Privacy Policy for Chess Binge

1. Overview & Privacy Principles

Your privacy is fundamental to us. Chess Binge is engineered with a privacy-first, offline-ready architecture:

2. Information We Collect & How We Use It

A. Information Stored Locally on Your Device

The App stores gameplay parameters in your device's sandboxed local storage:

• Current board state, FEN strings, and move histories (for the “Continue Match” session recovery).
• Offline match statistics, win/loss records, and ELO rating progression.
• Virtual currency balance (Binge Coins) and unlocked luxury Staunton board and avatar themes.
• User preferences (sound volume, background music toggle, haptic tactile vibration).

B. Automatically Collected Technical & Advertising Data

When running with an active internet connection, third-party software development kits (SDKs)—primarily Google AdMob—automatically collect standard technical diagnostics and advertising telemetry:

• Device Identifiers: Google Advertising ID (GAID / AAID), vendor identifiers, and hardware characteristics.
• Technical Diagnostics: Operating system version, device model/manufacturer, screen resolution, language settings, and crash telemetry.
• Network Information: Coarse IP address (used to determine general country or city for localized ad delivery).
• Ad Interaction Data: Ad impressions, click-through events, completion of rewarded video ads (e.g. to grant free hints or wheel spins), and fraud prevention telemetry.

3. Third-Party Services & Advertising Providers

Chess Binge integrates third-party services that may collect information used to identify you and display contextual or personalized advertisements:

4. Device Permissions

Chess Binge requests minimal system permissions strictly necessary to deliver core features:

You can review or revoke permissions at any time via Android: Settings > Apps > Chess Binge > Permissions.

5. Children's Privacy (COPPA & GDPR-K)

Chess Binge is intended for general audiences aged 13 and older (or aged 16 and older in the European Union).

We do not knowingly collect, solicit, or maintain personally identifiable information from children under the age of 13. If you believe that a child has provided us with personal information, or if Google AdMob has inadvertently gathered such data, please contact us immediately at s.shankhdhar1981@gmail.com, and we will take immediate measures to remove the information.

6. Data Retention, Control & Deletion Rights

7. Rights for European (GDPR) & California (CCPA) Users

Depending on your location, you may have specific rights under data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) or the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right of Access & Portability: Request details regarding data collected by third-party advertising partners.
• Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Delete your stored local data and request removal of ad identifiers.
• Right to Opt-Out of Ad Sale/Sharing: We do not sell personal data. You can opt out of personalized tracking via device ad settings.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: You will receive equal gameplay service and functionality regardless of exercising your privacy rights.

8. Security of Information

We prioritize the security of your data. The App leverages Android's native application sandboxing to isolate local storage from other applications on your device. Network communication conducted by advertising SDKs utilizes encrypted Transport Layer Security (HTTPS/TLS) protocols.

9. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may periodically update this Privacy Policy to reflect app enhancements, legal requirements, or advertising policy updates. Any changes will be published directly on this page with a revised “Effective Date”. We recommend checking this page periodically to stay informed.