Quest Word Privacy Policy 

Last updated: September 24, 2026

1. SCOPE AND DATA CONTROLLER
This Privacy Policy explains how personal data is collected, processed, stored, and protected when you install, access, or play the Quest Word mobile word puzzle game ("Quest Word", "Game", "we", "our", or "us") on Android devices. As the data controller, the Quest Word development and operational team is dedicated to safeguarding your personal privacy. For any questions, feedback, or requests regarding this policy or the deletion of your data, please contact our official privacy email: 

yucelaybey01@gmail.com.

2. PROCESSED PERSONAL DATA AND COLLECTION METHODS
In order to deliver the core gameplay experience, maintain stable technical infrastructure, and adhere to applicable legal obligations, Quest Word processes limited categories of data:

• Account and Profile Information: Even when playing as a guest without linking external accounts, Firebase Authentication creates a unique anonymous user identifier (UID). If you voluntarily connect your Google Play Games account, we process your Google Play Games player ID, gamer tag, public avatar, connection status, Firebase UID, and timestamps of recent activity. We never receive, access, or store your Google account password.

• Gameplay Progress and Dynamic Stats: Solved words, completed stages/levels, earned stars, overall score, counts of correct and incorrect answers, virtual coin balances, hints and letter joker usage, tutorial completion status, earned achievements, weekly and global leaderboard scores, and server synchronization timestamps are saved locally and securely backed up to Cloud Firestore. Your public gamer tag and leaderboard score are visible to other players worldwide.

• Device, Hardware, and Technical Diagnostics: Local gameplay preferences (selected language, music and sound effects volumes/toggles, haptic vibration state, notification permission flag, and ad-removal/premium entitlement status) are stored on your device. Through our infrastructure partners (Firebase, AdMob, OneSignal), technical data such as IP address, device manufacturer and model, operating system version (Android OS), screen resolution, system language, timezone, network connection type (Wi-Fi/Cellular), Android Advertising ID (GAID/AAID), app-set ID, basic crash logs, and anti-fraud diagnostics may be processed.

• Excluded Sensitive Data: Quest Word DOES NOT request, collect, or process precise GPS location coordinates, contact books, photos, image gallery files, camera, microphone, biometric/health data, or calendar access.

• Purchases and Payment Information: In-game store transactions are processed through Google Play Billing and the RevenueCat SDK. Product IDs (SKU), order tokens, purchase timestamps, receipt validations, and entitlement status are verified. Credit card numbers, banking details, and sensitive billing credentials are handled exclusively by Google Play; we as developers NEVER have access to or store your financial payment details.

• Support and Feedback: When you submit feedback via the in-game 'Contact Us' form, we collect the provided name, email address, subject, message body, device language, Firebase UID, and submission timestamp. Please refrain from submitting passwords or sensitive financial information.

3. PURPOSES AND LEGAL BASES OF DATA PROCESSING
We process your data for specified, legitimate purposes under GDPR (Art. 6) and global privacy regulations:

• Executing and maintaining core puzzle gameplay, verifying player sessions, and personalizing user experience (Performance of a Contract - GDPR Art. 6(1)(b)).

• Account authentication, linking profiles, backing up progress across devices, and restoring cloud game saves.

• Calculating fair leaderboard rankings, determining rewards, and distributing in-game achievements without legal or significant automated decision-making impact.

• Verifying store purchases, delivering virtual products, and maintaining ad-free entitlements.

• Serving advertisements, capping ad frequency, measuring campaign reach, and detecting fraudulent traffic (Legitimate Interests - GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)).

• Delivering opt-in push notifications regarding game events, reminders, and daily puzzles (Consent - GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)).

• Ensuring application security, detecting unauthorized modifications, mitigating crashes, and complying with statutory obligations.

4. LOCAL STORAGE (OFFLINE), SQLCIPHER ENCRYPTION, AND CLOUD SYNC
Quest Word is designed to offer a seamless offline word puzzle experience. All level progress, unlocked stages, coins, and settings are saved locally inside an encrypted SQLCipher SQLite database. Whenever an active internet connection is available and Firebase Authentication is initialized, your data is securely synced with Cloud Firestore. Connecting to Google Play Games is entirely optional; rejecting the connection will not prevent you from enjoying the full game offline, though cloud restoration across new devices is recommended. If local and cloud data conflict, an intelligent merging algorithm prioritizes player achievements, safeguarding the highest level, score, and coin balance against accidental data loss.

5. THIRD-PARTY SERVICE PROVIDERS AND INTEGRATIONS
To provide enterprise-grade stability and features, Quest Word integrates trusted industry SDKs:

• Google Firebase: Firebase Authentication for player identification, Cloud Firestore for encrypted cloud storage, and Cloud Functions for backend logic.

• Google Play Games Services: Optional player login, achievements, and world leaderboard synchronization.

• Google Play Billing & RevenueCat: Digital store transactions, receipt verification, and ad-free entitlement lifecycle management.

• Google AdMob & Google User Messaging Platform (UMP): Interstitial and rewarded ad rendering, analytics, and GDPR/CCPA consent collection.

• Unity Ads (Google Mobile Ads Mediation): Ad mediation partner integrated through Google Mobile Ads adapters to fulfill ad demand. (Note: AppLovin and Meta Audience Network mediation packages have been completely removed from our application; no data is shared with those networks).

• OneSignal & Firebase Cloud Messaging: Authorized push notification delivery and delivery health telemetry.

• Google Play In-App Review: Standard Google dialog for non-intrusive in-game store ratings.
  Each third-party provider processes data subject to their respective privacy disclosures and security practices.

6. ADVERTISING POLICY, MEDIATION, AND CONSENT MANAGEMENT
The free edition of Quest Word contains interstitial ads between levels and rewarded video ads that players can optionally watch to earn bonus coins or letter hints. The Google Mobile Ads SDK and Unity Ads mediation adapter may process IP addresses (for approximate location inference), user interactions, diagnostic data, and the Android Advertising ID (GAID) for frequency capping, ad delivery, and fraud prevention. In jurisdictions requiring consent (such as the EEA and UK), the Google UMP consent framework presents options before personalized ads are served. Players can reset or delete their advertising identifier at any time via Android Settings > Privacy > Ads. Purchasing the 'Remove Ads' option eliminates all mandatory interstitial ads while leaving optional rewarded video bonuses active.

7. PUSH NOTIFICATIONS AND USER PREFERENCES
Push notifications in Quest Word (daily puzzle reminders, energy refills, or leaderboard summaries) are strictly opt-in. On Android 13+ devices, the POST_NOTIFICATIONS runtime permission is requested only after in-game context is displayed or when enabled manually in the Settings screen. You may disable notifications at any time directly through the in-game Settings modal or via Android system notification settings. Opting out immediately terminates further push transmissions via OneSignal.

8. DATA SHARING, INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS, AND NO SALE OF DATA
We treat your personal information with strict care. We DO NOT sell, rent, monetize, or trade your personally identifiable data, profile information, or support messages to third parties for monetary consideration. Data is disclosed strictly to the infrastructure partners listed herein (Firebase, Play Games, AdMob, OneSignal, RevenueCat), to comply with mandatory lawful subpoenas or court orders, or within the context of a legitimate corporate restructuring subject to strict confidentiality safeguards. Because our service providers maintain global server networks (primarily in the United States and the EU), your information may be transferred internationally under Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC) and equivalent statutory cross-border transfer guarantees.

9. DATA RETENTION PERIODS AND INFORMATION SECURITY
Data saved locally on your device persists until you clear the application storage or uninstall Quest Word. Cloud profile records and gameplay progression remain stored in Cloud Firestore for as long as your account remains active, as needed to maintain leaderboards and cloud backups, or until a valid erasure request is fulfilled. Limited transaction records may be retained longer where required by tax, accounting, or consumer protection statutes. Support correspondence is retained only for a reasonable duration necessary to resolve inquiries. Security controls include local SQLCipher / AES-256 database encryption, TLS 1.3 / HTTPS encrypted transit for all server endpoints, strict Firebase security rules, and Android application sandbox isolation.

10. YOUR RIGHTS AND DATA ERASURE (RIGHT TO BE FORGOTTEN)
Under applicable data protection frameworks such as the GDPR, CCPA, and KVKK, you possess the right to:

• Request confirmation of whether your personal data is processed, and obtain a copy thereof,

• Rectify inaccurate, out-of-date, or incomplete records,

• Request the permanent erasure of your personal data from our cloud systems (Right to be Forgotten),

• Restrict or object to specific processing operations,

• Exercise data portability and withdraw previously granted consents,

• Lodge a formal complaint with your relevant territorial Data Protection Authority.
  To request the permanent deletion of your cloud account and gameplay history, email 

• yucelaybey01@gmail.com with your in-game display name, Firebase UID, or Google Play Games ID. For security reasons, never send your passwords. Upon verification, all corresponding cloud documents will be irreversibly deleted.

11. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY (COPPA AND GDPR-K COMPLIANCE)
Quest Word is a family-friendly general-audience word game and is not directed to children under 13 years of age (or the relevant digital consent age in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If a parent or legal guardian discovers that their child has provided personal information without consent, please contact us immediately at 

yucelaybey01@gmail.com. We will promptly examine and permanently delete the relevant information. Advertising and consent parameters are configured in accordance with Google Play families policies.

12. POLICY UPDATES AND CONTACT INFORMATION
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect new game capabilities, updated service vendors, or changing legal standards. Any revisions become effective immediately upon being published within the game with a revised 'Last updated' date. Significant updates will be highlighted via in-game notices or store updates. For inquiries, privacy questions, or data erasure requests, please contact: 

yucelaybey01@gmail.com.