Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Account Information

When you create an account on Wordsy, we collect:

• Username: A unique identifier you choose for your account
• Password: Stored in encrypted form using industry-standard bcrypt hashing
• Account type: Whether you're playing as a registered user or guest
• Registration timestamp: When your account was created

Guest accounts are automatically created with randomly generated usernames when you choose to play without registering. Guest accounts have limited features and cannot access multiplayer modes.

1.2 Game Activity Data

To provide game functionality and track your progress, we store:

• Game statistics: Number of games played, games won, current streak, best streak
• Puzzle attempts: Your guesses, their semantic similarity rankings, and timestamps
• Daily challenge history: Your performance on daily puzzles for leaderboard rankings
• Multiplayer match data: Battle and team game results, opponent usernames, match outcomes
• Hint usage: Number of hints used per game to calculate final scores

This data is used to display your personal statistics, maintain leaderboards, match you with opponents of similar skill levels, and improve game balance. Game data is associated with your account and persists across sessions.

1.3 Technical and Usage Data

Our servers automatically collect certain information when you access Wordsy:

• IP address: Used for security, rate limiting, and geographic analytics
• Device information: Browser type, operating system, screen resolution
• Access logs: Pages visited, time spent, click patterns
• Performance metrics: Page load times, API response times, error rates

This technical data helps us maintain service security, detect and prevent abuse, diagnose technical issues, and optimize game performance across different devices and browsers.

1.4 Browser Storage

We use browser local storage (not cookies) to store:

• Your authentication token to keep you logged in between sessions
• Game preferences (category, difficulty settings)
• Temporary game state for the current puzzle

Local storage data never leaves your device and is not transmitted to our servers. You can clear this data anytime through your browser settings.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Provide game services: Process your guesses, calculate scores, maintain game state
• Authenticate users: Verify your identity and maintain secure sessions
• Track progress: Store your statistics, streaks, and achievements
• Enable multiplayer: Match you with opponents, coordinate team games, display usernames
• Maintain leaderboards: Rank players on daily challenges and overall performance
• Improve the game: Analyze usage patterns to balance difficulty and add features
• Ensure security: Detect abuse, prevent cheating, enforce rate limits
• Provide support: Respond to issues and technical problems you report

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your data for marketing purposes beyond showing you ads through Google AdSense (see section 3.1).

3. Third-Party Services

3.1 Google AdSense

Wordsy displays advertisements through Google AdSense. When you visit our site, Google may:

• Set cookies on your browser to serve personalized ads
• Collect information about your browsing activity across websites
• Use your IP address to determine your approximate geographic location
• Show ads based on your interests and demographics

How Google uses data: Google's advertising partners may use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your interactions with ads and content. This data is used to provide personalized advertising, measure ad effectiveness, and prevent fraud.

Your ad choices: You can control ad personalization through:

• Google Ads Settings - Opt out of personalized advertising
• NAI Opt-Out - Opt out from Network Advertising Initiative members
• Your Online Choices - EU users can manage cookie preferences

Learn more about how Google uses data at Google's Privacy & Terms.

3.2 Supabase (Database Hosting)

We use Supabase to host our PostgreSQL database. Your account data, game statistics, and match history are stored on Supabase's secure cloud infrastructure located in the Mumbai region. Supabase implements industry-standard security measures including:

• Encryption of data at rest and in transit
• Regular security audits and compliance certifications
• Access controls and authentication systems
• Automated backups and disaster recovery

Read Supabase's privacy policy at supabase.com/privacy.

3.3 Vercel (Hosting)

Our website is hosted on Vercel's content delivery network. Vercel may collect standard web server logs including IP addresses and access patterns for security and performance monitoring. See Vercel's privacy policy.

3.4 Render (API Hosting)

Our game API and similarity calculation service are hosted on Render. These services process your gameplay requests but do not store personal information beyond temporary request logs.

4. Data Retention and Deletion

Active accounts: We retain your account data and game history for as long as your account remains active. This allows you to access your statistics and game history whenever you return to Wordsy.

Inactive accounts: Accounts that have been inactive for more than 2 years may be automatically deleted to free up server resources. You will receive a notification before deletion if you have provided contact information.

Account deletion: You can request deletion of your account at any time. When you delete your account:

• Your username becomes available for others to use
• Your game statistics and match history are permanently deleted
• Your leaderboard entries are removed
• Your authentication credentials are erased from our systems

Server logs: Technical logs (IP addresses, access patterns) are retained for 30 days for security and troubleshooting purposes, then automatically purged.

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:

• Encryption: All data transmitted between your device and our servers uses HTTPS/TLS encryption
• Password security: Passwords are hashed using bcrypt with salt, making them irreversible
• Access controls: Database access is restricted to necessary services only
• Rate limiting: API endpoints have rate limits to prevent abuse
• Input validation: User inputs are sanitized to prevent injection attacks

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Children's Privacy

Wordsy is a general-audience word game not specifically directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 without parental consent.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us. We will promptly delete such information from our systems.

We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and similar international regulations regarding children's privacy.

7. International Users and Data Transfers

Wordsy is operated from India, and our database servers are located in the Mumbai region. If you access our service from outside India, your information will be transferred to and processed in India.

By using Wordsy, you consent to the transfer of your information to India and other countries where our service providers operate, which may have different data protection laws than your country of residence.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Correction: Update inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your account and associated data
• Data portability: Receive your game statistics in a portable format
• Objection: Object to certain processing of your information
• Withdraw consent: Revoke previously given consent for data processing

To exercise these rights, please contact us through the game interface or by navigating to your account settings. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or service features. When we make material changes, we will:

• Update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify you through the game interface or via email if you've provided one
• Obtain your consent if required by law

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Continued use of Wordsy after policy updates constitutes acceptance of the new terms.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how we handle your data, please contact us through:

• The support section within the game
• Our website at wordsy.fun

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 7-14 business days.