Owlgrove — Privacy Policy

Owlgrove is a puzzle game. This page explains, plainly, what information the app collects, why, and what you can do about it. We've tried to write it the way we'd want to read it — no legal filler, no vague catch-alls.

1. The short version

You never create an account, log in, or give us your name, email, or phone number.
The app is fully playable offline. Your puzzle progress lives on your device first.
We do sync a small, non-identifying snapshot of your play progress and device info to our own server, so that reinstalling the app can resume where you left off, and so we can debug problems players report. Details below.
The app does not currently show ads or offer in-app purchases, but it will in a future update. Section 5 below already describes exactly how that will work, so you know what to expect in advance.

2. Information we store on our server

To let your progress survive a reinstall or a new device, and to help us debug issues players report, the app sends the following to a database we operate (Cloudflare D1), over HTTPS:

Data	What it is	Why we collect it
Device identifier	A stable ID for your device (Android ID on Android; a random ID we generate and store in the iOS Keychain on iOS). This is not your advertising ID and is not linked to your name or Google/Apple account.	Looking up your saved progress if you reinstall the app or move to a new copy on the same device.
Device information	Platform and OS version, device model/brand, locale, timezone, app version, and similar technical details.	Debugging player-reported bugs without needing to ask you for a screenshot of your settings every time.
In-game display name & avatar	An auto-generated nickname (e.g. "Wandering Cricket") and a matching auto-generated avatar. You do not enter a real name.	Shown back to you in the app as your player identity.
Game progress	Levels solved, current chapter/level, daily-puzzle streak status, and whether you've finished the tutorial.	Resuming your game from the right place after a reinstall.
Timestamps	When your record was first created and when it was last updated.	Basic record-keeping and abuse/spam detection.

This sync is best-effort: if it fails or you're offline, the app carries on normally. Nothing about gameplay ever waits on this network call.

3. Information kept only on your device

Your full game state, the list of levels you've already played (so the same level never repeats), and your app settings (motion, sound, etc.) are stored locally on your device and are not something we can see.

4. What we do not collect

No name, email address, or phone number
No precise or approximate location
No contacts, photos, camera, or microphone access
No advertising identifier or payment information collected directly by us — see section 5 for what Google's ad and billing services will collect once enabled
No third-party analytics or tracking SDKs beyond the advertising SDK described in section 5

5. Advertising & in-app purchases

Not yet active. The current version of Owlgrove does not show ads or offer in-app purchases. This section describes exactly what will apply once they're introduced in a future update, so this policy doesn't need to change again when that happens — only this callout will be removed.

When enabled, Owlgrove will use Google AdMob for advertising and Google Play's billing system for in-app purchases.

Ad placements

Rewarded video only, and only two placements: relighting a lantern after a mistake, or unlocking an extra hint. Both are entirely optional — you choose to watch, we never require it, and declining never blocks or degrades gameplay.
One small banner ad, on the chapter-map and settings screens only. Never on the puzzle board, never between levels, and never a forced/interstitial ad.

What Google's ad SDK collects

AdMob processes technical data on its own behalf — including your advertising identifier (or, on newer Android/iOS versions, a privacy-preserving replacement like the App Set ID), IP address, device information, and ad interaction data such as impressions and clicks — to show and measure ads and prevent fraud. This is governed by Google's Privacy Policy and Google's Partner policy, not by us directly — we do not see or store this data ourselves.

Consent

Ads default to non-personalized until you actively opt in to personalization.
In regions where it's required (for example the EEA/UK), a consent form (Google's User Messaging Platform) appears before any ad is requested.
You can revisit and change your consent choice any time from Settings → Privacy.
Ads are configured for child-directed / mixed-audience treatment — maximum G-rated ad content, no personalized ads to users under the age of consent — matching the app's general-audience rating.

In-app purchases

A single optional purchase ("Lantern Keeper") will remove ads permanently, unlock unlimited hints, and add a cosmetic owl skin set. Purchases are processed entirely by Google Play — we never see or store your payment card details. We only receive confirmation that a purchase was completed, which we use to unlock the corresponding feature on your device.

6. Who we share data with

The device and progress data described in section 2 is stored with Cloudflare (our database host) and is not sold or shared with advertisers, data brokers, or any other third party. Cloudflare acts purely as our infrastructure provider — it does not use this data for its own purposes. Once advertising and in-app purchases are enabled, Google will separately process the data described in section 5, under Google's own privacy terms.

7. Data retention & deletion

We keep your device record for as long as the app is installed and in use, so your progress stays available to you. If you'd like your data deleted — for example, because you're uninstalling for good — email us at the address below with your in-game display name (and device ID if you have it, found in Settings) and we'll delete the record.

8. Security

Data is transmitted over HTTPS. We restrict access to the database to the developer. As with any small independent app, we ask that you treat any sensitive personal information as something you should never enter into the app in the first place — and you won't be asked to, since the game doesn't require any.

9. Children's privacy

Owlgrove is a general-audience puzzle game and does not knowingly collect personal information from children. The app does not ask for a name, email, birthdate, or any other identifying detail from any player, of any age. Once advertising is enabled (section 5), it will be configured for child-directed / mixed-audience treatment with no personalized ads served to users under the age of consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will remove it.

10. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, or delete the limited data described above (for example under the GDPR in the EU/UK, or the DPDP Act in India). Since we don't collect an email or name, we can only look up your record by device ID or in-game display name — contact us and we'll help.

11. Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, we'll update this page and change the "Last updated" date at the top. Material changes will be reflected here before they take effect — including removing the "not yet active" notice in section 5 once advertising and in-app purchases actually launch.

12. Contact us

Questions, data requests, or anything else: jeamshiv@gmail.com