Matchstick Puzzle — Privacy Policy

Effective date: 13 October 2026

This policy explains what information the mobile game Matchstick Puzzle (Android package and iOS bundle dev.vishnuv.matchstickpuzzle, "the game", "we") handles, why, and the choices you have.

Contact: letter2vishnuv@gmail.com. Developer: Vishnu V.

1. Who the game is for

The game is made for players aged 13 and over. It is not directed to children under 13 and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child under 13 has used the game in a way that shared their information, email us and we will help delete it.

2. Information stored only on your device

The game saves your progress on your device: levels completed, stars, coins, hints, daily-challenge streak, sound and vibration settings, items you have bought (such as Remove Ads), and counters that space out advertisements. The game has no account or sign-in, and we do not receive this file.

On Android, if you have turned on Google's device backup, Android may copy this save file to your Google account backup so it can be restored on a new phone. Google handles that backup under its own privacy policy.

3. Advertising (Google AdMob)

The game shows ads through Google AdMob: optional rewarded videos (for example, "x2 Rewards" or a free hint) and occasional full-screen ads between levels, which you can remove with the Remove Ads purchase. To show and measure ads, the Google Mobile Ads SDK collects:

• your device's advertising identifier (Android Advertising ID, or Apple's IDFA only if you allow tracking);
• your IP address, from which an approximate location is derived;
• device and app information (model, operating system, language, app version);
• ad interactions (ads shown, taps, completed videos) and diagnostic data.

Consent. In the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the game asks for your choices with Google's consent form before ads or analytics start. In US states with privacy laws, you can opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your information for personalised ads. In both cases you can change your choices at any time in Settings → Privacy Options.

iOS tracking. On iPhone and iPad, the game asks permission to track (App Tracking Transparency). If you decline, ads are not personalised with your IDFA, and the game works the same.

Google's use of this data is described at https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites and https://policies.google.com/privacy.

4. Analytics (GameAnalytics)

To understand which levels are too hard and how the game is used, we use GameAnalytics. It collects a random device identifier (on iOS, the identifier for vendor), device model, operating system, country derived from your IP address, session times, and gameplay events: levels started and completed, hints used, coins earned and spent, rewarded ads watched and purchases made (product only, never payment details). These events contain no name, email, or contact details.

Analytics start only after Google's consent step has finished, and they are not used at all in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. The game also sends GameAnalytics error reports when something goes wrong in the game (no personal data). GameAnalytics' policy: https://gameanalytics.com/privacy

5. Purchases

In-app purchases (hint packs, Remove Ads, Special Offer) are processed by Google Play or the Apple App Store. We never see your payment card or account details. The game stores the purchase's transaction identifier on your device so that a purchase is never applied twice, and asks the store to restore purchases you already own when you tap Restore Purchases.

6. Sharing

We do not sell your information for money. Showing personalised ads through Google AdMob may count as "selling" or "sharing" personal information under some US state laws; you can opt out in Settings → Privacy Options. Otherwise, information is shared only with the service providers named above (Google AdMob, GameAnalytics, Google Play and the Apple App Store), each acting under its own terms, and when the law requires it.

7. Retention

Data on your device stays until you delete the game or clear its data. Advertising and analytics providers keep the data they collect according to their own retention policies (GameAnalytics keeps raw event data for a limited period; see its policy).

8. Your choices and rights

• Change or withdraw ad and analytics consent: Settings → Privacy Options (shown where consent applies).
• Limit ad tracking: reset or delete your advertising ID in Android settings, or turn off "Allow Apps to Request to Track" on iOS.
• Delete your game data: uninstall the game or clear its storage.
• Access or deletion requests for data held by our providers: email us at the address above. We will forward requests and answer within 30 days.

Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR, UK GDPR, or the California Consumer Privacy Act), you may have further rights to access, correct, delete or port your data, and to complain to your data protection authority.

9. Security

Data sent by the game and its providers travels over encrypted connections (HTTPS).

10. Changes

If this policy changes, we will update the effective date above and, for significant changes, tell you in the game or in the store listing's release notes.