PhoneLock Student

PhoneLock helps schools manage student phone use during scheduled campus hours.

• Automatically applies school phone-use policies when students enter or leave campus, even if PhoneLock is closed
• Keeps approved apps and essential phone functions available
• Shows students their current lock status and schedule
• Alerts students when device permissions need attention
• Protects personal content—messages, photos, passwords, and files are never collected

Background location use

Automatic campus policy activation is PhoneLock’s core feature. PhoneLock collects precise location data in the background, including when the app is closed or not in use, to detect when an enrolled device enters or leaves its assigned campus. This allows the school phone-use policy to start on arrival during scheduled hours and release automatically after departure without requiring the student to keep PhoneLock open. Without background location, PhoneLock cannot provide automatic campus-based policy enforcement and its main purpose does not work.

The device evaluates location against the school’s campus boundary. The school receives inside/outside campus status, the related time, and location-permission health—not the device’s precise location or a map or history of where the student travels. Location is not used for advertising or analytics.

AccessibilityService API use on Android

PhoneLock uses the Android AccessibilityService API to provide its core school-managed app-blocking feature. After the student enables the service, PhoneLock accesses the package name of the app currently visible on screen. During an active campus policy, it uses this information to detect when a restricted app or device Settings is opened and display the PhoneLock blocking screen.

Foreground app package names are processed on the device only for real-time policy enforcement. They are not stored or sent to the school or other third parties. The AccessibilityService does not read or capture screen content, typed text, passwords, messages, photos, files, or content inside other apps. PhoneLock reports only permission status and policy-compliance status so authorized school administrators can confirm that required controls remain enabled.

PhoneLock is a school device-management service, not an accessibility tool for users with disabilities. Students receive a separate in-app disclosure and choose whether to enable the service before being directed to Android Accessibility settings.

PhoneLock requires enrollment through a participating school.