Can I trust CatLens - Cat Vision Filter?
This app did not meet one of the trust checks that applied to it, with no red flags.
- Best for
- Photo enthusiasts who want camera effects processed on
- Avoid if
- Users who prefer ad-free apps
- What it means for you
- Camera images and photo effects are processed locally on the device, and the build contains no code to route photo or video frames to a cloud backend. Firebase is present for push notification delivery only, not behavioral tracking. The build includes code to pass usage data and device identifiers to Google AdMob for advertising and to OneSignal for targeted notifications.
- The developer's description
- CatLens transforms your phone camera into a scientifically accurate animal vision simulator. See through the eyes of 6 different animals including cats, dogs, and eagles—powered by real vision science and WebGL rendering.
- Third-party services
- 11
- Findings rated low or higher
- 6
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Full findings
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Trust checks
Secure by Design
One criterion not metSecurity gaps detected
Why this result
This check looks for security issues at high severity or above in the code of this build, and at least one was recorded. Issues of this kind include a credential or token another app on the device can reach, sensitive data stored without protection, and network paths that expose information in transit.
Data Minimization
StrongTracking done right
Why this result
The check looks at analytics and attribution code for companies other than the developer: the data it reads, the companies named in code as recipients, and whether a consent step runs before that code. In this build, either no such code was recorded, or a consent step runs before it and the app's own disclosures describe the collection.
The app includes advertising and push notification services, and a consent management framework is present. Ad measurement is configured to be delayed until consent is obtained, which is a positive signal. However, Firebase's device identity service automatically generates a persistent identifier at app start, before any consent dialog appears, and the actual sequence in which advertising and push notification services are initialized relative to the consent screen lives in a portion of the app that cannot be read from the compiled binary.
Manifest Mismatch
StrongEverything visible
Why this result
The check compares the app's privacy disclosures against what the code does: the data categories collected, the companies named in code as their recipients, and the identifiers attached to each. The comparison covers the store listing, the in-app privacy text and any privacy manifest shipped in the build. Every claim compared matched the code here.
No mismatch was found between the app's data collection behavior and the scope of its disclosed functionality. The app uses advertising, push notification, and subscription services, all standard for a monetized camera app. Camera images are processed on the device without transmission to external servers. Firebase is used only for push notification delivery, not behavioral analytics. No undisclosed data collection was identified that contradicts the expected scope of a camera filter app with subscriptions and advertising.
User Control
StrongNo lock-in
Why this result
The check looks for a way to export the data an account has accumulated and a way to delete the account itself. In this build, either both were found, or the app has no account of its own and keeps its data on the device. For an app without an account, the developer has no server-side copy to export or delete, and deleting the app removes the data in its own storage.
CatLens is a camera tool. The app does not store user-created content, documents, or personal data in a proprietary server-side format. Subscriptions are managed through Google Play Billing and RevenueCat, both of which follow platform-standard cancellation flows. Camera output stays on the device. Deleting the app removes local data and ends the subscription through the platform store, with no server-side data deposit requiring a separate export or deletion step.
Strengths
- Network traffic uses standard TLS with no SSL bypass — connections cannot be intercepted by a network attacker
- Sensitive secrets are stored with AES-256-GCM encryption backed by the hardware-bound Android KeyStore
- Camera images are processed on the device in code; no evidence was found of code to transmit photos or video frames to a cloud backend
- No session recording or screen capture SDKs are present — the screen is not being observed by analytics vendors
- Firebase is used only for push notification delivery, not behavioral analytics or ad tracking
What the app contains
11 services
Third-party services the scan names in the build:
- Google AdMob
- Firebase Cloud Messaging
- Firebase Installations
- Google ML Kit
- OneSignal
- RevenueCat
- Google Play Billing
- Amazon IAP
- PairIP License Check
- Expo EAS Updates
- Apollo GraphQL
Libraries
| Library | Version | Advisory |
|---|---|---|
| Room | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Google Play Billing | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Apollo GraphQL | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Fresco | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Glide | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Datatransport | not recorded | none confirmed |
| Google Mobile Ads (AdMob) | 12451000 | none confirmed |
| Google Advertising ID client | 12451000 | none confirmed |
| Google Sign-In | 12451000 | none confirmed |
| Google Play Services | 12451000 | none confirmed |
Show all 30 librariesShow fewer
Method and limits
Static analysis: the decompiled code, manifest and resources of this build, read file by file. Network traffic at run time is established by a capture of the running app.
- Build SHA-256
- a92276449660a13d56f0c40817fbe417695aa25e3834f24fa0c1ea9ec0da062c
- Rule pack
- citt-ruleset-2026-08-v1
- Files decompiled
- 34,843
- Scan date
- 26 August 2026
Corrections
No correction is published for this app.
Developer response
No response is published for this app.
Report an error Opens an email to [email protected] that names this app and this scan.