Privacy Policy for Pixel Map

Last Updated: May 21, 2025

Welcome to Pixel Map! This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our progressive web application (PWA). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the application.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect via the Application depends on the content and materials you use, and includes:

A. Personal Data

Personally identifiable information, such as your email address, and voluntarily provided username, which you provide to us when you register with the Application.

• Email Address: Collected when you register for an account. Used for authentication, account management, and (if you opt-in) communication about the app.
• Username (Optional): If you choose to set a username, it will be associated with your account and may be displayed publicly on pixels you place and on leaderboards.

B. Derivative Data (Automatically Collected)

Information our servers (primarily Firebase services) automatically collect when you access the Application, such as:

• Firebase Authentication Data: Your unique Firebase User ID (UID) and authentication-related timestamps.
• Firestore Database Data:
  • Gameplay data: Credits, Bits, purchased colors, boost status, achievement progress, daily login information, statistics (pixels placed, votes given), saved locations, saved art templates.
  • Pixel data: Color, location (derived latitude/longitude based on grid cell), your UID, your username (if set), placement timestamp, expiry timestamp, vote counts.
  • Feedback data: Messages you submit through the in-app feedback system, associated with your UID and email.
  • Event data: Records of claimed event bonuses.
• Location Data (with your permission):
  • We request access to your device's location (precise or approximate) to enable core gameplay features, such as calculating pixel placement costs. This data is used ephemerally for cost calculation and is not persistently stored as your precise, continuous location history beyond the coordinates of the pixels you place. The pixels themselves store the derived latitude/longitude of their grid cell.
• Firebase Cloud Functions Logs: Server-side logs may include IP addresses for security and diagnostic purposes, but these are not directly tied to your user profile within the app's database for gameplay purposes.
• Device Information (via Firebase SDKs): Firebase SDKs may collect device information (e.g., device model, OS version, Firebase installation IDs) for service operation, analytics (if enabled), and push notifications.

C. Push Notifications

We may request to send you push notifications regarding your account or certain features of the Application (e.g., when your credits are full, if you opt-in). If you wish to opt-out from receiving these types of communications, you may turn them off in your device’s settings or within the application's settings menu.

2. How We Use Your Information

Having accurate information about you permits us to provide you with a smooth, efficient, and customized experience. Specifically, we may use information collected about you via the Application to:

• Create and manage your account.
• Enable core gameplay features, such as placing pixels, voting, earning credits and bits, and participating in special events.
• Display your username and pixels on the shared map and leaderboard.
• Process your purchases of in-app items (e.g., colors, boosts) using in-app virtual currencies (Credits, Bits).
• Send you push notifications (if you opt-in).
• Respond to your feedback and support requests.
• Monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve your experience with the Application.
• Prevent fraudulent activity and ensure the security of the Application.
• Comply with legal obligations.

3. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share information we have collected about you in certain situations:

• By Law or to Protect Rights: If we believe the release of information about you is necessary to respond to legal process, to investigate or remedy potential violations of our policies, or to protect the rights, property, and safety of others, we may share your information as permitted or required by any applicable law, rule, or regulation.
• Service Providers (Firebase): We use Firebase (a Google service) for backend services including authentication, database (Firestore), cloud functions, and hosting. Firebase has its own privacy policy and terms of service, which govern how they handle data. You can find more information here: Google Privacy Policy and Firebase Terms of Service.
• Publicly Visible Information: Your username (if set) and the pixels you place (color, location) are publicly visible to all users of the Application.

4. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to help protect your personal information. While we have taken reasonable steps to secure the personal information you provide to us (including using Firebase's security features and HTTPS for data in transit), please be aware that despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and no method of data transmission can be guaranteed against any interception or other type of misuse.

5. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use your information to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

Pixel data may expire and be deleted from active display according to game mechanics. Account data is retained as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you services.

6. Your Data Protection Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• The right to access – You have the right to request copies of your personal data.
• The right to rectification – You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.
• The right to erasure – You have the right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions. Please see our Account Deletion process outlined at https://pixel-map-pwa.web.app/account-deletion.html.
• The right to restrict processing – You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
• The right to object to processing – You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
• The right to data portability – You have the right to request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond to you. If you would like to exercise any of these rights, please contact us at our email: Dave3k@gmail.com.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Application is not intended for use by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information.

8. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

9. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Dave3k@gmail.com

Pixel Map