Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Games Afoot, Inc. (“we,” “our,” or “us”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring the security of your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, share, and protect your information when you use our mobile applications and services.

By using any of our apps, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our services.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

When you create an account or use our apps, we collect:

• Phone Number: Used for authentication and account security (required)
• Email Address: Used for account recovery, notifications, and important updates (required)
• Display Name/Nickname: Your chosen name displayed to other players
• Avatar/Profile Picture: Optional image you choose to represent yourself
• User-Reported Step Average: Your estimated daily step count for personalized gameplay

1.2 Health and Activity Data

To provide our step-based gaming experiences, we collect:

• Step Count Data: Real-time and historical step counts from your device’s sensors or health platforms (Apple Health, Google Health Connect)
• Physical Activity Data: Movement and walking activity detected by your device
• Daily Step Averages: Calculated from your historical step data to personalize game difficulty

1.3 Game Progress and Statistics

• Game completion status and achievements
• Locations visited and clues discovered
• Time spent playing and walking distances
• Multiplayer game participation and scores
• Leaderboard rankings and statistics

1.4 Device and Technical Information

• Device type, model, and operating system version
• App version and installation ID
• Device language and timezone
• IP address and general location (city/region level)
• Crash reports and performance data

1.5 SMS Campaign Consent (Optional)

If you opt-in to receive SMS messages about game updates, events, and promotions, we will use your phone number to send these messages. You can opt-out at any time by replying STOP to any message.

2. How We Use Your Information

2.1 To Provide and Improve Our Services

• Authenticate your account and verify your identity
• Track your game progress and calculate step-based achievements
• Personalize game difficulty based on your activity level
• Enable multiplayer features and social interactions
• Provide customer support and respond to your inquiries
• Improve app performance, fix bugs, and develop new features

2.2 To Communicate With You

• Send important notifications about your account or game progress
• Provide customer support and respond to your requests
• Send SMS messages about game updates and events (only if you opted-in)
• Notify you of changes to our policies or services

2.3 To Ensure Safety and Security

• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents
• Enforce our Terms of Service and community guidelines
• Protect the rights and safety of our users

2.4 For Analytics and Research

• Analyze app usage patterns and user behavior (aggregated and anonymized)
• Conduct research to improve game design and user experience
• Generate statistical reports and insights

3. How We Share Your Information

3.1 With Other Players (Limited)

• Public Leaderboards: Your display name, avatar, and game statistics may appear on leaderboards
• Multiplayer Games: Other players in your game can see your display name, avatar, and game progress
• Step Data: Your actual step count is never shared with other players

3.2 With Service Providers

We share information with trusted third-party service providers who help us operate our apps:

• Firebase (Google): Cloud hosting, authentication, and database services
• Twilio: SMS messaging services (only if you opted-in to SMS campaigns)
• Apple and Google: App distribution, in-app purchases, and health data integration

These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

3.3 For Legal Reasons

We may disclose your information if required by law or if we believe it is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations, court orders, or government requests
• Protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users
• Investigate fraud, security issues, or violations of our Terms of Service

3.4 Business Transfers

If Games Afoot is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you of any such change in ownership or control.

4. Data Storage and Security

4.1 Where We Store Your Data

• Cloud Storage: Account and game data are stored securely on Firebase (Google Cloud Platform)
• Local Storage: Step data and game progress are cached on your device for offline access
• Health Platforms: Step count data is accessed from Apple Health or Google Health Connect, which store data on your device

4.2 How We Protect Your Data

• Industry-standard encryption for data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Encrypted storage for sensitive data at rest
• Secure authentication using Firebase Phone Authentication
• Regular security audits and updates
• Access controls and monitoring to prevent unauthorized access

4.3 Data Retention

• Active Accounts: We retain your data as long as your account is active
• Inactive Accounts: Accounts inactive for 2+ years may be deleted after notice
• Deleted Accounts: When you delete your account, we remove your personal data within 30 days (except as required by law)
• Aggregated Data: Anonymized, aggregated statistics may be retained indefinitely for research and analytics

5. Your Rights and Choices

5.1 Access and Update Your Information

You can access and update your account information at any time through the app’s profile settings:

• Change your display name, avatar, and email address
• Update your step average and preferences
• View your game progress and statistics

5.2 Delete Your Account

You have the right to delete your account and all associated data at any time. To delete your account:

• Open the app and go to Settings → Account Management → Delete Account
• Confirm your decision (this action is permanent and cannot be undone)
• Your personal data will be deleted within 30 days

5.3 Opt-Out of Communications

• SMS Messages: Reply STOP to any SMS message to unsubscribe from marketing messages
• Push Notifications: Disable notifications in your device settings or app settings
• Email: Click “unsubscribe” in any marketing email (you’ll still receive important account notifications)

5.4 Control Health Data Access

• iOS: Manage permissions in Settings → Privacy & Security → Health → [App Name]
• Android: Manage permissions in Health Connect settings
• Revoking health data access will limit game functionality but won’t delete your account

5.5 Data Portability

You have the right to request a copy of your personal data in a portable format. Contact us at support@gamesafoot.co to request your data.

5.6 Your Privacy Rights (Regional)

Depending on your location, you may have additional rights:

• GDPR (EU/UK): Right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection
• CCPA (California): Right to know, delete, and opt-out of sale (we don’t sell your data)
• Other Regions: Contact us to learn about your specific rights

6. Children’s Privacy

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we discover that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at privacy@gamesafoot.co.

7. Third-Party Links and Services

Our apps may contain links to third-party websites, services, or content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read their privacy policies.

Third-Party Services We Use:

• Apple Health: Apple Privacy Policy
• Google Health Connect: Google Privacy Policy
• Firebase: Firebase Privacy Policy
• Twilio: Twilio Privacy Policy

8. International Data Transfers

Games Afoot is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

By using our apps, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

When we make changes:

• We will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this policy
• For significant changes, we will notify you via email or in-app notification
• Your continued use of our apps after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.