Privacy Policy

Depending on the features you use, the App may process and store information locally, including:

• game progress;
• completed and active games;
• scan locations and scan history;
• country guesses and game results;
• scores and performance statistics;
• streak information;
• discovered countries or other progression data;
• Daily Challenge progress and completion status;
• available, purchased, earned, or used hints;
• gameplay preferences;
• notification preferences;
• language, units, accessibility, and display settings;
• purchase or entitlement status used by the App; and
• other settings necessary to provide gameplay.

This information is generally used to provide the App’s functionality and remains on your device.

We do not currently operate a server-side gameplay history or user profile containing this information.

Information stored locally by the App may be included in device backups managed by Apple depending on your device, backup configuration, and iCloud settings. Apple controls the handling of those backups under its own terms and privacy policy.

The App does not currently require you to create a HotAtlas account, provide a username, or submit an email address in order to play.

Future versions may introduce optional account, synchronization, multiplayer, leaderboard, cloud-save, or similar functionality. If such functionality is introduced, applicable disclosures will be provided and this Policy will be updated where required.

HotAtlas uses geographic information as part of its gameplay.

The gameplay map and the geographic data used for scanning, proximity calculations, country selection, and related game mechanics are currently processed locally on the device.

A scan or map tap may involve information such as:

• coordinates selected within the game map;
• the relationship between a selected point and the hidden target;
• estimated or game-defined distance;
• proximity or “heat” state;
• selected or guessed country; and
• gameplay history associated with those actions.

HotAtlas does not currently transmit your gameplay map taps or scan history to our servers because we do not currently operate servers for that gameplay functionality.

Map interaction within HotAtlas is not intended to determine your real-world physical location.

HotAtlas does not require your device’s precise geographic location merely to play its core country-discovery game.

If a future feature requests access to your device location, the App will use the applicable iOS permission mechanisms and provide any notice required by law or Apple policy before accessing that information.

The Daily Challenge is currently selected and managed locally by the App.

Your Daily Challenge completion status, progress, score, streak, and related gameplay information are currently stored locally on your device.

Future versions may use an online service to coordinate Daily Challenges across players, distribute challenge configuration, verify challenge availability, prevent abuse, or enable related online functionality.

If an online Daily Challenge service is introduced, requests may involve limited technical information such as:

• IP address;
• request date and time;
• App version;
• operating-system version;
• language or region;
• requested challenge or resource;
• approximate location derived from IP address;
• network or device information; and
• security or diagnostic information.

We will update this Policy if such processing becomes part of the App.

The App may request permission to send local notifications, for example to remind you about gameplay or a Daily Challenge.

Local notifications can be scheduled and delivered by your device without requiring HotAtlas to send a remote push notification from our servers.

You can allow, disable, or change notification permissions through iOS Settings.

HotAtlas does not currently operate a remote push-notification service for the App.

If remote push notifications are introduced in a future version, this Policy will be updated to describe the related processing.

HotAtlas may offer consumable in-app purchases that provide a specified quantity of hints or other clearly identified consumable gameplay benefits.

Purchases are processed by Apple through the App Store. We do not receive your complete payment-card or banking information.

Apple may provide the App or developer with information necessary to process, validate, manage, or troubleshoot purchases, including:

• product identifier;
• transaction identifier;
• purchase date;
• purchase status;
• storefront or country information;
• entitlement information where applicable;
• refund or revocation status; and
• other limited transaction information provided through Apple’s purchase systems.

This information may be used to deliver purchased items, validate transactions, prevent fraud, maintain purchase-related records, and assist with support requests.

Apple processes your Apple ID, payment information, and App Store transaction data under Apple’s own privacy policy and applicable terms.

HotAtlas may display scores, streaks, rewards, completion statistics, or similar gameplay measurements.

The App’s score is not currently a virtual currency, cryptocurrency, stored-value product, financial instrument, or cash-equivalent.

It cannot currently be purchased for money, redeemed for money, or transferred between users.

Gameplay scores and related progression information are currently stored locally.

HotAtlas may display advertising, including rewarded advertising that you voluntarily choose to view in exchange for a disclosed gameplay benefit such as a hint.

Future versions may introduce additional advertising formats.

Advertising may be supplied through third-party advertising services such as Google AdMob or related Google advertising technologies used by the App.

Depending on your region, device settings, consent choices, and the advertising configuration used in a particular App version, advertising providers may process information including:

• IP address and approximate location;
• device model;
• operating-system version;
• App version;
• language and region;
• advertising identifiers where permitted;
• device or app identifiers permitted by the operating system;
• advertising impressions;
• ad interactions and rewarded-ad completion;
• frequency and performance information;
• consent and privacy choices;
• diagnostic information;
• fraud-prevention and security information; and
• information necessary to deliver, measure, limit, or secure advertising.

We do not provide advertising networks with your scan history, country guesses, Daily Challenge history, or locally stored gameplay progression for advertising purposes.

Where an advertising or other feature involves tracking as defined by Apple, the App will request permission using Apple’s App Tracking Transparency (“ATT”) framework before accessing the device’s advertising identifier or allowing tracking where Apple requires permission.

You may allow or deny tracking.

If you deny tracking permission, you may still receive advertising, but it may be contextual, non-personalized, or otherwise limited depending on the provider and applicable law.

You can review tracking permissions through iOS privacy settings.

The App may use Google’s User Messaging Platform (“UMP”) or another applicable consent mechanism to collect and communicate advertising privacy choices where required.

Depending on your region, you may be offered controls concerning:

• personalized advertising;
• non-personalized advertising;
• advertising storage or identifiers;
• measurement;
• vendor processing; and
• other consent purposes required by applicable privacy law.

Your available choices may differ depending on your jurisdiction and the advertising services used in the applicable App version.

HotAtlas does not currently operate a dedicated third-party analytics or crash-reporting service for general gameplay analytics.

Future versions may introduce limited analytics, crash reporting, performance monitoring, security monitoring, or fraud-prevention services to improve reliability and understand how the App functions.

Such services may process information including:

• App version;
• installation information;
• device model;
• operating-system version;
• general feature interactions;
• performance information;
• crash logs;
• error reports;
• diagnostic identifiers;
• IP address and approximate location;
• purchase events; and
• technical information needed to diagnose failures or abuse.

We do not intend to include detailed scan history, country guesses, or other unnecessary gameplay content in analytics or diagnostic reports.

Before materially different analytics or diagnostic processing begins, this Policy and the App’s applicable privacy disclosures will be updated as required.

HotAtlas does not currently operate its own gameplay backend.

Future versions may connect to services operated by us or on our behalf for functionality such as:

• remote configuration;
• game-data updates;
• synchronized Daily Challenges;
• cloud saves;
• account functionality;
• leaderboards;
• multiplayer or social functionality;
• purchase validation;
• abuse and fraud prevention;
• support;
• analytics and diagnostics;
• content delivery; or
• other online features.

When your device communicates with an online service, the service provider may automatically process technical connection information such as:

• IP address;
• request date and time;
• requested resource;
• approximate geographic location derived from IP address;
• device and operating-system information;
• App version;
• network information;
• request status;
• security information; and
• diagnostic logs.

The exact categories of information will depend on the online feature involved.

We will update this Policy before or when materially different server-side processing is introduced, as required by applicable law.

When HotAtlas begins operating online services, hosting, security, content-delivery, or infrastructure providers may create technical logs when your device communicates with those services.

Such logs may contain information including:

• IP address;
• timestamp;
• requested endpoint or resource;
• HTTP or network information;
• approximate country or region;
• hosting or network location;
• device or software information;
• response status;
• security signals; and
• error or diagnostic information.

Such logs may be used to operate infrastructure, diagnose failures, measure service reliability, detect attacks, prevent abuse, and comply with legal obligations.

If the App provides a feature allowing you to share a game result, image, result card, text, or other content, the App may use standard iOS sharing functionality or another sharing mechanism.

When you choose a destination, iOS may make the selected content available to the person, application, or service you select.

Once content leaves HotAtlas, its processing is governed by the privacy practices and terms of the recipient or selected third-party service.

We do not control information that you voluntarily share outside the App.

If you contact us by email or another support channel, we may receive information including:

• your email address;
• your name, if provided;
• the contents of your message;
• screenshots or recordings you choose to provide;
• attachments you choose to provide;
• App version or device information you provide; and
• other information relevant to your request.

We may use this information to respond to you, provide support, investigate problems, prevent abuse, and maintain necessary records.

Please avoid sending information that is unnecessary to resolve your request.

Where applicable, information described in this Policy may be used to:

• provide and operate the App;
• save and restore local gameplay state;
• provide Daily Challenges;
• provide hints and purchased items;
• display and measure advertising;
• remember privacy and consent choices;
• validate transactions;
• send requested local notifications;
• maintain security;
• prevent fraud and abuse;
• diagnose technical problems;
• improve reliability and performance;
• communicate with you;
• provide customer support;
• comply with legal obligations; and
• establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Where the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or similar privacy laws apply, processing may rely on one or more of the following legal bases:

Performance of a contract: where processing is necessary to provide requested App functionality, purchases, support, or online services.

Consent: where consent is required for tracking, personalized advertising, optional processing, notifications, or access to protected device resources.

Legitimate interests: where necessary to secure, maintain, diagnose, prevent abuse of, and improve the App or related infrastructure, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.

Legal obligations: where processing is required to comply with applicable law.

Legal claims: where processing is necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal rights.

Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw consent through the applicable App, device, operating-system, or provider controls. Withdrawal does not affect processing that lawfully occurred before consent was withdrawn.

Depending on the App version and features you use, limited information may be disclosed or made available:

• to Apple for App distribution, purchases, device functionality, notifications, and App Store services;
• to advertising and consent-management providers;
• to future hosting, infrastructure, analytics, diagnostic, security, support, or content-delivery providers used by the App;
• when required by applicable law, legal process, or a valid governmental request;
• where reasonably necessary to protect users, the App, our rights, or public safety; or
• in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization, sale, or transfer of the App or related business, subject to applicable law.

We do not currently operate a server-side database containing your locally stored gameplay history.

We do not sell your locally stored HotAtlas gameplay history.

Certain personalized advertising practices may be treated as a “sale,” “sharing,” or use for targeted advertising under some privacy laws even when personal information is not exchanged for money.

Where applicable law gives you rights concerning such advertising practices, we will provide the consent or opt-out mechanisms required for the advertising configuration used in the applicable App version.

You may also limit tracking through iOS privacy settings.

Apple, Google, advertising providers, and future infrastructure, analytics, diagnostic, hosting, support, or other service providers may process technical information in countries other than your country of residence.

Where required by applicable law, legally recognized safeguards may be used for international transfers.

Gameplay information that remains solely on your device is not internationally transferred by us merely because you play the game.

Locally stored gameplay information generally remains on your device until you:

• clear or reset relevant App data;
• delete applicable game history where the App provides that option; or
• uninstall the App.

Removing the App generally removes locally stored App data from the device, subject to iOS behavior and backups controlled by you or Apple.

Advertising providers, Apple, and future service providers retain information according to their own policies and legal obligations.

Support communications may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to respond to requests, maintain records, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, and comply with law.

Future HotAtlas server data, if introduced, will be subject to retention rules appropriate to the relevant feature and described in an updated version of this Policy where required.

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures appropriate to the information and systems we operate.

No software, device, network, transmission method, or storage system can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

You are responsible for maintaining the security of your device, Apple ID, backups, and any information you voluntarily export or share.

Depending on your location and the information actually processed by us, you may have rights including the right to:

• request access to personal information;
• request correction;
• request deletion;
• object to or restrict certain processing;
• withdraw consent;
• request data portability;
• opt out of certain targeted advertising, sales, or sharing;
• appeal certain privacy-rights decisions where applicable; and
• lodge a complaint with a competent data-protection authority.

Most HotAtlas gameplay information cannot currently be accessed, corrected, exported, or deleted by us because it remains only on your device and is not contained in a HotAtlas user account.

You can manage locally stored information through available App controls, iOS, or by uninstalling the App.

To exercise rights concerning information we actually hold, contact us using the address below. We may need to verify your request and may retain information where permitted or required by law.

HotAtlas is a general-audience geography game and is not specifically directed to children under 13 or to children below a higher minimum age where applicable law imposes a higher requirement.

We do not currently require users to create an account or provide personal information in order to play.

Where advertising is included, applicable advertising, consent, tracking, and age-related requirements must be configured in accordance with applicable law and platform rules.

We do not knowingly use HotAtlas to collect personal information from children in violation of applicable law.

If you believe a child has provided personal information directly to us through a support channel or a future online feature, contact us so that we can review the situation and take appropriate action.

HotAtlas contains maps, country names, boundaries, geographic classifications, territories, and other cartographic information for gameplay and informational purposes.

The appearance of a boundary, territory, country, name, label, classification, or geographic relationship within HotAtlas does not constitute a political statement, diplomatic position, recognition, endorsement, or legal determination by HotAtlas.

Geographic content may be simplified, curated, localized, or adapted to support gameplay.

Disputed territories, dependencies, overseas territories, partially recognized states, and similar geographic entities may be treated according to HotAtlas’s internal country and content rules rather than according to every possible political, legal, cartographic, or international classification.

HotAtlas should not be treated as an authoritative legal, political, diplomatic, navigation, surveying, or territorial source.

Depending on the App version, HotAtlas may interact with third-party services including:

• Apple;
• Google advertising and consent technologies;
• future hosting or content-delivery services;
• future analytics or diagnostic providers;
• future support or security providers; and
• other services required to provide App functionality.

Third parties process information under their own terms and privacy policies where they act independently.

This Privacy Policy does not replace the privacy notices of Apple, Google, or other third parties.

We may update this Policy to reflect:

• changes to the App;
• new online features;
• analytics or diagnostic systems;
• advertising changes;
• new service providers;
• legal or regulatory requirements; or
• changes to our business practices.

The revised Policy will be published with an updated effective date.

Where required by law, we will provide additional notice or obtain consent before materially different processing begins.

For privacy questions or requests, contact:

[email protected]