FlagFall privacy policy.

1. Who is responsible?

FlagFall is developed by James Ian Colby trading as Polyphasic Developers, a sole trader based in Lincoln, United Kingdom. “We” refers to that sole-trader business. James Ian Colby is the controller for personal information we handle to operate this website, provide FlagFall and respond to support or privacy requests.

For privacy questions or requests, email [email protected] with “FlagFall privacy” in the subject. This product-specific notice describes FlagFall; FlagFall website analytics are recorded in a separate Google Analytics property from the studio website.

2. Information used by the game.

Progress, preferences and custom maps

FlagFall stores completed islands, best times, tutorial status, the number of online matches started and save-update times. It also stores preferences such as sound, controls and difficulty, and the custom maps you create or import, including their names and modification dates. These records make the game work and preserve your choices.

Progress is saved locally and mirrored through Apple’s iCloud key-value storage when available. On iPhone, iPad and Mac, My Maps uses your iCloud Drive container when available, with local storage as a fallback. Apple TV keeps custom maps locally. These saves are not uploaded to a Polyphasic Developers game database, and we do not have routine access to the contents of your personal iCloud storage.

Game Center and online play

Game Center provides authentication, invitations and matchmaking. FlagFall receives Game Center player identifiers and display names so it can identify players and show the opponent. During a match, game messages are exchanged through Game Center, including the app/protocol version, online-match count, selected map, random seed, difficulty, connection-timing messages and gameplay inputs. These support compatibility, map selection and synchronised play. Your opponent can see your Game Center display name and your actions in the match.

Apple processes account, connection and gameplay information under its own terms and privacy notices. Review Game Center & Privacy and the Apple Privacy Policy. We do not receive your Apple Account password or payment-card details.

Maps you choose to share

Sharing a map on iPhone, iPad or Mac sends the map file, including its name and contents, to the recipient or service you select in the system share sheet. Imported maps are saved in My Maps. Sharing is your choice; there is no public FlagFall map-upload service. Avoid putting personal information in map names. Recipients may keep or share their copies independently.

Diagnostics

FlagFall does not integrate a third-party analytics or crash-reporting SDK in the current build. If you enable Apple’s developer diagnostics sharing or send TestFlight feedback, Apple may make crash reports, device/app information and your submitted feedback available to us. We use information made available through those tools to investigate faults. Apple’s settings and notices govern that sharing.

3. Website visits and support.

flagfall.uk is a static site hosted with Surge and delivered through Cloudflare’s network. When you visit, that infrastructure processes information needed to deliver and protect the site, such as your IP address, requested URL, request time, browser/device information and, where supplied by your browser, the referring page. Hosting and network providers may retain operational or security logs. See Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy for its handling of end-user network information.

Optional website analytics

Our cookie notice lists the browser storage used and explains how to change your choice.

Only if you choose “Accept analytics”, we load Google Analytics 4 to understand how visitors find and use FlagFall. It measures page views, traffic sources, device/browser information, approximate location, engagement and interactions such as teaser plays, screenshot views and feature selections. Google processes your IP address to deliver its service and derive approximate location; GA4 does not log or store individual IP addresses. Cookie identifiers can distinguish visits and returning browsers. We do not send your name, email, game progress or Game Center identity to Google Analytics.

Our implementation uses basic consent mode: no Google Analytics tag or analytics requests load before acceptance or after rejection. Advertising consent remains denied, and our tag disables Google signals and advertising personalisation. We do not use session recordings or advertising pixels. We strip query strings and fragments from reported page addresses, reduce referrers to their origin and allow only limited campaign labels for attribution. Do not place personal information in campaign labels.

Google Analytics uses first-party cookies named _ga and _ga_* with a maximum lifetime of 90 days from creation. We store your accept/reject choice in local storage as flagfall_analytics_consent_v1 for 180 days so you are not repeatedly asked. That preference is used only to respect your choice. If storage is unavailable, your choice may not persist between visits.

Use Analytics settings in any page footer to withdraw consent. Rejecting stops analytics, clears accessible Google Analytics cookies for this site and reloads the page if needed. It does not undo earlier lawful processing. You can also clear site data in your browser. Gameplay video, images and fonts are served as site files, without third-party video players. Hosting and security processing still occurs when analytics is rejected.

If you email us, we receive your address, message and anything you choose to attach, such as screenshots, device details or diagnostic files. We use these to reply, troubleshoot and handle your request. Please omit passwords and information that is not needed for support. You do not have to contact us or supply optional attachments; without relevant details, we may be unable to resolve a particular issue.

4. Why we use information.

Where UK data-protection law applies, we use information necessary to provide the game features or support you request on the basis of performing our contract with you, where applicable. We rely on legitimate interests to operate a secure, reliable website, respond to general enquiries and investigate software faults. These interests are balanced against your privacy rights. We may also retain or disclose information to comply with a legal obligation.

We rely on your consent for optional website analytics and its cookies. We ask before it starts and provide a way to withdraw it; rejecting analytics does not restrict website content. Apple separately determines the legal bases for processing carried out for its own services. FlagFall does not make solely automated decisions about you that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

5. Advertising and purchases.

The current game build and this website do not run Google AdMob or personalised advertising. We plan to fund the free game with advertising and offer one lifetime purchase that removes all ads without unlocking features or content.

Before enabling advertising or purchase functionality, we will update this policy to describe the actual providers, information processed, purposes, retention and choices, and obtain any required consent or platform permission. This notice does not give advance consent to future advertising or tracking.

6. Who receives information?

We do not sell or rent your personal information. Information is handled by the services necessary for the features you use: Apple for iCloud, Game Center and developer feedback tools; your opponent for online match information; your selected recipients/services for shared maps; hosting, network and email providers for the website and support; and Google for website analytics when you consent. See Google’s Privacy Policy and how Google uses information from partner sites. We may use professional advisers or disclose information where required by law or necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

Our service providers and Apple’s infrastructure may process information outside the UK, including in the United States and other countries. Where a restricted transfer requires safeguards, applicable adequacy arrangements or approved contractual safeguards must cover it. Google’s data processing terms describe its contractual arrangements for Analytics. We can provide information about the provider and transfer mechanism relevant to a request. Contact us for details of safeguards relevant to your information. Apple’s notices explain its own international processing.

7. How long information is kept.

• Website analytics: Google Analytics event and user data are retained for 2 months, without extending the user-data retention period on new activity. Standard aggregated reports may be retained longer. Analytics cookies expire after at most 90 days; your consent preference expires after 180 days.
• Game saves and preferences: retained on your device or in your Apple storage until you reset or delete them. Cloud copies and device backups can remain after uninstalling the game.
• Custom maps: retained until deleted from My Maps or the storage where they are kept. Recipient copies and backups are separate.
• Online match data: used for the active connection; FlagFall does not maintain a developer-operated archive of match packets. The saved online-match count is part of your progress. Apple has its own service retention practices.
• Support and diagnostics: kept for as long as needed to resolve the issue, investigate related faults and meet applicable legal or dispute-handling needs. We assess the sensitivity, continued usefulness and any legal requirement when deciding whether to retain a record.
• Website operational logs: retention depends on the hosting/network service and the operational or security need. We do not promise a fixed deletion period for provider-controlled logs; contact us with a request about your visit.

8. Your controls and deletion options.

• Use Analytics settings in the footer to accept or reject optional website analytics at any time. Contact us for questions about data already collected.
• Use the game’s Settings reset-progress control to request removal of campaign progress and best times from the device and the connected iCloud store. Sync and other device copies may affect when changes appear.
• Delete custom maps through My Maps where that control is available, and manage cloud copies through iCloud Drive/Files and Apple’s iCloud storage settings. Deleting a map does not recall copies already shared with others.
• Manage Game Center sign-in, profile visibility and multiplayer restrictions in Apple’s settings. Online play requires Game Center; local game modes do not require an online match.
• Manage iCloud availability and stored data through Apple’s account/device settings. Uninstalling an app does not necessarily delete iCloud data or backups.
• For information held by us, contact the privacy address above. For Apple account data, use Apple’s Data and Privacy tools.

9. Your privacy rights.

Depending on your location and the circumstances, you may have rights to access and obtain a copy of your personal information, correct it, request deletion, restrict its use and receive portable data. Where consent is the basis, you can withdraw it without affecting earlier lawful processing.

Right to object: you may object to processing based on legitimate interests. Email [email protected] to exercise this or another right. We may ask for proportionate information to verify your request and will explain any applicable limitations.

You can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint, or to your local data-protection regulator. You do not have to contact us before raising a complaint.

10. Children and family settings.

There is no separate FlagFall registration form or in-game collection of a child’s email address. Parents and guardians can use Apple’s family, Screen Time and Game Center controls to manage online features. If you believe a child has sent personal information to us, contact us so we can review it and remove it where appropriate. Future advertising features will require a separate review of age-appropriate settings and applicable consent requirements before they are enabled.

11. Changes to this policy.

We will update this page when FlagFall’s data practices change and revise the date above. For material changes, we will provide additional notice in the app or another appropriate place, and seek consent where required. This policy describes the current service; it does not imply that unreleased features are already active.