ChessbySid

# Privacy Policy for ChessBySid

Effective date: 14 June 2026 App: ChessBySid Version: 1.5.0 Package: com.chessbysid Developer: Sid (“Designed by Sid”)

## Overview

ChessBySid is a chess game for Android built with a privacy-first mindset. The core of the app — learning, puzzles, single-player vs the computer, pass-and-play, and Bluetooth matches — works fully offline and sends nothing off your device. It displays no ads.

A few optional features (Online Invite and the Global Leaderboard) use the internet through Google Firebase. These are never used unless you choose them, and they share only the minimum needed to make them work — never personal or device-tracking data. This policy explains exactly what is and isn’t collected.

## Summary

• No ads, no sign-up, no account.
• Offline by default — Single Player, pass-and-play, and Bluetooth Match use no internet.
• Optional online features share only your self-chosen display name and chess data (moves, rating), never your identity or device IDs.
• Crash diagnostics (Firebase Crashlytics) are collected in the published app to help us fix crashes — no personal data.

## Data stored locally on your device

This data never leaves your device unless an online feature explicitly syncs it (see below), and is not accessible to us.

App settings (DataStore chessbysid_settings): AI difficulty, board theme, show-legal-moves / highlight-last-move / sound toggles, and the leaderboard opt-in flag.

Profile (DataStore chessbysid_elo): your chosen display name, avatar choice, Elo rating, games-played count, and a random local player ID.

Saved game (DataStore chessbysid_saved_game, only when you tap Save): the board position (FEN), moves, captured pieces, mode, difficulty, and your color. At most one saved game exists; it is cleared when a game ends or you start a new one.

You can erase all of it via Android Settings → Apps → ChessBySid → Storage → Clear storage.

## Optional online features (network-using)

These use Google Firebase and only run when you actively choose them:

• Online Invite (online multiplayer). When you create or join an online game, the app signs in to Firebase anonymously — Firebase issues a random anonymous ID with no name, email, or account attached. The game “room” (the moves played, your chosen display name, and the chosen color/time control) is stored in the Firebase Realtime Database so your opponent’s device can sync in real time. The room is automatically deleted when your session ends (you close or leave the game). No personal or device identifiers are sent.

• Global Leaderboard — opt-in, OFF by default. Only if you turn on Settings → Join global leaderboard (or tap Join on the Leaderboard screen) does the app publish your self-chosen display name, Elo rating, games-played count, and avatar choice so you can be ranked. No device data is included. You can remove yourself at any time by turning the toggle off, which deletes your leaderboard entry.

• Bluetooth Match uses Bluetooth only (device-to-device) and sends no data over the internet.

Because you pick your own display name, please avoid entering real personal information (full name, email, phone, etc.) as your name if you join online features.

## Crash diagnostics

The published app uses Firebase Crashlytics to report crashes so we can fix them. When the app crashes, Crashlytics may send a crash stack trace plus basic technical context (device model, OS version, app version, and a random Crashlytics install identifier). This contains no personal information and is not used for advertising or tracking. Crashlytics is disabled automatically in development builds.

## Third-party services

ChessBySid uses Google Firebase for the optional online features and crash diagnostics:

• Firebase Authentication (anonymous sign-in)
• Firebase Realtime Database (online game and leaderboard data)
• Firebase Crashlytics (crash reporting)

Your use of these is also governed by Google’s Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

We do not use any advertising network, analytics/marketing SDK, or social-login provider.

## Permissions

ChessBySid requests only what its features need:

• INTERNET and ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE — for Online Invite and the leaderboard. Not used during offline play.
• Bluetooth (BLUETOOTH_CONNECT, BLUETOOTH_SCAN, BLUETOOTH_ADVERTISE on Android 12+, or legacy BLUETOOTH/BLUETOOTH_ADMIN and, on Android 11 and below, ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION solely for Bluetooth device discovery) — used only for Bluetooth Match. Location is never read for positioning and is declared with the neverForLocation flag on Android 12+.

The app requests no camera, microphone, contacts, photos, or background-location permissions.

## Data retention

• Online game rooms are deleted automatically when a player’s session ends.
• Leaderboard entries persist until you opt out (which deletes your entry) or clear app data.
• Crash reports are retained per Google Firebase Crashlytics’ standard retention policy.

## Children’s privacy

ChessBySid is suitable for all ages and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13. The app has no ads and no in-app purchases. The only information that can leave the device is what a user explicitly opts into sharing through the online features — a self-chosen display name and chess statistics. We encourage parents to ensure children do not use a real name as their display name. If you believe a child has shared personal information, contact us and we will remove it.

## Security

Local data is stored in the app’s private sandbox via Android’s DataStore, accessible only to ChessBySid. Online data is transmitted to Google Firebase over encrypted (HTTPS/TLS) connections and is protected by Firebase security rules that restrict access to authenticated app instances.

## Changes to this policy

If we update this policy in a future version, we will update the “Effective date” above and publish the revised policy at the same URL. Continued use of the app after such updates means you accept the revised policy.

## Contact

Email: lamarulife@gmail.com