Privacy Policy - The Scholar's Grid

Summary

Local play (vs AI or Pass and Play) does not require an account.

Information we collect

Account and authentication

When you use online features (Find Online Match, Standings, or cloud Personalization sync), the app opens Amazon Cognito Hosted UI with federated sign-in:

• Sign in with Apple (where available)
• Google Sign-In

We receive a Cognito user identifier (sub) and session tokens. We do not operate a separate email/password login. Identity providers may share profile fields allowed by your IdP settings; we use the Cognito sub as your player ID on our backend.

Session tokens are stored locally on your device (for example cloud_session.json) so you do not need to sign in every launch.

Online play and Standings

When you play rated async matches online, our AWS backend stores:

• Match state (board position, turn, game type)
• Player IDs for both sides
• Per-game ELO ratings for Standings
• Match status and turn/clock expiry metadata

Standings show display names and ELO as returned by the API. Adaptive Skill Level (local AI difficulty) stays on your device and is not uploaded to Standings.

Push notifications (Android)

If you grant notification permission and play online on Android, the app registers an FCM device token with our backend so we can alert you when it is your turn. You can disable notifications in system settings; the app still works via periodic polling.

App analytics (Android / iOS)

On Android and iOS builds that include Firebase configuration, the app logs a small set of non-personal engagement events to Google Firebase Analytics (for example: tutorial complete, first match started, first win, Adaptive skill milestone, and day-3 return). It may also log a sparse performance sample after a match (approximate frame rate, graphics quality setting, GPU adapter name, and 2D/3D view) so we can improve smoothness on mid-range devices. Events do not include display names, account IDs, room codes, or match chat. On Android, Firebase may process device and advertising identifiers according to Google's privacy policy so we can measure install quality and, when linked, optimize ad campaigns for engaged players rather than raw installs. On iOS the Analytics SDK is linked without advertising-identifier support (no App Tracking Transparency prompt for analytics). The app does not show ads or include a third-party ad network SDK.

On the same Firebase-configured builds, crash reports (Firebase Crashlytics) may include custom diagnostic keys such as GPU adapter name, graphics quality tier, and render backend to help diagnose device-specific rendering issues.

Personalization and Scholar's Marks

The Personalization panel offers cosmetic-only items (board skins and piece sets). Gameplay is never locked behind payment.

• Scholar's Marks are earned through completed matches, wins, daily bonuses, and one-time achievements
• The local-first Marks wallet and daily reward counters are stored in a signed economy.json
• When you sign in, cumulative Marks earned and spent are stored in your Player record so the balance can merge and recover across devices
• Owned cosmetic IDs are stored in our Player record and synced when you sign in

The app does not include ads or a third-party ad network SDK. Analytics events above are for engagement measurement and acquisition quality only.

Local data on your device

The app may store locally:

• Game settings (audio levels, haptics, language preference, capture mode)
• Adaptive AI skill profiles per game
• Owned/equipped cosmetics (cosmetics.json)
• Scholar's Marks balance and reward counters (economy.json)
• Paid expansion entitlements (entitlements.json)
• Cached cloud session tokens

This data stays on your device unless you sign in and use cloud sync. Owned cosmetic IDs and cumulative Scholar's Marks earned/spent totals then sync to your Player record; daily reward counters stay local.

How we use information

• Run async online matches and validate moves on our servers
• Maintain Standings (ELO leaderboards) per game
• Send turn notifications when you are the active player in an online match
• Sync cosmetic ownership across devices when signed in
• Merge and recover Scholar's Marks across signed-in devices
• Measure early engagement and install quality via Firebase Analytics (Android / iOS)
• Improve reliability and prevent abuse of online APIs

We do not sell personal data. We do not use LLM or third-party ad network SDKs that serve ads in the app.

Legal bases and retention

• Online play: necessary to perform the service you request (matchmaking, move validation, Standings)
• Push tokens: legitimate interest in timely turn alerts; you may disable notifications
• App analytics: legitimate interest in measuring early engagement and acquisition quality on Android and iOS; events are non-personal gameplay milestones
• Personalization: legitimate interest in persisting play-earned cosmetic progress locally and fulfilling cloud ownership and Scholar's Marks sync when you sign in

Match and player records are retained while your account is active and as needed for Standings integrity. See Account and data deletion to request removal.

Account and data deletion

If you signed in for online play, you may request deletion of your cloud account and associated data. Local-only play does not create a cloud account.

What we delete

When we process a verified request, we delete or anonymize:

• Your Cognito user record (federated sign-in identity)
• Your Player profile and Standings placement on our servers, including ELO ratings, cloud cosmetic ownership, and Scholar's Marks sync totals
• Registered push notification tokens linked to your account

Queued or in-progress online matches are recorded as a loss when the account is deleted. Completed match history may be retained in anonymized form where needed for Standings integrity, or deleted where applicable law requires.

What stays on your device

Local files (settings, Adaptive AI skill profiles, session cache) are not removed by us automatically. Your Scholar's Library purchase remains on the device and can be restored through the store. Sign out in the app, or clear app storage in Android Settings, to remove local data on your device.

How to request deletion

In the app: open Settings > Account > Delete my account, review the confirmation, then select Delete my account.

If you cannot sign in, email us from the address tied to your sign-in provider (Google or Apple), if possible. Include:

• Subject line: Account and data deletion request
• The Google or Apple account email you used to sign in
• Confirmation that you want your online account and associated cloud data deleted

Request by email: papersignalstudios@gmail.com

We aim to complete verified requests within 30 days.

Third-party services

Each provider has its own privacy policy governing identity, analytics, crash, and notification flows.

Children

The app is intended for a general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA) without appropriate consent. Contact us if you believe a child has provided data through online sign-in.

Security

We use HTTPS for API calls and Cognito-issued JWTs for authenticated requests. No system is perfectly secure; report concerns to the contact below.

Your choices

• Play offline: no account required
• Sign out: use Settings > Account > Sign out to clear the local session; online features require sign-in again
• Notifications: disable in OS settings
• Personalization: spend play-earned Scholar's Marks on optional cosmetics
• Ads: none in the app (no ad network SDK); Android analytics may support ad campaign measurement outside the app; iOS Analytics is linked without advertising-identifier support
• Delete account: request cloud account and data deletion

Changes

We may update this policy. The "Last Updated" date will change. Material changes may be noted in release notes or the store listing.

Contact

Email: papersignalgames@gmail.com

Developer / Data controller: Paper Signal Games