Privacy Policy
This policy explains what data Joco ("the app", "we") handles, why, and the choices you have. Questions: jocogames.app@gmail.com.
1. The short version
- You never create an account or give us your email to play.
- Your progress is backed up to the cloud under a random ID so you don't lose it when you reinstall or change phones.
- Motion-sensor data is processed on your phone to read your swings and is never stored or sent.
- Ads are rewarded videos you choose to watch, plus an occasional full-screen ad between games (never during a game). The ad provider uses device identifiers, subject to your consent where the law requires it.
- We collect anonymous usage data to improve the game (Google Firebase Analytics): which games are played, for how long and where players get stuck. It carries no name, e-mail or advertising ID and is never used for ads. In the European Economic Area and the UK it is only on if you opt in; anywhere, you can switch it off in Settings > Privacy. If the app crashes, an anonymous crash report is sent so we can fix it. We never sell your data.
2. Data stored only on your device
Game progress, coins, unlocks, settings, the nickname you choose and the names you give local players. Deleting the app removes this copy.
3. Data stored in the cloud
We use Google Firebase (Authentication and Realtime Database; the database is hosted in the EU, Belgium):
| Data | Why |
|---|---|
| A random anonymous user ID created on first launch | To identify your save without an account |
| Your Game Center (iOS) or Google Play Games (Android) player ID, if you are signed in on your phone | To restore your progress after a reinstall or on a new phone |
| Your save: level, stars, coins and coin history, unlocks, equipped items, streak, nickname and local player names | Cloud backup and syncing between your devices |
| Online match rooms: a room code and network connection details (which include IP addresses) | To connect two phones for an online match. Rooms are only valid for one hour. |
| Problem reports, only when you tap REPORT A PROBLEM in Settings: your anonymous user ID, device model, operating system and app version, language, the note you write, and the app's recent technical log (no name, e-mail or contacts) | To find and fix bugs you report |
| Recorded matches, unless you turn off "Show my matches to others as an opponent" in Settings: your nickname (or "Oyuncu" if none), a country code taken from your phone's region setting, your score, your throw inputs or race position trace, and the time | To show your match to other players as a recorded opponent in Quick Match. Recordings live in a fixed number of shelves that newer matches continuously overwrite; there is no per-user index, so we cannot look up or list your recordings. |
| Quick Match queue entries: your anonymous user ID, a skill band and a timestamp | To pair you with another player. The app deletes your entry when the search ends; one left behind (for example if the app was closed) can be deleted by any search after 15 seconds. |
| Crash reports, sent automatically when the app crashes (Google Firebase Crashlytics): the crash stack trace, device model, operating system version, app version and an anonymous installation ID (not your user ID; no name, e-mail or contacts) | To find and fix crashes |
| Anonymous usage data (Google Firebase Analytics; can be switched off in Settings > Privacy): the game and mode played, match length and result, level, screens opened (e.g. the Party Pack screen), whether a rewarded or interstitial ad was watched, whether a TV was connected; device model, operating system, app version, country (coarsely, from the IP address) and an anonymous app-instance ID. No advertising ID, not linked to your user ID | To see which games people enjoy and where they get stuck, and improve the game |
4. Playing together
- Same Wi-Fi / TV play: game data travels directly between devices on your local network.
- Online 1v1: phones connect directly to each other. When a direct connection isn't possible, traffic is relayed by our network relay provider (Metered), which sees IP addresses but not the content of your game.
- Joining from a browser (scanning the QR code on the host's TV): the guest page signs in anonymously and stores the display name the guest types, together with the connection setup, in the host's party record. The name is shown only on that TV; the record is deleted when the host closes the party, and a record left behind (for example if the app was closed abruptly) can no longer be read by anyone after 6 hours. The guest page uses no analytics, ads or cookies; it keeps an anonymous sign-in and the last name on the guest's own phone so they can rejoin.
- There is no chat or user-to-user messaging.
5. Ads
Joco shows rewarded video ads that you choose to watch (for example, to continue a level) and, from time to time, a full-screen ad between games — never during a game, and never in your first session. Ads are served by Google AdMob. Google may collect your device's advertising ID (IDFA on iOS, only if you allow tracking; Google Advertising ID on Android), IP address, device and app information and ad interactions, to show and measure ads and to prevent fraud.
- In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland we ask for your consent first (Google's consent form). You can change your choice anytime from the app's Settings.
- On iOS, the app asks before tracking (App Tracking Transparency). You can change this in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
- On Android you can reset or delete your advertising ID in Android Settings → Privacy → Ads.
- The Party Pack removes ads.
See: How Google uses information from apps that use its services · Google Privacy Policy.
6. Purchases
Purchases are processed by Apple (App Store) or Google (Google Play). We never see your payment details; we only receive confirmation of which item you bought so we can unlock it.
7. Device features
Motion sensors (accelerometer and gyroscope) read your swings and tilts in real time; this data stays on your phone and isn't stored. Vibration is used for feedback. The app doesn't use your camera, microphone, contacts or precise location.
8. Who we share data with
Only the service providers above, to run the features described: Google (Firebase, Play Games, Play Billing, AdMob), Apple (Game Center, App Store) and Metered (network relay). We don't sell your personal data.
9. How long we keep it
Your cloud save is kept until you ask us to delete it. Online match rooms can no longer be read by anyone one hour after they are created; the app deletes a room once the two phones are connected, and rooms left behind are removed by us from time to time. Problem reports can be read only by us in the Firebase console and are deleted by us by hand. Crash reports are kept by Firebase Crashlytics for 90 days and then deleted automatically. Device-level anonymous usage records are kept by Firebase Analytics for 2 months; only aggregated, identity-free totals are kept longer. Recorded matches are kept only until newer matches overwrite their shelf; Quick Match queue entries are deleted when the search ends (see above).
10. Your rights
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR, the UK GDPR, Turkey's KVKK or California's CCPA), you may have the right to access, correct, delete or export your data, and to object to or restrict its processing. To delete your cloud data, follow the steps on our data deletion page. For any other request, email us; we reply within 30 days. You can also complain to your local data protection authority.
Legal bases (GDPR): performing our service to you (save, sync, online play, purchases), your consent (personalised ads) and our legitimate interest in keeping the app working (crash reports).
11. Children
Joco is not directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their personal data. If you believe a child has given us data, contact us and we will delete it.
12. Security
All network traffic to our cloud uses encrypted connections (HTTPS), and database rules only let each player read and write their own save.
13. Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date above and, for significant changes, tell you in the app.