Privacy Policy for Where's Tess

1. Data Controller and Contact Details

The controller responsible for the personal data covered by this Privacy Policy is:

For privacy questions or requests, use the subject line "Where's Tess iOS Privacy Request."

2. Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on the features you use, your settings, your location, and the permissions you grant.

2.1 Account and authentication information

On iOS, the Game uses Apple Game Center for sign-in and Firebase Authentication to create and maintain a game account. We may process:

• your Game Center player identifier and authentication credential;
• your Game Center display name, if Apple makes it available;
• a Firebase user identifier linked to your game account; and
• authentication status, timestamps, and security or error information.

We do not receive or store your Apple ID password.

2.2 Game progress and cloud saves

We process gameplay data needed to provide the Game and synchronize progress, including:

• completed and unlocked seasons, episodes, scenes, routes, and choices;
• virtual currency balances, rewards, outfits, gallery items, relationships, and other entitlements;
• save files, backup save files, checkpoints, and resume information; and
• content version and localization settings.

Cloud save files are stored through Firebase Cloud Storage under your Firebase user identifier. Some progress and preferences are also stored locally on your device.

2.3 Information you choose to provide

If you complete an optional in-game survey, we may collect your selected answers, free-form opinion, favorite romance or episode choices, and an optional email address. If you contact us for support or a privacy request, we collect the contact details, message, attachments, and other information you choose to provide.

Please do not include sensitive personal information in survey free-text fields or support messages unless it is necessary for your request.

2.4 Usage and gameplay analytics

We and our analytics providers collect information about how the Game is used, such as:

• app opens, sessions, first-time user flow, screens viewed, and feature interactions;
• season, episode, meaningful scene, route, choice, outfit, and social-post identifiers;
• virtual currency grants, spending, shortages, rewards, and content unlocks;
• paywall, store, purchase-intent, and rewarded-ad interactions;
• event identifiers, timestamps, sequence numbers, and session duration;
• app version, build number, platform, selected language, approximate country derived from device region or IP address, and online/offline state; and
• consent status and diagnostic event metadata.

The Game uses an app-generated installation identifier and session identifiers. After successful authentication, analytics may also be associated with your Firebase user identifier so that game progress and product performance can be understood across sessions.

2.5 Device, network, and diagnostic information

We and our service providers may collect:

• device manufacturer and model, operating system and version, language, screen and graphics information, memory and processor information;
• IP address, network type, mobile carrier, and general region inferred from network information;
• app launch and loading performance, freezes, application-not-responding events, crashes, stack traces, logs, and device state at the time of an error; and
• app, bundle, SDK, ad unit, and service configuration identifiers.

We do not intentionally collect precise GPS location.

2.6 Advertising information

The Game displays ads, including rewarded ads. Depending on your region, consent choices, device settings, and ad availability, our advertising partners may process:

• Apple's Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA), but only where access is permitted under Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework;
• the Identifier for Vendor (IDFV), app-specific or partner-specific identifiers, IP address, device and network information;
• approximate location inferred from IP address or device region;
• ad placement, ad format, ad unit, mediation platform, ad network, impressions, clicks, completions, rewards, revenue, and error information; and
• information used for frequency capping, fraud prevention, ad measurement, reporting, and, where permitted, personalized advertising.

If you deny tracking permission, the Game may still show contextual or non-personalized ads and perform limited ad measurement permitted by Apple and applicable law.

2.7 Purchases

When you make an in-app purchase, Apple processes your payment. We and our purchase-validation services may receive or process:

• product or SKU identifier, product type, price, and currency;
• transaction identifier, purchase status, date, and store;
• Apple receipt or purchase token needed to validate the transaction and prevent duplicate grants or fraud; and
• the game content or virtual currency granted after validation.

We do not receive or store your full payment card number, bank account details, or Apple ID password.

2.8 Photos, sharing, and notifications

When you choose to save an in-game image, the Game requests access to add that image to Photos. We do not upload, scan, or analyze your personal photo library. When you choose to share an image, Apple's share sheet sends the image to the app or person you select; the recipient's privacy practices then apply.

If you allow notifications, the Game may schedule gameplay reminders and other permitted notifications. You can change notification permissions at any time in iOS Settings.

3. How We Use Information

We use information to:

• authenticate you and provide, synchronize, restore, and secure your game progress;
• operate gameplay, purchases, virtual currency, rewards, ads, sharing, notifications, and customer support;
• understand engagement, progression, choices, retention, and monetization so we can improve the Game;
• diagnose crashes, freezes, loading failures, and other technical problems;
• validate purchases, apply entitlements, prevent duplicate transactions, abuse, and fraud;
• deliver, measure, limit, and, where permitted, personalize advertising;
• manage experiments, content delivery, configuration, and required app updates;
• comply with legal obligations and enforce our rights; and
• protect players, Luminaire Games, and our service providers.

Where applicable law requires a legal basis, we rely on:

• performance of a contract to provide the Game, authentication, cloud saves, purchases, and requested features;
• legitimate interests to secure, maintain, diagnose, analyze, and improve the Game, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights;
• consent for tracking, personalized advertising, optional permissions, and other processing where consent is required; and
• legal obligations for accounting, tax, fraud prevention, law-enforcement requests, and the exercise of privacy rights.

4. Advertising and App Tracking Transparency

On supported iOS versions, Apple controls access to the IDFA through App Tracking Transparency (ATT). The Game and its partners may use data for tracking across apps and websites only where Apple and applicable law permit it and where required permission has been granted.

You can review or change your choice in iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking. Denying tracking permission does not block access to the Game and does not remove ads; it limits cross-app tracking and personalized advertising that depends on that permission.

We do not use device signals to create a prohibited device fingerprint.

5. When We Share Information

We do not sell personal data for money. We share information only as described below:

• Service providers. Vendors process data to provide authentication, cloud storage, analytics, diagnostics, remote configuration, advertising, purchase validation, hosting, and support.
• Apple. Apple provides Game Center, App Store distribution, StoreKit purchases, ATT, Photos, notifications, and the system share sheet under Apple's own terms and privacy policy.
• Advertising partners. Ad mediation and demand partners may process device, advertising, usage, and ad-interaction data as described above. The specific partner used for an ad can vary by country, device, inventory, and consent status.
• Legal and safety disclosures. We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, legal process, regulatory requests, protect rights or safety, investigate fraud, or enforce agreements.
• Business transfers. Information may be transferred as part of a merger, financing, acquisition, reorganization, bankruptcy, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate confidentiality and legal protections.

Current service providers and integrated advertising partners may include:

• Apple - Game Center, App Store, StoreKit, device permissions, and platform services;
• Google Firebase - Authentication, Cloud Storage, Analytics, Crashlytics, and Remote Config;
• Amplitude - product and gameplay analytics;
• Unity - Unity Analytics, diagnostics, LevelPlay mediation, and Unity Ads;
• Amazon Publisher Services - advertising demand;
• Google AdMob - advertising demand;
• BIGO Ads - advertising demand;
• InMobi - advertising demand;
• Pangle - advertising demand;
• Verve - advertising demand; and
• Liftoff Monetize / Vungle - advertising demand.

The SDK configuration and active partner list may change over time. We will update this policy when a change materially affects how personal data is processed.

6. International Data Transfers

Luminaire Games is based in Armenia, and our providers operate internationally. Your information may be processed in Armenia, the United States, the European Economic Area, and other countries where we or our providers maintain facilities. These countries may have privacy laws different from those in your country.

Where required, we use recognized transfer mechanisms and contractual safeguards, such as adequacy decisions and standard contractual clauses, and require providers to protect information consistently with applicable law.

7. Data Retention and Deletion

We retain personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

• account identifiers and cloud saves are retained while needed to provide the Game and until an applicable deletion request is completed;
• analytics, advertising, security, and diagnostic records are retained according to operational needs and provider settings, after which they are deleted, aggregated, or de-identified;
• purchase and entitlement records may be retained as needed for transaction restoration, fraud prevention, accounting, tax, and legal compliance; and
• support and privacy correspondence is retained until the request is resolved and for a reasonable period afterward to document compliance and protect legal rights.

Residual copies may remain temporarily in encrypted or access-controlled backups and are removed through normal backup rotation, unless law requires longer retention.

Requesting account and data deletion

To request deletion of data controlled by Luminaire Games, email alexnebesky@gmail.com with the subject "Where's Tess iOS Data Deletion Request." Include your Game Center display name and Firebase user identifier, if available, plus enough information for us to verify the account. Do not send your Apple ID password or payment-card information.

After verification, we will delete or de-identify data we control unless retention is required for legal, security, fraud-prevention, transaction, or dispute-resolution purposes. Deleting Luminaire-controlled data does not delete your Apple ID, Game Center account, App Store purchase history, or information independently controlled by third-party providers.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• request access to and a copy of your personal data;
• request correction or deletion;
• restrict or object to certain processing;
• withdraw consent without affecting processing that was lawful before withdrawal;
• request data portability where applicable;
• opt out of targeted advertising or the sale or sharing of personal information as those terms are defined by applicable US state law;
• appeal a refusal of a privacy request where applicable; and
• lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority.

We do not discriminate against you for exercising privacy rights. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

You can also control certain processing directly:

• Tracking: iOS Settings > Privacy & Security > Tracking;
• Photos: iOS Settings > Apps > Where's Tess > Photos;
• Notifications: iOS Settings > Notifications > Where's Tess;
• Personalized ads: use ATT settings and any privacy controls shown in an ad; and
• Optional survey: do not submit the survey or leave the email field blank.

Although we do not sell personal information for money, some advertising disclosures may be considered "sharing" or a "sale" under certain US state privacy laws. Where those laws apply, you may opt out through the controls above or by contacting us.

9. Children's Privacy

The Game is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. In countries where a higher age is required to consent to data processing, a parent or legal guardian must provide any required permission.

If you believe a child provided personal data without valid permission, contact us so we can investigate and delete it where required.

10. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards designed to protect information, including access controls, authenticated cloud storage, encrypted network connections, and restricted operational access. No system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. External Links and Community Services

The Game or its store listing may link to services that Luminaire Games does not operate. Their privacy policies apply after you leave the Game. Official community links include:

• Facebook community
• Discord community
• Instagram
• X

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes to the Game, providers, legal requirements, or data practices. We will update the "Last updated" date and provide additional notice where required by law. Material changes apply prospectively from their effective date.

13. Contact Us

For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact: