Privacy Policy

1. Who We Are

PicChase ("we", "us", or "our") is a multiplayer photo scavenger hunt game available as a mobile app (iOS and Android) and through our website at picchase.app. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you use our website or mobile app.

If you have questions about this policy, contact us at [email protected].

2. Information We Collect

Website (picchase.app)

When you visit our website, we use Google Analytics to collect anonymised usage data, including:

• Pages visited and time spent on each page
• Referring website or search engine
• Browser type, device type, and general geographic region (country/city)
• Interactions such as button clicks and scroll depth

By default — or if you decline cookies — we use Google Analytics in cookieless mode: no cookies are set, your IP address is anonymised, and no persistent identifier is stored on your device. If you choose to accept cookies, Google Analytics may set cookies to enable more accurate session tracking across visits.

Mobile App

The PicChase mobile app collects the following data:

App Usage Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase)

• Screen names and navigation flows within the app
• In-app events (e.g. game created, photo submitted, game completed)
• Device type, operating system version, and app version
• General geographic region

This data is used solely to understand which features are being used and to improve the app experience. It is collected in aggregate and is not linked to any personally identifiable information.

Crash Reports (Google Firebase Crashlytics)

• Stack traces and error logs at the time of a crash
• Device model and OS version
• App version and crash timestamp

Crash reports help us identify and fix bugs quickly. They do not include your name, game photos, or any game content.

Game Data (Google Firebase)

When you play PicChase, the following data is temporarily stored in Google Firebase to run the game in real time:

• Player display name (entered by the player at the start of each game — no account required)
• Game code, game settings, and item list
• Photos submitted during the game
• Scores, completion times, and leaderboard data

We do not create user accounts and do not persistently link any game data to a real-world identity.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To operate and run the real-time multiplayer game experience
• To analyse how the website and app are used, in order to improve them
• To identify and fix crashes and technical issues
• To enforce our Terms of Service and prevent misuse

We do not sell your data to third parties. We do not use your data for targeted advertising.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website does not set any cookies by default. We use Google Analytics in cookieless mode unless you explicitly accept cookies via our cookie banner.

If you accept cookies, Google Analytics may set the following first-party cookies:

• _ga — identifies unique visitors (expires after 2 years)
• _ga_1BQW2S6339 — maintains session state (expires after 2 years)

You can withdraw your consent at any time by clearing your browser's local storage or cookies, or by contacting us. You may also use your browser's built-in tools to block or delete cookies.

The mobile app does not use browser cookies. Firebase and Crashlytics use their own SDKs with device-level identifiers managed by Google.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services, each with its own privacy practices:

• Google Analytics — website analytics. Google Privacy Policy
• Google Firebase — real-time game data storage. Firebase Privacy
• Google Firebase Analytics — in-app usage analytics.
• Google Firebase Crashlytics — crash reporting.

All Google services are subject to Google's Data Processing Terms. Data may be processed on servers outside your country of residence.

6. Data Transfers

We use Google Firebase, which stores data on Google's global infrastructure. Data may be stored and processed in the United States or other countries where Google operates data centres. By using PicChase, you acknowledge this transfer.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion of your data
• Object to or restrict certain processing
• Data portability

Because PicChase does not require accounts and does not store persistent user profiles, most game data is inherently anonymous (tied only to a session-based display name). If you believe we hold identifiable data about you and wish to exercise any of the above rights, contact us at [email protected].

8. Children's Privacy

PicChase is designed for general audiences and may be used by children under parental or guardian supervision. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in the European Economic Area). Because no accounts are required to play, no personal information is solicited at sign-up.

If you believe a child has submitted identifiable information through the app (for example, a display name), please contact us and we will ensure it is removed from our systems.

9. Data Security

Game data is stored in Google Firebase, which employs industry-standard security measures including encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest. Access to Firebase data is controlled by security rules. No system can be guaranteed 100% secure; however, we take reasonable precautions to protect the data we hold.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of PicChase after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

11. Contact

For any questions, requests, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:

[email protected]