Privacy Policy

Qazaro ("we", "our", or "the app") is a competitive trivia application. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding your data.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information. When you register, we collect your email address, username, and password (stored as a secure hash). You may optionally provide your nationality (country code); this is never required.

Gameplay Data. We collect data generated through your use of the app, including quiz answers, scores, response times, contest participation, ratings (QELO), achievements, badges, XP, and leaderboard rankings.

Device Information. We may collect basic device information such as device type, operating system version, and a push notification token for app functionality and troubleshooting.

Advertising Data. When you choose to watch a rewarded advertisement in the app (for example, to earn in-app coins), our advertising partner Google AdMob may collect your device's advertising identifier (Android Advertising ID or Apple IDFA — only if you grant App Tracking Transparency permission on iOS), coarse device information, and ad interaction events. This is used to serve, measure, and prevent fraud in the ads shown to you. See Section 5 for details and links to Google's policies. You can reset or disable your advertising identifier at any time in your device settings; if you do, ads still work but become less relevant.

2. Information We Do Not Collect

• We do not collect your precise location.
• We do not access your contacts, photos, or files.
• We do not use third-party analytics services to profile your behavior outside the app.
• We do not sell your personal information. Ad-related data shared with Google AdMob (see Section 5) is limited to what AdMob needs to serve and measure ads and is governed by Google's own privacy terms.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To create and manage your account.
• To provide the trivia game experience (matchmaking, scoring, leaderboards).
• To compute and display your competitive rating (QELO).
• To track achievements, badges, and progression.
• To send password reset emails and account-related notifications when requested.
• To serve and measure rewarded advertisements you choose to watch, and to credit your in-app coin reward when you complete an ad view.
• To improve the app and fix issues.

4. Data Storage and Security

Your data is stored on secure servers. Passwords are hashed using bcrypt and are never stored in plain text. We use JWT tokens for authentication. We take reasonable measures to protect your data, but no system is 100% secure.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services:

• Resend — for sending password reset and account-related emails.
• Expo / EAS — for app distribution and over-the-air updates.
• Google Firebase / FCM (Apple APNs on iOS) — for push notifications.
• Google Sign-In & Sign in with Apple — optional social login providers you may choose to authenticate with. They return only the email/name you consent to share.
• Google AdMob — to serve the rewarded advertisements available in the Earn tab and, optionally, during gameplay upgrades (e.g. chest upgrades). AdMob may collect device identifiers (advertising ID or, on iOS, IDFA only when you grant App Tracking Transparency permission), app usage events, and coarse device information to serve, measure, and prevent fraud in ads. See the Google Ads privacy notice and Google's privacy policy.

These services have their own privacy policies governing their use of data. We are not responsible for the practices, availability, or content of any third-party service, and your use of a third-party service is subject to its own terms.

6. Where Your Data Is Processed

Our servers are hosted with Hetzner Cloud in the European Union. Some third-party services listed in Section 5 (for example Google AdMob, Google Firebase, Apple APNs) are operated by companies headquartered in the United States and may process data outside your country of residence. By using the Service you consent to your data being transferred to and processed in those regions, subject to appropriate safeguards under the relevant provider's own terms.

7. Data Retention

Your account data is retained as long as your account is active. If you request account deletion, your account is soft-deleted: your personal data is removed from active use, but historical contest results and leaderboard entries are preserved (with your username anonymized) for fairness to other players. See our Delete account page for instructions.

8. Children's Privacy

Qazaro is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.

9. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you have some or all of the following rights:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Request deletion of your account and associated personal data.
• Object to or restrict certain processing (EU/UK/EEA users under GDPR).
• Opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal data for advertising purposes (California users under CCPA/CPRA). Note that we do not sell personal data as that term is commonly understood, but ad-related data may be shared with Google AdMob as described in Section 5.
• Withdraw consent to future data processing at any time by deleting your account.
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected]. We may need to verify your identity before acting on a request.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes through the app or by email. Continued use of the app after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or your data, contact us at [email protected].