Privacy Policy

SYNKO is a word-grid game operated by an individual developer ("we," "us"). Your privacy matters, and we designed SYNKO to collect as little information as possible while still letting you play, compete, and connect with friends. This policy explains what data the SYNKO app and website (collectively, the "Service") collect, how that data is used, and the choices you have. By using SYNKO you agree to this policy.

1. What we collect

We collect only what's necessary to run the game and let you play with others.

• Account information. If you sign in with Google, we receive your Google display name, email address, and profile picture URL from Google. If you play as a Guest, we generate an anonymous account identifier — no name, email, or other personal information is collected at sign-up.
• Profile information you provide. Display name, chosen avatar emoji, and friend code.
• Gameplay data. Scores, words you've played, win/loss/draw record, daily-challenge results, badges, and per-game match history.
• Social connections. Your friends list (other SYNKO users you've added) and the pending/accepted state of friend requests.
• Chat messages. Text you send in 2-player games, the time it was sent, and the game it belongs to.
• Push notification tokens. If you opt in to reminders or turn alerts, we store a Firebase Cloud Messaging token for each device you've enabled.
• Analytics data. We use Firebase Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase) to understand how people play SYNKO. It automatically collects session data, device type, OS, browser, and approximate location (country and region derived from your IP address — not GPS). We also log custom events such as game start/end, login method, Daily Challenge completion, and whether notifications are enabled. Your Firebase user ID is associated with these events.
• Operational data. Client-side error reports (which may include your user ID and the page state at the time of the error), feedback submissions you choose to send, and abuse reports you file using the chat report feature.

We do not collect or request: contacts, precise GPS location, camera or microphone data, biometric data, advertising identifiers, or health data. We do not run ads or use third-party ad networks.

2. How we use it

• To run the game: store your progress, match you with opponents, render your stats, deliver chat messages, show the daily-challenge leaderboard.
• To send notifications you've opted into (Daily Challenge reminders, turn alerts in 2-player games, friend requests/challenges).
• To understand how the game is used and where to improve it (via Firebase Analytics).
• To maintain a fair environment: filter clearly objectionable chat content, respond to abuse reports, and enforce the Terms of Service.
• To debug issues and improve the product, using technical error reports and the feedback you submit.

We do not use your data for advertising or profiling.

3. Who can see what

• Other players can see your display name, avatar, and scores in any game you join with them; chat messages you send in 2-player games; your name and score on the Daily Challenge leaderboard; and your friend code if you choose to share it. Your match history is private — only you can read it.
• Google, as our infrastructure and analytics provider, processes data on our behalf through Firebase services (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, Cloud Functions, Cloud Messaging, Hosting, and Analytics). Google acts as a sub-processor and is bound by its own privacy and security commitments. Firebase Analytics data is governed by Google's privacy policy.
• Nobody else. We do not sell your data. We do not share it with advertisers. We do not run third-party advertising or cross-app tracking inside the Service.

4. How long we keep it

• Account data and gameplay history are retained while your account exists.
• You can delete your account at any time from inside the app: Profile → Account Settings → Delete Account. Deletion is immediate and irreversible. Your profile, stats, badges, friends list, daily-challenge scores, and Firebase Auth record are permanently removed.
• Past games stay visible to your opponents (so their match history remains intact), but your identity within those games is anonymized to "Deleted User." Chat messages you sent have your name and user ID removed, but the message content remains.
• Abuse reports, feedback submissions, and error logs are retained after account deletion for moderation and debugging purposes. Error logs may reference your former user ID but contain no other personal information.
• Firebase Analytics data associated with your user ID is retained subject to Google's data retention settings (default: 14 months).

5. Your rights

You can view, edit, or remove your data directly in the app:

• Change your display name, avatar, or notification settings: Profile → Account Settings.
• Block or report another player: tap the … menu on any chat message.
• Delete your account: Profile → Account Settings → Delete Account.

If you live in a jurisdiction that grants additional rights (for example, the right to access or port a copy of your data), email us at the address below and we'll honor reasonable requests.

6. Children

SYNKO is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we'll delete it.

7. Security

Data is stored on Google Cloud (Firebase) infrastructure and transmitted over TLS. We use Firebase Authentication for sign-in and Firestore security rules to limit who can read and write each piece of data. No system is perfectly secure, and you're responsible for keeping your sign-in credentials confidential.

8. International users

SYNKO is operated from the United States. By using the Service you understand that your information will be processed on Google Cloud infrastructure located in the United States and other countries Google operates in.

9. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. If we make material changes, we'll surface a notice inside the app before the changes take effect.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy, requests about your data, or other privacy concerns? Email contact@synkogame.com.

See also: Terms of Service.