1. Who operates the Service
Sound Lineage Explorer is operated by Brok Howard. This policy describes how information is processed when you explore music lineage, listen to songs, authorize Apple Music, and follow external links. For privacy questions, contact info@brokhoward.com.
2. Information processed
- Music searches and exploration. Artist names, catalog identifiers, search terms, and pairs of artists are processed to retrieve music, lineage evidence, artwork, credits, and historical context.
- Browser-session information. Your journey stops, connection identifiers, travel direction, and fetched live lineage data are saved in session storage in your browser so exploration can continue within the session.
- Technical information. Hosting and external providers may process request metadata such as IP addresses, browser information, request times, and diagnostic errors to deliver, secure, and troubleshoot their services.
- Contact information. If you email us, we receive your email address and the information you choose to include so we can respond.
The Service does not require or create Sound Lineage user accounts for tracking your activity, and does not implement personalized advertising profiles. We do not sell personal data. An Apple Music account, if you choose to connect one, is a separate account managed by Apple.
3. Optional Apple Music authorization
Apple Music authorization takes place client-side through Apple’s MusicKit JS. You choose whether to connect. We do not ask for or store your Apple account password, and the app does not separately save your MusicKit user authorization token in its journey or lineage storage.
When authorized, MusicKit can enable full-track playback and actions you request, such as saving a playlist or adding music to your library. Apple manages the sign-in process and may maintain its own authorization state. Its handling of account information is governed by Apple’s Privacy Policy.
You can use the app’s Apple Music disconnect option to end its MusicKit authorization. Disconnecting does not remove playlists or music you have already saved to Apple Music.
4. External lookups & links
We use Apple Music catalog lookups and, where available, Last.fm, MusicBrainz, Wikipedia, Wikidata, and Discogs to retrieve artist and recording information. These lookups may send the artist names, identifiers, search terms, or artist pairs needed to answer your request. Many metadata lookups run through the Service rather than directly from your browser; direct browser requests are also made for playback, artwork, and other external resources.
MusicKit is loaded from Apple, and fonts are loaded from Google Fonts. These providers may receive standard connection information when their resources load.
Links to Apple Music, Spotify, Discogs, Bandcamp, artist websites, Apple Maps, and Google Maps take you to independent services. Album and song search links include the artist and title; map searches include “record stores near me” or the city or postal code you enter. The app does not request your device’s precise location for these map links; the map provider may ask separately.
Spotify links do not authorize a Spotify account in this app. External services may use their own cookies, collect information, or request permissions under their own policies. We do not control their data practices.
5. Retention & browser storage
Journey stops and live lineage caches use browser session storage, not a permanent Sound Lineage account history. Session storage generally lasts for the tab’s page session, although browser session restoration may preserve it. Clearing this site’s browser data removes locally stored journey and lineage information and may affect other authorization state stored by third parties.
The Service also keeps temporary, in-memory caches of catalog and public music metadata to reduce repeated requests. Cache lifetimes vary by provider, generally from one to twelve hours, and entries may disappear sooner when the running service restarts. These caches are not a user account history.
Hosting providers may retain operational and security logs under their own practices. Browser errors may also be reported for diagnostics in the editor preview. We do not promise that clearing your browser removes provider logs or data held by Apple or other third parties.
If you contact us, correspondence may be retained as needed to answer your inquiry, resolve issues, and meet legal obligations.
6. Your choices & inquiries
You can explore without authorizing Apple Music, disconnect MusicKit, clear this site’s browser storage, and choose not to follow external links. Clearing storage resets locally saved exploration; it does not delete data or playlists held by external services.
Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or otherwise control personal information we hold. Send requests to info@brokhoward.com. We may need enough information to verify and respond to a request. Requests about an Apple Music account or another provider’s data should also be directed to that provider.
7. Policy updates
We may revise this policy as the Service or applicable requirements change. The latest version will appear on this page with its effective date. Where required, we will provide additional notice of material changes.
For questions or concerns, contact Brok Howard at info@brokhoward.com.