Is the Brick app secure? A data privacy deep dive

According to Georgetown professor Kostadin Kushlev, “Phones can have small, often hidden, costs for well-being that can nonetheless add up over time.” He was speaking about smartphone addiction.

And a 2024 Johns Hopkins Children's Center study found that when social media use is high, depression is also up. As a result, excessive screen time has become a habit many want to break, leaving many people looking to scale back.

Enter the Brick app. It’s quickly becoming a go-to solution for people who want to spend less time scrolling and more time living. But, while it’s gaining popularity for its minimalist approach (literally making your phone a brick) and actually keeping people from their screens, many wonder if the Brick app is secure.

In this post, we’ll explain what the app does, what data it collects, what happens if you lose it, and how to protect your privacy every step of the way.

What is the Brick app, and how does it limit screen time?

The Brick app is a screen time blocker that transforms your smartphone into a minimalist “brick” on demand, calling out to the old brick phones you could only use to call or text.

Think of it as a digital off-switch. The app works in tandem with a physical Brick phone lock device — a small gadget you press to instantly block distracting apps.

You choose a limited set of essentials you want to keep working (like Maps or Messages), and everything else gets locked away until you press the device again or use a time-based release.

The idea is simple but powerful: Less time on your phone means more time for real life. According to one Brick user, she reported feeling calmer, more focused, and even mentally healthier after using Brick.

But not everyone’s experience is perfect. A few Reddit user comments mention the app can be glitchy, crash, or doesn’t sync reliably across devices. Also, because it relies on a physical controller, you could be stuck if it’s lost or damaged.

If hiding apps on your phone that distract you hasn’t worked, the Brick app might offer the control you need. You can even target specific distractions, for example, you could block TikTok to stop doomscrolling.

Does the Brick app collect data?

Yes, according to Brick’s privacy policy, the app gathers both personal and usage data. This includes:

• Your name, email address, and account login details
• Device information (OS, model, system settings)
• Brick app usage patterns and frequency of device blocking
• Diagnostics and crash logs

What Brick doesn't collect is potentially more important: they claim they don't track which specific apps you use or override, meaning they're not monitoring sensitive data like your browsing history or app-level activity.

Still, any service collecting personal identifiers (name, email, device ID) carries risk. If Brick's servers are breached, your account information could be exposed. And because Brick is still a young and evolving company, their privacy policies and protections could shift over time — meaning today’s data practices may not be tomorrow’s. So, it’s best to keep track of their privacy policy to help protect your personal information.

What happens if you lose your Brick?

If you lose your Brick device, regaining full control of your phone could be tricky. Each user receives five emergency unbrick codes. These one-time-use backups allow you to override the Brick lock and access all apps. But once you've used them up, you’re out of options.

The Brick team recommends keeping these codes in a safe place. However, if they’re gone and the device is lost, you may need to factory reset your phone. That’s a major hassle, especially if you haven’t backed up your data recently.

Losing access to your phone due to a physical gadget may feel like a step backward in tech. To avoid a worst-case scenario, we recommend performing regular data backups just in case.

So … is the Brick app safe to use?

From a data privacy standpoint, Brick is reasonably secure. They collect standard account and usage data but don't track your specific app activity or sell your information to third parties.

Because Brick locks your phone, there are also concerns about physical access during an emergency or if you lose the Brick device. The app may help you stay away from attention-seeking apps, but it may be a problem if you can’t access anything at all, so it’s important to keep track of your unbrick codes and leave essential apps unlocked.

Protect your devices and your downtime

Whether you’re bricking your phone or just unplugging for the weekend, your data still needs protection. With Norton 360 Deluxe, you can step away from screens without stepping into privacy risks.

Norton helps you stay secure with real-time threat protection, a secure VPN for anonymous browsing, a password manager, and dark web monitoring. That way, even if your screen’s off, your defenses are always on.