Eldrow Privacy Policy
Eldrow is a daily word puzzle run by JNS Software Enterprises, LLC, United States ("we", "us"). This page explains what we collect, why, who else is involved, and how to delete your data. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use analytics or tracking tools of our own.
What we collect
- Account details: your email address, username, password (stored only as a secure hash), and, if you add them, your mobile number and carrier (used to text you a verification code). Your date of birth or a confirmation that you are 13 or older, to check you are old enough to play.
- Sign in with Google or Apple: the account identifier the provider gives us and, if the provider shares it, your email address. We never see your Google or Apple password.
- Guest play: a guest account has no email or name, only a random account number; your device keeps the sign-in. You can turn it into a full account later. A guest account that is not used for 90 days is deleted automatically, as described below.
- Gameplay: your guesses, solve times, resets, hints and undos, coins, badges, streaks, skill rating and leaderboard positions.
- Social: your friends list, friend requests and in-app notifications, and your profile privacy choices.
- Purchases: in-app purchases are handled by Apple or Google. We receive a receipt and transaction id to add your coins; we never see your card or payment details. Coin spending in the Eldrow store is recorded with your account. If Apple or Google refunds a purchase, they tell us and the coins it added are removed from your balance.
- Push notifications (apps): if you allow them, a device token from Google Firebase Cloud Messaging so we can notify you about friend requests, badges and milestones. It is removed when you sign out, turn push notifications off, or your sign-in session ends (for example after 30 days without opening the app).
- Security records: the IP address and browser or device type of sign-ins and active sessions, used to keep accounts safe and to prevent abuse.
How we use it
- To run the game: save your progress, award coins, compute stats, leaderboards and badges, and show your profile to others according to your privacy settings (game stats and badges are always visible to other players).
- To send messages you need: email or text verification codes, password resets, and notifications you can see in the app (some may also be emailed if you don't open them; an administrator can turn this off).
- To protect the service: rate limits, a reCAPTCHA check after repeated failed sign-ins, and fixing problems.
Cookies and storage
The website uses one cookie that keeps you signed in (a secure, HttpOnly "refresh" cookie) and your browser's local storage for your session and preferences. The apps store your sign-in in the phone's secure storage. When advertising is turned on, Google's ad services may also use cookies (website) or your device's advertising identifier (apps); see below.
Advertising
Eldrow may show ads from Google: Google AdSense on the website and Google AdMob in the apps (when you open the app, before a puzzle, and before puzzle stats). Google may use cookies or your device's advertising identifier to show and measure ads, and, where you agree, to personalise them. Visitors in the European Economic Area, the UK and Switzerland are asked for consent first, and you can change that choice later (in the apps under Profile → Settings & privacy). Learn more at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services. On iPhone you can also limit ad tracking in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking; on Android under Settings → Privacy → Ads.
Who else processes your data
- Google: Sign in with Google, Firebase Cloud Messaging (push notifications), AdSense and AdMob (ads), Google Play billing, reCAPTCHA.
- Apple: Sign in with Apple, Apple push notifications, App Store purchases.
- Email and text delivery: our email server; text messages are sent through your mobile carrier's email-to-text gateway.
We share data with these providers only to deliver the features above. We may disclose information if the law requires it.
Children
Eldrow is for players aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you think a child under 13 has an account, contact us and we will delete it.
How long we keep data, and deleting your account
We keep your data while your account exists. Guest accounts (no email, Google or Apple sign-in) that have not been opened or played for 90 days are deleted automatically, in the same way as below; to keep your progress, turn a guest account into a full account. You can delete your account at any time:
- Website: User → Options → Delete account.
- Apps: Profile → Settings & privacy → Delete account.
You confirm with your password or by signing in with Google or Apple again (guests just confirm). Deletion is immediate and permanent: your account, games, stats, coins, purchases record, themes, badges, ratings, leaderboard entries, friends, friend requests, notifications, push tokens and sign-in sessions are erased, and Sign in with Apple access is revoked. Unused coins are not refunded. Copies may remain in our encrypted database backups for about 30 days before they are deleted, and a record that an administrator took an action on your account (for example a moderation lock) may be kept for security. If you can't sign in, contact us to delete your account.
Your choices and rights
- Choose who sees your profile details, picture and leaderboard name in your privacy settings.
- Turn push notifications off in the app or in your phone's settings.
- See and correct your account details in Options (website) or Settings (apps), or ask us for a copy of your data.
- Depending on where you live (for example the EU/UK under the GDPR or California under the CCPA), you may have further rights to access, correct, delete or restrict use of your data, and to complain to your data protection authority.
Security
Connections use HTTPS, passwords are hashed, database backups are encrypted before they leave our server, and access to the servers is restricted. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a unique password.
Changes
If we change this policy we will update the date above, and tell you in the app for significant changes.
Contact
Eldrow is operated by JNS Software Enterprises, LLC, United States. Questions or requests: info@jns.enterprises.