Common questions about what Collector does and does not collect, and how your privacy is protected.
Collector monitors the macOS accessibility tree, the structural metadata describing which apps are open, the layout of windows, and the type and position of interface elements. It also records mouse clicks, scrolls, and key events. It does not capture the actual content you type, your screen, or any personal information.
No. Collector records that a key was pressed, but not which key. It cannot see the content of text fields, passwords, messages, or any text you enter. The accessibility tree provides structural information only; it tells us that a password field exists, not what you typed into it.
No. Collector never captures screenshots, screen recordings, or any visual representation of your screen. It only reads the system-level accessibility tree, which is a text-based data structure describing interface layout.
No. All collected data is 100% anonymous. We do not collect your name, email, IP address, device identifiers, or any other personally identifiable information. There is no account system, so we have no way to trace collected data back to any individual.
Accessibility permission is the macOS mechanism that allows apps to read the system UI tree. It is the same API used by screen readers and assistive tools. It provides structural metadata about interface elements without exposing sensitive content. It is the only permission Collector requires.
Yes, at any time. Click the Collector icon in your menu bar and select Pause to temporarily stop all data collection. You can also quit or uninstall the app entirely. Revoking Accessibility permission in System Settings will also prevent any data collection.
The anonymous usage data is used exclusively to train machine learning models that predict computer actions. This research aims to build AI that understands how people interact with software. The data is never sold, shared with advertisers, or used for profiling.
Still have questions? Reach out at privacy@proletic.com