privacy policy

Effective October 22, 2026

This policy explains what pondar collects when you use the pondar app, its App Clip and the pondar.app website, why, and what you can do about it. "pondar", "we" and "us" mean pondar LLC.

what we collect

• Your account. When you sign in with Apple, we receive a user identifier that Apple creates for pondar (it doesn't identify you outside pondar). The first time you sign in, and only if you choose to share them, we also receive your name and email address; if you use Apple's "Hide My Email", we get a private relay address instead. We record when your account was created and last used. Each device you sign in on gets its own sign-in token, and we only store a scrambled (hashed) version of it.
• Your games. Games you create or join: the map and options, your stones and every move, the invite code, whose turn it is, the result, and the name and colors shown to your opponent.
• Purchases. Purchases are made through Apple, which gives the app a signed receipt that we check and keep: the product, transaction identifiers, purchase date, price and currency, and whether it was refunded. We never receive your payment details.
• Unlocks. The characters, maps and colors your account has unlocked. Invites can unlock characters too, so if another player's invite brought you to pondar, we record who invited you and when you first finished a game together, and we count how many players you've invited have done the same.
• Notifications. If you allow notifications, the push token Apple assigns to your device, so we can tell you when it's your turn.
• Feedback. If you fill in the feedback form after a game: your answers, your rating, the game and the app version.
• Usage events. A few simple events, such as the app being opened, with a random identifier created for your installation of pondar (not your device's advertising identifier), the app version, whether it's the App Clip, the time, and your account if you're signed in.
• Server logs. Like most websites, our servers log each request: IP address, time, the address requested, and app or browser details. Logs are deleted after 14 days.

what stays on your device

Augmented reality uses your camera through Apple's ARKit, entirely on your device; we never record, store or receive camera images. The app also keeps a copy of your account, your game list and any move that hasn't reached our server yet, until you sign out or delete the app.

what other players see

In a game, your opponent sees your display name (your first name and last initial, such as "sam p."), your stone and accent colors, and your moves. Anyone you share a game's invite link with can open that game.

how we use it

• To run your account and games: signing in, saving turns, keeping your devices in sync and notifying you when it's your turn.
• To unlock and restore what you've bought or earned.
• To keep pondar secure: checking that sign-ins and purchases are genuine and preventing abuse.
• To fix problems and improve the game, using feedback, usage events and logs.

Where the GDPR applies, we rely on performing our agreement with you (running your account and games), our legitimate interests (security, fixing problems and improving pondar), legal obligations (keeping purchase records) and your consent (notifications, which you can turn off at any time).

who else handles it

We use a few service providers, only to run pondar:

• Apple: Sign in with Apple, push notifications and App Store purchases. Apple's own privacy policy covers what Apple handles.
• Akamai (Linode): hosts our servers and database in Dallas, Texas.
• Cloudflare: delivers and protects pondar.app and our API, so all traffic to us passes through it.

Our servers are in the United States, so if you use pondar from another country, your information is processed in the United States.

We may also disclose information if the law requires it, or to protect pondar, its players or others. If pondar is ever sold or merged, your information would transfer under this policy.

how long we keep it

• Your account, games and unlocks are kept while your account exists.
• When you delete your account (settings, then delete account), we immediately delete your account, sign-ins, push tokens and feedback. Unfinished games end and your opponents win. Finished games stay in your opponents' history with your name replaced by "deleted player". Usage events are kept but no longer linked to you. Purchase records are kept as long as accounting and legal rules require.
• Database backups are kept for 14 days, so deleted information disappears from them within 14 days. Server logs are also kept for 14 days.
• Signing out ends that device's sign-in on our server.

your choices and rights

• Delete your account in the app at any time.
• Turn notifications off in your iPhone's Settings.
• Stop using Sign in with Apple with pondar in your Apple account settings (Settings, your name, Sign in with Apple).

Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR in the EU and UK, or the CCPA in California), you may have the right to access, correct, export or delete your information, or to object to how we use it. To make a request, contact us at the address below. We won't treat you differently for using these rights.

children

pondar isn't directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect information from them. If you think a child under 13 has an account, contact us and we'll delete it.

security

Everything between the app and our servers is encrypted (HTTPS). Sign-in tokens are stored hashed, sign-ins and purchases are checked against Apple's signatures, and our servers are locked down and updated automatically. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to keep your information safe.

changes

If this policy changes, we'll update this page and the date at the top. If the changes are significant, we'll also let you know in the app.

contact

Questions or requests: support@pondar.app.