Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Overview

Welcome to Connect 4 (the "Application" or "Game"), developed and published by Neurostack Technologies ("we", "us", "our", or the "Company"). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, process, and protect your personal and non-personal data when you install, access, or play Connect 4 on supported mobile operating systems (including Android, Package Identifier: com.neurostackos.connect4).

At Neurostack Technologies, we prioritize the privacy and security of our players. We are committed to transparency in our data processing practices and adhering strictly to international data privacy statutes, including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the UK GDPR, the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), and the Google Play Developer Program Policies.

2. Information We Collect

Depending on your interactions with the Game, we and our authorized third-party service providers may collect certain categories of information:

A. Information Stored Locally on Your Device

The vast majority of data generated while playing Connect 4 is stored exclusively within your device's local storage (via encrypted shared preferences or local database files). This includes:

• Gameplay Progression: Completed campaign stages (Levels 1 to 60), high scores, match statistics, win/loss tallies, win streaks, and calculated ELO rating.
• Virtual Economy Balances: In-game coin balance, gem balance, and inventory counts for arcade boosters (Column Bombs, Color Switchers, Tactical Undos).
• Cosmetic Customization: Equipped disc markers, unlocked marker IDs from our 180-item cosmetic catalog, and daily puzzle completion records.
• Player Preferences: Sound effects toggles, ambient music volume, haptic feedback settings, fast-animation toggles, and threat guide visual assist toggles.

B. Automatically Collected Technical Data

When you connect your device to the internet while using the Game, our third-party ad mediation and analytics partners may automatically collect certain technical telemetry:

• Mobile Device Identifiers: Google Advertising ID (GAID) or IDFA, an anonymous resettable alphanumeric identifier assigned to your mobile device for advertising purposes.
• Hardware & System Telemetry: Device manufacturer, hardware model, operating system version (e.g., Android 14), screen resolution, system language, and CPU architecture.
• Network Information: IP address (utilized for general coarse geolocation to serve localized ads and prevent ad fraud), mobile carrier, and internet connection type (Wi-Fi or Cellular).
• Ad Interaction Telemetry: Timestamps of ad impressions, clicks, video completion rates, rewarded ad confirmations, and mediation latency.

C. In-App Purchase Records

All real-money financial transactions (such as purchasing coin sacks, master vaults, or starter packs) are securely processed through official app storefronts (such as Google Play In-App Billing). We never receive, process, or store your credit card numbers, bank account information, or billing street addresses. We only receive cryptographically signed digital purchase tokens confirming item delivery.

3. Information We Do NOT Collect

To maintain strict minimal data principles, Connect 4 deliberately avoids gathering sensitive personal data. Specifically, we do NOT collect:

• Real names, postal addresses, or phone numbers.
• User passwords or biometric data (fingerprint or face recognition).
• Precise GPS location data.
• Microphone audio recordings or camera imagery.
• Contacts, address books, SMS logs, or external device files.
• Social media profile credentials.

4. How We Use Information

Any information processed in connection with Connect 4 is used strictly for legitimate business and operational purposes:

• Core Functionality: Persisting your match progress, campaign stage unlocks, and unlocked markers across game sessions.
• Monetization & Free-to-Play Support: Serving contextually relevant banner ads, milestone interstitials, and voluntary rewarded video ads via ad mediation.
• Ad Fraud Prevention & Frequency Capping: Enforcing strict daily impression caps (maximum 10 ads per category per day) to prevent excessive exposure and ensure publisher policy compliance.
• Stability & Crash Remediation: Identifying engine crashes, performance bottlenecks, and optimizing frame rendering across diverse hardware configurations.
• Customer Support: Responding to user inquiries, resolving technical bug reports, and handling in-app purchase restoration requests sent to connect4@neurostackos.com.

5. Third-Party Service Providers & Ad Mediation

Connect 4 utilizes industry-leading ad mediation platforms to serve digital advertisements that support ongoing development and maintenance. These third-party networks operate under their own independent privacy policies:

These networks may use automated SDKs to collect device advertising identifiers (GAID/IDFA) to serve interest-based advertisements where permitted by law, or non-personalized contextual advertisements when opted out.

6. Children's Privacy & COPPA Compliance

Connect 4 is designed as a family-friendly vertical board game suitable for general audiences of all ages. We take special precautions to protect children's online privacy in compliance with the United States Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), the EU GDPR child consent regulations, and the Google Play Families Policy.

We do not knowingly collect, request, or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13 (or under 16 in certain European jurisdictions). Where an ad is served to a child or where an age gate is triggered, our mediation partners are configured to serve strictly contextual, non-targeted advertisements and disable behavioral tracking.

If you are a parent or legal guardian and believe that your child has provided personal information to us without appropriate consent, please contact us immediately at connect4@neurostackos.com. We will promptly take steps to delete any such data from our records.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR (EU & UK Users)

If you reside in the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you are granted specific statutory rights under the General Data Protection Regulation regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of any personal data processed by us.
• Right to Rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal records.
• Right to Erasure ("Right to Be Forgotten"): You may request the deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention obligations. You can also erase all local game data at any time by clearing application data or uninstalling the app.
• Right to Restrict or Object to Processing: You may object to the processing of your data for personalized advertising or ask us to restrict its processing.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where data processing is grounded in your consent (e.g., personalized ads via our consent management dialog), you may withdraw consent at any time through your in-game settings.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at connect4@neurostackos.com with the subject line "GDPR Data Request".

8. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA)

Under the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA), California residents are entitled to specific disclosures and privacy protections:

• Right to Know: You may request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected about you in the preceding 12 months.
• Right to Delete: You may request deletion of personal information collected from you.
• Right to Opt-Out of the Sale or Sharing of Personal Information: We do NOT sell your personal data for monetary consideration. Under CCPA, sharing online identifiers for cross-context behavioral advertising may be defined as "sharing". You can opt out of personalized ad tracking directly via Android system settings (Settings > Google > Ads > Delete Advertising ID or Opt out of Ads Personalization).
• Non-Discrimination: We will never discriminate against you, deny gameplay services, or alter game mechanics if you exercise your California privacy rights.

9. How to Manage Ad Identifiers & Opt Out

You have full control over whether your device shares its advertising identifier with mobile ad networks:

• On Android Devices: Navigate to Settings > Google > Ads. You can choose to "Reset advertising ID" or tap "Delete advertising ID" to prevent cross-app behavioral profiling.
• On iOS Devices: Navigate to Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking, and disable "Allow Apps to Request to Track".

Opting out does not reduce the number of ads shown; it simply ensures that the ads you see are contextual (related to vertical board games) rather than targeted based on your browsing history across other apps.

10. Data Retention & Security Standards

We employ robust technical and organizational measures to safeguard user data. Communication with ad mediation endpoints is secured using industry-standard Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS) encryption. Local game saves and preferences remain sandboxed within your device's isolated application storage space.

We retain telemetry data only as long as necessary to fulfill operational analytics and ad auditing requirements, typically not exceeding 90 days in aggregated format.

11. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our gameplay features, ad network partners, or legal requirements. When updates occur, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this document and post the latest version publicly on our website. We encourage players to review this page periodically. Continued use of Connect 4 following any revisions indicates your acknowledgment and acceptance of the updated terms.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data protection practices, please contact our dedicated Privacy & Support Team: