Summary: Flock is designed with privacy in mind. We collect minimal data necessary to
provide the game experience, use anonymous authentication, and do not sell your information to third
parties.
1. Introduction
Welcome to Flock ("we," "our," or "us"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your
information when you use our mobile application and web service (collectively, the "Service").
By using Flock, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information
- Display Name: The nickname you choose to identify yourself in the game. This is linked
to your anonymous user identifier to maintain scores and game state.
- Email Address (Optional): If you contact us via our support page or feedback form, you
may choose to provide your email address for follow-up purposes. We do not use this for marketing.
2.2 User-Generated Content
- Gameplay Content: We collect the answers you submit during rounds and the titles of
games created by hosts to facilitate the game logic and results display.
- Customer Support Feedback: Any messages, bug reports, or suggestions you send through
our feedback channels.
2.3 Identifiers and Device Data
- Anonymous User ID: We use Firebase Anonymous Authentication to create a persistent but
anonymous identifier (UID) for your account. This allows us to track your scores and let you reconnect
to active games.
- Device Identifiers: Third-party SDKs (Google AdMob and Firebase) may collect your
device's advertising identifier (such as Apple's IDFA or Google's Advertising ID) to provide analytics
and serve advertisements.
2.4 Usage Data and Diagnostics
- Product Interaction: We log how you interact with the app, such as room joins, round
starts, and sharing activities, to improve features.
- Advertising Data: We collect information about the advertisements you have seen and
interacted with in the app via Google AdMob.
- Diagnostics: We collect technical crash logs and performance data (like app launch
time) to ensure the app is stable and fast. This technical data is generally de-identified.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for the following purposes:
- App Functionality: To authenticate sessions, provide multiplayer synchronization,
display names on leaderboards, and perform customer support.
- Analytics: To evaluate user behavior, understand feature effectiveness, and plan new
game content.
- Third-Party Advertising: To serve personalized advertisements via Google AdMob and
measure their performance.
- Diagnostics: To identify, minimize, and resolve app crashes and technical performance
issues.
4. Data Storage and Security
4.1 Firebase Services
We use Google Firebase to store and process data:
- Firebase Authentication: Manages anonymous user sessions
- Cloud Firestore: Stores game data, player information, and submissions
- Firebase Analytics: Collects anonymous usage statistics
- Firebase Hosting: Hosts the web version of the app
Firebase is compliant with major privacy regulations and provides enterprise-grade security. For more
information, see Firebase Privacy and
Security.
4.2 Data Retention
- Game Data: Game sessions and related data are automatically deleted after the game ends
or within 24 hours of the last activity.
- Analytics Data: Aggregated analytics data is retained for up to 14 months to help us
understand usage trends.
- Local Storage: Your display name and recent game information may be stored locally on
your device and can be cleared by uninstalling the app or clearing app data.
5. Third-Party Services
We may use third-party services that collect information:
- Google Firebase: For authentication, database, analytics, and hosting
- Google AdMob: For displaying advertisements (mobile apps only). AdMob may collect
device identifiers and usage data for ad personalization. You can opt out of personalized ads in your
device settings.
6. Children's Privacy
Flock is intended for general audiences and does not knowingly collect personal information from children
under 13. Since we use anonymous authentication and do not require account creation, we minimize data
collection from all users regardless of age.
7. Data Linking and Tracking
- Linked to Identity: Some data (Name, User ID, Device ID, and Interaction History) is
associated with a persistent identifier in our system but is never linked to your real-world identity
(like your legal name or physical address).
- Tracking: We use Device Identifiers and Advertising Data for "tracking" purposes as
defined by Apple. This means our third-party advertising partner (Google AdMob) may use this data to
link your activity across different apps and websites to show you more relevant ads.
- Control: You can opt-out of personalized advertising and analytics tracking in your
device settings or via the App Tracking Transparency prompt on iOS.
8. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. Firebase servers are
located globally, and data may be processed in any country where Google operates facilities. We ensure
appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting
the new policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy
periodically.