the Android Accessibility Service to do one specific job: detect when a blocked app is opened, and show a block screen before you can use it. This page explains what that means, why we need it, and what we do not do with it.
What the Accessibility Service is
Android's Accessibility Service is a permission originally built to help users with disabilities interact with their phone — screen readers, switch access, and similar tools use it. Apps that hold this permission can observe certain events on screen, like which app is in the foreground or what URL a browser is displaying.
Because this permission is powerful, Google requires apps that use it to declare the reason clearly.
Why Sunnah Lock uses it
Sunnah Lock blocks haram apps, websites, and keywords. To do that effectively, the app has to know:
- Which app you just opened — so if it's on your blocklist, we can show a block screen before you can scroll
- Which URL a browser is loading — so we can block by domain or keyword, not just by app
On Android, the Accessibility Service is the only reliable API for detecting foreground app changes and browser URL changes in real time. No other Android permission exposes this information consistently across OEMs (Samsung, Google Pixel, Xiaomi, OnePlus, etc.).
Without this permission, Sunnah Lock cannot see that you just opened Instagram or navigated to a haram site, which means it cannot block it.
What the service reads
Sunnah Lock's accessibility service listens for exactly one Android event type: TYPE_WINDOW_STATE_CHANGED. For each event, it reads:
- The package name of the app that came to the foreground (e.g.
com.instagram.android) - If the foreground app is a supported browser, the URL bar contents
That's it. The service checks these values against your blocklist (which lives only on your device) and triggers a block screen if there's a match.
What the service does not do
Sunnah Lock's accessibility service does not:
- Read the text, messages, or content inside any app
- Capture your keystrokes or passwords
- Take screenshots or record the screen
- Send app usage, URLs, or any screen content to our servers or any third party
- Track you for advertising, analytics, or profiling
- Interact with other apps on your behalf
- Autonomously initiate, plan, or execute actions on your behalf — the service is fully deterministic and rule-based
Everything the service observes stays on your device and is used only to decide whether to show a block screen.
Data flow
Accessibility events fire → the service reads package name / URL → it compares against your local blocklist → if matched, it launches the block screen. No network calls are made during this process. Block events are written to a local encrypted database (SQLCipher) so you can review what was blocked in the Insights screen.
How to disable it
You can turn off Sunnah Lock's accessibility service at any time from your device's system settings:
Settings → Accessibility → Installed services → Sunnah Lock → Off
If Strict Mode is active, turning the service off will also require entering your PIN — this is the feature parents and individual users rely on to prevent bypass.
Google Play policy compliance
Sunnah Lock falls under Google Play's permitted use category for parental controls and content-blocking apps using the Accessibility Service (per the Use of the Accessibility API policy). Foreground app and URL detection is the only reliable Android API for the app's core function — blocking haram content — and is the primary reason users install the app.
This purpose is disclosed:
- On first launch, inside the app, before the Accessibility Service permission is requested
- In the Play Store listing description
- On this public page
The service's behavior is deterministic and rule-based — it observes window state events, compares against a local blocklist, and triggers a block screen. It does not act autonomously.
Questions
If you're unsure about any of this or want a deeper explanation: admin@sunnahlock.com