Privacy Policy - Aeonglow

Last Updated: 2026-07-20
Document Version: 1.1

Aeonglow ("the app", "we") is an offline-first Android garden game published by the project owner. This policy describes what data the app stores, why, and your choices.

Summary

Aeonglow is an offline-first garden game. Progress stays on-device. In the current Android package configuration:

There is no Aeonglow account and no cloud garden sync.
Game progress lives in app-private local storage on the device.
There is no in-app advertising. No ad SDK is packaged for serving ads inside the garden.
Builds configured with Firebase (google-services.json) may use Firebase Analytics for acquisition attribution (conversion events for Google App Campaigns) and a once-per-session performance sample used to diagnose slow devices. That may involve the advertising ID (AD_ID); it is not used to show ads in the game.
A one-time unlock purchase (ages after Primordial) is handled by Google Play Billing when enabled; Aeonglow does not store payment card data.
Google Play Games Achievements may mirror private keepsakes when Play Games Services is configured and available; that uses the player's existing Google Play Games sign-in, not an Aeonglow account. There is no in-app opt-out (TD-40).
Optional Firebase Crashlytics crash reporting may be enabled in builds configured with Firebase; Aeonglow does not sell crash data.
The game does not sell personal data.
Shipping arm64-v8a + x86_64 (phones, tablets, ChromeOS, Google Play Games on PC) does not add collection by itself; it only widens where the same package can run.
You can request deletion of collected data -- see Data deletion.

What the app stores on your device

Data	Where	Purpose
Garden save (`save.ron`)	App-private files	Discoveries, board snapshot, settings, return timestamp
Entitlement (`entitlement.dat`)	App-private files	Local premium-unlock entitlement cache only
Extracted runtime assets	App-private files	Fonts, audio, textures, shaders copied from the APK for the engine
Conversion prefs (`aeonglow_conversions`)	App-private SharedPreferences	Fire-once conversion flags and distinct open-day dates for retention attribution

These files stay on the device. Uninstalling the app removes them (subject to Android backup settings you control). Google Play may retain purchase ownership for restore on a new install.

What we do not collect (without Firebase / Billing)

While Firebase (google-services.json) is off and Billing is unwired:

No email, name, or account credentials collected by Aeonglow
No advertising ID / AAID collection by Aeonglow
No location
No contacts, photos, or microphone access
No crash or usage telemetry sent to Aeonglow servers (there is no Aeonglow backend)

Android and Google Play may process install, update, purchase, and crash reports under Google's own policies when you use Play services. That processing is governed by Google, not by an Aeonglow network service.

Crash reporting (Firebase Crashlytics)

Builds that include google-services.json package Firebase Crashlytics and declare INTERNET so crash and non-fatal reports can upload to Google Firebase for the developer.

What Crashlytics may process (subject to Google Firebase / Google Play policies):

Crash stack traces and device/OS metadata needed to diagnose failures
App version and process state at crash time
GPU adapter and render-quality keys, plus rolling frame-time percentiles, attached to crash/ANR reports
Native crash symbolication via Play/Firebase when symbols are uploaded

Crashlytics itself is not the analytics funnel. Push notifications are not enabled. Disabling Firebase for a build means removing google-services.json (the build then omits the Firebase components) and dropping INTERNET if nothing else needs it.

Firebase Analytics

Builds that include google-services.json also package Firebase Analytics. Aeonglow logs a small set of events for two purposes: acquisition attribution (Google App Campaigns) and diagnosing slow devices.

Conversion events (fire-once per install):

tutorial_complete -- guided onboarding finished
soil_discovered -- first discovery of Soil
first_age_transition -- first age crossed
retention_day_3 -- app opened on three distinct calendar days
premium_unlock -- one-time age unlock purchased

Performance / diagnostics (repeatable, at most once per session after a short warm-up):

perf_frame -- a bucketed frame-time sample tagged with GPU quality tier (p50/p95 milliseconds). No advertising ID is required for this event; Firebase may still attach app-instance identifiers under Google's policies.

These events are always-on when Firebase is packaged (no in-app toggle). Fire-once dedup keeps each conversion from logging more than once per install. Aeonglow does not serve in-app ads, and does not sell this data.

Firebase Analytics may collect the advertising ID (AD_ID / AAID) and app-instance identifiers under Google's policies. Play Console Data safety answers list analytics / app activity, diagnostics, and device or other IDs (including advertising ID) when this configuration ships.

EEA consent-mode / CMP handling is a follow-up if the campaign targets the EEA; it is not wired in the current build.

Play Games Achievements

When Play Games Services Achievements are configured in the packaged build:

Play Games Services may silently sign the player into Google Play Games on launch.
Earning a private keepsake always mirrors to the matching Play achievement when Play Games is available (signed-out / desktop / empty Console ids = silent no-op). There is no in-app toggle to disable this mirror.
Google processes the Play Games account identifier and achievement unlock state under Google's policies; Aeonglow does not operate a backend for this.
Already-unlocked Play achievements remain with the Play account and are managed through Google (for example via Google Play Games), not through Aeonglow Settings.

Permissions

Depending on which components are wired into the packaged build:

VIBRATE -- optional soft haptics on pickup, merge, discovery, and fizzle. You can disable haptics in Settings.
INTERNET -- Crashlytics and Analytics upload when Firebase is packaged; Play Games Achievements unlock when configured; also required later for Google Play Billing restore/purchase when that component is wired.
com.google.android.gms.permission.AD_ID -- merged by Firebase Analytics for acquisition attribution. Not used to show ads in the garden.

Premium unlock (Google Play Billing)

Aeonglow may offer a single optional, player-initiated purchase that unlocks ages after the free Primordial age. The purchase never buys gameplay power inside an age you already own and never uses ads.

When Play Billing is enabled in a build you install from Play:

Purchase and restore are mediated by Google Play on your signed-in Play account.
Aeonglow caches a local entitlement flag so New Garden and ordinary relaunches do not ask again.
Unlock the ages restores Play ownership first (then offers purchase if nothing is owned); launch-time reconcile also re-reads Play ownership after reinstall or a new device.
This privacy policy and Play Data safety answers list any billing-related declarations required by Console.

Children

Aeonglow is intended as a calm garden for a general audience. The build does not include in-app advertising. Content rating and any age-appropriate purchase treatment required by Play policy are kept accurate for the listing.

Data deletion

Aeonglow has no Aeonglow account to delete. Garden progress and the local premium-unlock cache live only on your device. To remove that on-device data, uninstall the app (subject to any Android backup settings you control).

Builds that include Firebase may retain crash diagnostics (Crashlytics) and conversion analytics (Firebase Analytics) under Google's Firebase retention policies after uninstall. Google Play may also retain purchase ownership so you can restore the premium unlock on a new install.

How to request deletion of collected data:

Email papersignalstudios@gmail.com with the subject line Aeonglow data deletion request.
Include your Google Play order ID for the premium unlock (if you purchased it), the approximate date you installed or last used the app, and the device model if you know it. Do not send payment card numbers.
We will confirm the request and delete or request deletion of Firebase Analytics and Crashlytics data we can reasonably associate with your use of Aeonglow, typically within 30 days.

We may retain records needed for legal compliance, fraud prevention, or to honor a Google Play purchase (for example, that an unlock was bought) when Google requires it. Play Games achievement unlocks, if any, remain with your Google Play Games account and are managed through Google.

Changes

Material changes to collection, billing, or advertising configuration will update this document and the Play Console Data safety form before the changed build ships. The "Last Updated" date will change accordingly.

Contact

Email: papersignalgames@gmail.com

Developer / Data controller: Paper Signal Games

For data deletion requests, see Data deletion.