Privacy Policy

1. About this policy

This policy describes the information GeoBorders handles when you visit the site or play the game.

2. Information we handle

Anonymous sign-in

Supabase creates a random user ID and a session so you can play without registering a named account. “Anonymous” means that we do not ask for your name or email address; the service still processes the technical information needed to maintain your session.

Player information

We handle the nickname and avatar you choose, along with your room membership and reactions. Other people in the same game can see your nickname, avatar, and the game information shared with players.

Rooms and matchmaking

We store room names and codes, public or private status, game settings, player counts, and matchmaking status. Public rooms show their name, code, settings, and current occupancy. Passwords and password hashes are never included in that listing.

Drawings and results

To run and score each round, we process your drawing strokes and coordinates, accuracy score, round status, and result. Submitted drawings stay on the server while the related game exists. Depending on the mode, other players in the room can see drawings and results after the round.

3. Information saved in your browser

• Your nickname and avatar stay in sessionStorage until the browser session ends.
• Your language and theme preferences stay in localStorage.
• Supabase stores the information needed to keep your anonymous session active.

Google Analytics uses analytics cookies only after you agree. Your choice is saved in localStorage for 180 days and can be changed here. Essential browser storage is still used to run the game.

4. Why information is used

Information is used to:

• operate game sessions and authenticate anonymous sessions;
• provide matchmaking, room participation, scoring, and results;
• remember language, theme, nickname, and avatar preferences; and
• protect against fraud and abuse, apply rate limits, and support security and reliability.

5. Services we use

The following companies help us run GeoBorders:

• Supabase handles anonymous sign-in, the game database, live room updates, and server functions.
• Vercel hosts and delivers the website. We also use Vercel Web Analytics for visit statistics without cookies, independently of your Google Analytics choice.
• OpenFreeMap / Mapterhorn supplies the map styles and tiles. Your browser downloads them directly from OpenFreeMap / Mapterhorn, which receives standard request data such as your IP address.
• Cloudflare Turnstile may check the browser when a new anonymous session is created. We use this check to stop bots and other automated abuse. Read Cloudflare’s privacy policy.
• Upstash may provide server-side request limits. When it does, the limit is tied to the pseudonymous UUID for your anonymous session rather than your nickname.
• Google Analytics 4 measures visits, traffic sources, devices and game events after you agree. We do not send nicknames, room passwords or drawings as analytics events. Google’s privacy policy.

6. How long information is kept

Temporary drawing checkpoints are cleared when a round finishes. Completed multiplayer rooms and finished matchmaking records are usually deleted automatically after approximately 24 hours. Solo games are also removed on a short cleanup schedule.

Deleting a room also deletes its players, rounds, submissions, drawings, and results through the database’s linked records. This cleanup runs on a schedule, so deletion may not happen at an exact moment. Supabase Auth identities are not part of this automatic gameplay cleanup and may remain after the game is gone; we do not currently promise a fixed deletion date for those records.

7. Public and other-player visibility

• Public room listings can expose room name, code, configuration, and occupancy.
• Room members can see nicknames, avatars, and gameplay state.
• Eligible players can see scores, results, and post-round drawings.
• Room passwords are not publicly displayed, and password hashes are not sent to public room listings.

8. Security

GeoBorders uses technical controls including authenticated server actions, row-level access controls, input validation, restricted service credentials, password hashing for protected rooms, and rate-limiting and anti-abuse protections. No online service can promise absolute security.

9. User choices and requests

You can choose or change your nickname and avatar, clear browser storage, and leave a game. For privacy or data questions and deletion requests, contact supportgeoborders@gmail.com. Requests may be subject to applicable law and to GeoBorders’ technical ability to identify the relevant data. There is currently no self-service deletion system.

10. International service providers

GeoBorders is offered globally and uses third-party infrastructure. Those providers may process information in countries different from the visitor’s own.

11. Children and age

GeoBorders is a general-audience geography game and does not intentionally ask users for their birth dates.

12. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top of the page.

13. Contact

Contact GeoBorders about this policy at supportgeoborders@gmail.com.