This Privacy Policy applies to the Layers: Daily Word Connections mobile application for iOS and Android and to the web version of Layers at hiddenlayerlabs.com/play, together referred to in this document as the "Application." The Application is provided by Hidden Layer Labs LLC, referred to as the "Service Provider," as a freemium game.
This Privacy Policy explains what information is collected, how it is used, and what choices you have when using the Application.
Information We Collect
You can play the Application without creating an account. Depending on how you use it, the Application may collect:
- Account information, if you choose to create an account: your email address and password (handled by Firebase Authentication; the Service Provider never sees your password), or the name and email address shared by Google or Apple if you sign in with Google or Sign in with Apple. Apple may give us a private relay email address instead of your real one.
- Profile choices: the display name, avatar emoji, and avatar color you pick.
- Gameplay data: your puzzle progress, guesses, results, streaks, statistics, hints, rewards, and mini-game progress. This is stored on your device and, if you are signed in, also saved to your account so it can follow you between devices.
- Purchase information: whether you have an active subscription or purchase, along with product, transaction, and entitlement identifiers.
- Crash and diagnostic data: if the Application crashes, a crash report that includes technical details of the error, your device model, operating system version, Application version, and an installation identifier.
- Advertising data collected by our advertising partners, such as your IP address, device information, advertising identifiers where your device settings allow it, approximate location derived from your IP address, and how you interact with ads.
The Application does not collect your precise location, your contacts, or your photos. It does not include an analytics service that tracks which screens you visit.
The Application does not use Artificial Intelligence technologies to process your data or provide app features.
How We Use Information
The Service Provider uses this information to:
- Run the game and save your progress, streaks, and statistics
- Keep your account and progress in sync across your devices
- Provide access to paid features and restore your purchases
- Show advertisements to players without an ad-free subscription
- Find and fix crashes and other technical problems
- Respond to support requests and send important notices
Accounts and Sign-In
Accounts are optional. Sign-in is provided by Google Firebase Authentication, using email and password, Sign in with Google, or Sign in with Apple. If you sign in, your profile choices and gameplay data are stored in Google Firebase Cloud Firestore under your account.
You can delete your account at any time from the account settings in the Application. Deleting your account removes your account, your profile, and the gameplay data saved to it. See Delete Your Account for details.
Advertising
The mobile app may display advertisements through Google AdMob, and the web version through Google AdSense. Subscribers to the ad-free plan do not see ads in the mobile app.
AdMob and AdSense may collect and use device information, advertising identifiers, cookies (on the web), approximate location, and ad interaction data to provide, personalize, limit, and measure advertisements. If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the Application asks for your consent through Google's consent form before personalized ads are shown, and you can change your choice later.
On iOS, the Application does not ask for App Tracking Transparency permission, so it does not access your device's advertising identifier (IDFA). On Android, you can reset or delete your advertising ID in your device settings. You can learn more about how Google uses information from apps and sites that use its services at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites.
Subscriptions and Purchases
The Application may offer paid subscriptions or in-app purchases. The Application does not offer a free trial unless one is clearly displayed at the time of purchase through the applicable app store.
RevenueCat is used to manage purchase status, subscription status, product identifiers, transaction identifiers, entitlement information, and access to paid features. Payments, renewals, cancellations, and refunds are handled by the Apple App Store or Google Play according to their own terms and privacy policies.
The Service Provider does not receive or store your payment card details.
Notifications
If you allow notifications, the Application schedules daily puzzle reminders on your device. These reminders are created on your device; no notification service receives your information to send them. You can turn them off in the Application or in your device settings.
Sharing Your Results
When you choose to share your results, the Application opens your device's share sheet with a text summary of your game. Nothing is shared unless you choose to share it.
Third-Party Services
The Application uses the following third-party services, which have their own privacy policies:
- Google AdMob and Google AdSense (advertising)
- Google Firebase (Authentication, Cloud Firestore, and Crashlytics)
- Sign in with Google
- Sign in with Apple and the Apple App Store
- Google Play
- RevenueCat (purchases and subscriptions)
The Service Provider does not sell your personal information. It shares information only with the service providers above, which help operate, monetize, and maintain the Application.
Data Disclosure
The Service Provider may disclose user-provided or automatically collected information:
- As required by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, court order, or similar legal process
- When disclosure is believed to be necessary to protect rights, safety, property, or security
- To investigate fraud, abuse, technical issues, or security concerns
- To trusted service providers who help operate or improve the Application
- In connection with a business transfer, merger, acquisition, restructuring, or sale of assets
Your Choices
- Play without an account, or sign out at any time
- Delete your account and the gameplay data saved to it from the account settings in the Application
- Turn reminders off in the Application or your device settings
- Change your ad consent choice (where offered) and reset or limit your advertising identifier in your device settings
- Uninstall the Application to stop all collection and remove the data stored on your device
Data Retention
Account and gameplay data saved to your account are kept until you delete your account. Data stored only on your device stays there until you uninstall the Application or clear its data. Crash reports are kept by Firebase Crashlytics for a limited period (currently 90 days).
Some information may be retained when necessary for legal, security, fraud prevention, accounting, app store purchase verification, or legitimate business purposes. To request deletion of any data associated with the Application, contact support@hiddenlayerlabs.com. The Service Provider will respond in a reasonable time.
Children's Privacy
The Application is not directed to children under the age of 13. The Service Provider does not knowingly solicit, collect, or market to children under 13.
If the Service Provider discovers that a child under 13 has provided personally identifiable information, the Service Provider will delete that information from its systems as soon as reasonably possible. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided personal information, contact: support@hiddenlayerlabs.com
Security
The Service Provider is concerned about protecting your information and uses reasonable physical, electronic, and procedural safeguards to protect information processed and maintained through the Application.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. The Service Provider cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
The Service Provider may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page. Continued use of the Application after changes are posted means that you accept the updated Privacy Policy.
Your Consent
By using the Application, you consent to the collection and processing of information as described in this Privacy Policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or the Application's privacy practices, contact Hidden Layer Labs LLC at: support@hiddenlayerlabs.com