Privacy Policy for Sideboard

Sideboard ("the app") is a companion app for board and card games, available on Android and iOS. This policy explains how the app handles your information.

1. Information we collect directly

Sideboard is an offline-first app. We do not require an account, sign-in, or any registration. All game data you create (sessions, presets, players, components, and settings) is stored locally on your device only. We do not operate servers that store your personal data, and your game data is never uploaded to us or to any cloud service.

2. Local network play

The app offers optional multi-device play over your local Wi-Fi network. When used, game state is exchanged directly between devices on the same local network. This data is not transmitted to us or to the internet. On iOS, the app asks for Local Network permission for this feature only.

3. Camera

The app can use your camera only to scan a room QR code when joining a local game. Scanning happens entirely on your device. No images or video are stored, recorded, or sent anywhere. Camera access is requested only when you open the scanner, and joining by room code works without it.

4. Advertising (Google AdMob)

Sideboard is free and supported by ads provided by Google AdMob. To serve and measure ads, the Google Mobile Ads SDK collects and shares the following with Google and its advertising partners:

• Advertising ID (device identifier): the Android Advertising ID, or on iOS the IDFA, and only if you allow tracking
• Approximate location (derived from your IP address)

This data is used for advertising and marketing and for fraud prevention, security, and compliance. We, the developer, do not receive or store this data ourselves.

On iOS, the app asks your permission through Apple's App Tracking Transparency prompt before any tracking for personalized ads. If you decline, you may still see ads, but they will not be personalized using your device's advertising identifier.

Our AdMob account is linked to Firebase (see section 5), so ad-performance data, such as ad impressions and estimated ad revenue, is combined with the anonymous analytics described below to help us understand how the app performs. No additional personal information is collected because of this link.

You can learn how Google uses this data here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites

5. Analytics (Firebase Analytics)

The app uses Firebase Analytics (provided by Google LLC) to understand how its features are used so the app can be improved.

Anonymous app-usage events are collected. Examples: a game being started or finished (with counts such as the number of players, components, and rounds), a tournament being started, a room being hosted or joined, a game setup being saved as a preset, final scores being shared, the introduction being completed or skipped, the rating prompt being answered, the "What's new" dialog being shown, the compact layout being toggled, the ad-explainer dialog being shown or dismissed, and notification settings being changed or a notification being opened. The app also records which screens are viewed, and a few settings as categories: app language, layout (compact or regular), whether notifications are on, and theme (light, dark, or system).

Event parameters are limited to non-personal values, such as counts or which built-in preset was used (or "custom" / "user preset"). No names, typed text, or game content is ever logged.

Firebase Analytics also automatically collects device-level data: the app-instance ID, device model, operating-system version, app version, approximate location (country, derived from your IP address), and session and engagement data.

This data is used for analytics only. Analytics collection is disabled in development builds. Google retains this event-level data for up to 14 months.

6. Crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics)

The app uses Firebase Crashlytics (provided by Google LLC) to receive a report when the app crashes or hits an unexpected error, so problems can be found and fixed.

A crash report contains technical information only: the error and stack trace, device model, operating-system version, app version, free memory and disk space, whether the app was in the foreground, and a Crashlytics installation identifier. It does not contain your names, players, game content, or anything you typed. Crash reporting is disabled in development builds. Google retains crash data for up to 90 days.

7. App configuration (Firebase Remote Config)

The app uses Firebase Remote Config (provided by Google LLC) to fetch configuration values, for example whether ads are enabled on a given platform. This uses the Firebase installation ID; no personal data is sent. The purpose is app functionality and configuration.

8. Notifications (Firebase Cloud Messaging and local reminders)

Sideboard can send you notifications, only if you allow them. The app never asks at launch: it asks after you finish a game, or when you turn notifications on in Settings.

• Announcements: news about the app, such as new games and features, sent through Firebase Cloud Messaging (provided by Google LLC). To deliver them, Firebase assigns your device a push token (a device identifier). Your device is also grouped by app language (English or Arabic) and platform (Android or iOS) so messages arrive in the right language. No personal information is used or sent.
• Game-night reminders: an occasional reminder if you haven't used the app for a while. These are scheduled on your device; no data is sent anywhere to create them.

You can turn notifications off at any time in Sideboard → Settings → Notifications, or in your phone's system settings. Turning them off in the app cancels pending reminders and deletes the push token, which removes your device from announcements.

In providing Analytics, Crashlytics, Remote Config, and Cloud Messaging, Google acts as a service provider (data processor) on our behalf, and this data is not sold. You can learn how Google handles data here: https://policies.google.com/privacy and https://firebase.google.com/support/privacy.

9. Your choices

• Android: reset your Advertising ID or opt out of ad personalization in Settings → Google → Ads (on some devices: Settings → Privacy → Ads).
• iOS: allow or deny tracking for Sideboard at any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
• Notifications: turn them off in the app's Settings, or in your phone's notification settings for Sideboard.
• Camera and local network (iOS): you can change these permissions in your phone's settings for Sideboard at any time.
• Your data: to remove all locally stored Sideboard data, clear the app's data (Android) or uninstall the app. Uninstalling the app stops all data collection, including analytics and crash reporting.

10. Data security

Data transmitted by the advertising, analytics, crash-reporting, configuration, and messaging SDKs is sent over encrypted (HTTPS/TLS) connections.

11. Age requirement

Sideboard is intended for adults aged 18 and older. It is not directed at or intended for use by children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.

12. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Updates will be posted on this page with a revised "Last updated" date.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this policy, contact us at: mw.othman95@gmail.com