Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 12, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to The Daily Alibi ("we," "our," or "us"), an interactive murder mystery game. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store, and protect your information when you use our Service.

Key Points:

• We collect minimal personal information necessary for gameplay
• Your game progress and conversations are stored securely
• We use AI services that may process your gameplay data
• We do not sell your personal information to third parties
• You can request deletion of your data at any time

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Account Information

When you create an account, we may collect:

• Email address: For account creation, communication, and password recovery
• Unique user identifier: A randomly generated UUID to track your progress
• Account preferences: Settings like preferred difficulty or game modes

2.2 Gameplay Data

To provide our mystery game experience, we collect:

• Game sessions: Your progress on each mystery, including turns used and completion status
• Conversation history: Your questions and interactions with characters during gameplay
• Mystery outcomes: Whether you solved each mystery and how many attempts it took
• Play patterns: When you play, which mysteries you access, and gameplay duration
• Performance data: Success rates and time to completion for improving our game design

2.3 Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical data:

• Device information: Browser type, device type, operating system
• Connection data: IP address, internet service provider, connection type
• Usage analytics: Pages visited, time spent, features used
• Error logs: Technical issues or crashes to improve service reliability

2.4 Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and browser storage for:

• Session management: Keeping you logged in and maintaining game state
• Preferences: Remembering your settings and customizations
• Analytics: Understanding how our Service is used
• Performance: Optimizing load times and user experience

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Core Game Functions

• Delivering mysteries: Providing daily murder mystery content personalized to your progress
• AI interactions: Processing your questions and responses through our AI systems
• Progress tracking: Saving your game state and mystery completion history
• Personalization: Adapting difficulty and content based on your play style

3.2 Service Improvement

• Analytics: Understanding user behavior to improve game design
• AI training: Improving our mystery generation and character interaction systems
• Bug fixes: Identifying and resolving technical issues
• Feature development: Creating new game modes and features based on usage patterns

3.3 Communication

• Service updates: Notifying you about new features or important changes
• Support: Responding to your questions or technical issues
• Game notifications: Alerting you about new daily mysteries (if you opt in)

4. AI and Third-Party Processing

4.1 AI Services

Our Service uses artificial intelligence providers to deliver gameplay:

• Mystery Generation: AI systems create daily murder mystery scenarios
• Character Interactions: AI processes your questions and generates character responses
• Content Analysis: AI helps ensure appropriate and engaging content

Data Sharing with AI Providers: Your gameplay conversations and mystery interaction data may be processed by our AI service providers (such as Anthropic and Google) to generate responses. This data is used solely for providing the game experience and is subject to our AI providers' own privacy policies.

4.2 Database and Hosting

We use secure cloud services for:

• Data storage: PostgreSQL databases for secure information storage
• Service hosting: Reliable servers to deliver our game experience
• Content delivery: Fast loading times for game assets and content

5. Data Security and Protection

5.1 Security Measures

• Encryption: All data transmission is encrypted using industry-standard protocols
• Access controls: Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
• Secure storage: Data is stored in protected database systems with regular backups
• Regular monitoring: Continuous monitoring for security threats and vulnerabilities

5.2 Data Minimization

We follow data minimization principles:

• We only collect data necessary for game functionality
• Personal data is separated from sensitive game solution data
• Anonymous UUIDs are used instead of personal identifiers where possible
• Regular purging of unnecessary temporary data

6. Your Privacy Rights

6.1 Access and Control

You have the right to:

• Access your data: Request a copy of all personal data we have about you
• Correct inaccuracies: Update or correct any incorrect personal information
• Delete your account: Request complete deletion of your account and associated data
• Export your data: Receive your gameplay history and progress in a portable format
• Opt-out of communications: Unsubscribe from optional emails and notifications

6.2 Data Portability

You can request your gameplay data in JSON format, including:

• Mystery completion history
• Performance statistics
• Account preferences and settings
• Conversation logs (if desired)

7. Data Retention

7.1 Retention Periods

• Account data: Retained until account deletion or 3 years of inactivity
• Gameplay sessions: Stored indefinitely for progress tracking and analytics
• Conversation logs: Retained for 1 year for service improvement, then anonymized
• Technical logs: Kept for 90 days for troubleshooting purposes
• Analytics data: Anonymized and retained for up to 2 years for service improvement

7.2 Automatic Deletion

We automatically delete:

• Inactive accounts after 3 years
• Temporary session data after 30 days
• Error logs older than 90 days
• Email addresses of users who request account deletion

8. Cookies and Tracking

8.1 Essential Cookies

Required for basic functionality:

• Session authentication
• Game state preservation
• Security protection
• User preferences

8.2 Analytics Cookies

Used to improve our Service (you can opt-out):

• Usage patterns and popular features
• Performance monitoring
• Error tracking and debugging
• A/B testing for improvements

8.3 Cookie Management

You can control cookies through:

• Browser settings to block or delete cookies
• Opt-out options within our Service
• Third-party opt-out tools

9. Children's Privacy

Our Service is designed for users 13 years and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we discover we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete it immediately. Parents who believe their child has provided information to us should contact us at our support page.

10. International Data Transfers

Your data may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States where our primary servers are located. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers, including:

• Standard contractual clauses
• Adequacy decisions by relevant authorities
• Privacy Shield or similar frameworks where applicable
• Encryption and security measures during transfer

11. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on:

• Contract performance: To provide the game service you've requested
• Legitimate interests: To improve our Service and prevent fraud
• Consent: For optional features like marketing communications
• Legal obligations: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or applicable laws. When we make significant changes:

• We'll update the "Last updated" date at the top
• We'll notify you via email or in-app notification
• We'll provide a summary of key changes
• Continued use of our Service constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

• Support Page: Visit our support page
• Email: Available through our support page
• Response Time: We aim to respond within 5 business days

14. Definitions

For clarity, key terms used in this policy:

• "Service" refers to The Daily Alibi website and game
• "Personal Data" means information that identifies or can identify you
• "Gameplay Data" includes your game progress, choices, and interactions
• "AI Processing" refers to automated analysis of your gameplay for generating responses
• "Session" means a single mystery-solving attempt with turn limits

This Privacy Policy is designed to be transparent about our data practices. If you have questions or concerns, we encourage you to contact us.