This privacy policy covers both the ChipWits website, accessible from https://chipwits.com/, and the Steam Game ChipWits. One of our main priorities is the privacy of our visitors and players. This Privacy Policy document contains types of information that is collected and recorded by ChipWits and how we use it. This Privacy Policy applies only to our online activities and is valid for visitors to our website and players of the game with regards to the information that they shared and/or collect in ChipWits. This policy is not applicable to any information collected offline or via channels other than the website and the game.
If you have additional questions or require more information about our Privacy Policy, do not hesitate to contact us at 
or by filling out our Contact Form.
Our Privacy Policy was created with the help of the Privacy Policy Generator.
Website
Log Files
ChipWits follows a standard procedure of using log files. These files log visitors when they visit websites. All hosting companies do this and a part of hosting services’ analytics. The information collected by log files include internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), date and time stamp, referring/exit pages, and possibly the number of clicks. These are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable. The purpose of the information is for analyzing trends, administering the site, tracking users’ movement on the website, and gathering demographic information.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Media
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Cookies
Like any other website, ChipWits uses ‘cookies’. These cookies are used to store information including visitors’ preferences, and the pages on the website that the visitor accessed or visited. The information is used to optimize the users’ experience by customizing our web page content based on visitors’ browser type and/or other information.
If you leave a comment on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after 1 day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website
Third-party ad servers or ad networks uses technologies like cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons that are used in their respective advertisements and links that appear on ChipWits, which are sent directly to users’ browser. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. These technologies are used to measure the effectiveness of their advertising campaigns and/or to personalize the advertising content that you see on websites that you visit.
Note that ChipWits has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.
ChipWits’s Privacy Policy does not apply to other advertisers or websites. Thus, we are advising you to consult the respective Privacy Policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information. It may include their practices and instructions about how to opt-out of certain options.
You can choose to disable cookies through your individual browser options. To know more detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers, it can be found at the browsers’ respective websites. What Are Cookies?
Game
Third-Party Services and Analytics (Unity)
To operate the game, enable online features, and ensure stability, we use services provided by Unity Technologies. Unity acts as our data processor. By default, Unity’s systems collect data that is considered Personal Information (PII), such as a player’s IP address and a persistent user ID.
To protect user privacy and comply with global privacy laws, including the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), we implement a two-step consent and age-gating process on first launch. This process strictly limits the data we collect based on age and consent:
- Age Gating: On first launch, users are presented with a neutral age screen to determine if they are under 13 (the age of digital consent in the U.S.). We do not store the date of birth.
- Consent Based on Age: Based on the age entered, the game is configured as follows:
- If User is Under 13:
- Data Collection Status (PII): PII Collection Disabled. Unity Analytics and all persistent identifier collection is off.
- Leaderboard & Auth Status: Leaderboards Disabled. Unity Leaderboard and Authentication SDKs are not initialized.
- Features Available: Player can play the core game.
- If User is 13 or Older:
- Data Collection Status (PII): PII Collection Active, based on user’s choice (see below).
- Leaderboard & Auth Status: Leaderboards Active, based on user’s choice.
- Features Available: Player has full access to all features.
- If User is Under 13:
Data Collected and Player Choices (Ages 13+)
For users 13 and older, we present an in-game consent screen that offers three clear choices for how data is handled. This choice can be changed anytime in the game’s settings menu.
- Full Analytics & Leaderboards (Default Opt-In):
- Data Collected: Gameplay metrics, crash reports, a persistent Unity Authentication Player ID, and device identifiers (IP, device ID).
- Purpose: To enable player participation in Leaderboards (which publicly display your score and, optionally, your Steam User ID), allow the use of a persistent in-game identity for future social features, and analyze game balance/improve missions.
- Read-Only Leaderboards & Analytics:
- Data Collected: Anonymous gameplay metrics and crash reports. PII for Leaderboards is NOT sent.
- Purpose: To allow the player to see their performance relative to others (read-only leaderboards) and improve the game. The player’s score is NOT submitted to the public ranking, and their Steam User ID is not used for Leaderboards.
- Disable All Analytics & Leaderboards (Opt-Out):
- Data Collected: None, other than the minimum required for game function (e.g., license check). Crash reports are disabled as well.
- Purpose: For maximum privacy. Leaderboards and online metrics are entirely disabled.
Specific Data Collected by ChipWits (All Choices)
Regardless of the choice above, all data collection, when enabled, includes the following information sent to Unity:
- Crash Reports (Unity Cloud Diagnostics): Non-personal device information and the state of the game when an error occurs.
- Gameplay Metrics: When a player starts and completes a mission and the time spent on each mission/mission pack.
- Persistent Identifiers: IP address, Unique installation-specific ID, and Unity Authentication Player ID (if chosen).
You can find Unity’s privacy policy for game players here: https://unity.com/legal/game-player-and-app-user-privacy-policy.
Leaderboard Performance
We collect individualized leaderboard performance metrics, such as Steam player names, scores, and rankings. This information is aggregated into histograms so you can gauge your performance relative to other players.
Information Collected by Steamworks SDK and Steam Workshop
We use the Steamworks SDK and Steam Workshop features provided by Steam. These features may collect additional information according to Steam’s privacy policy located https://store.steampowered.com/privacy_agreement/.
Children’s Information
Protecting the privacy of children is a main priority. ChipWits is a mixed audience game. To comply with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA), our game employs a neutral age screen on first launch.
We do not collect Personal Identifiable Information from any user who identifies as being under the age of 13. For these children, our services, including Unity Analytics, Unity Authentication, and Leaderboards, are strictly disabled by code.
Note on Platform Data: By using our game on Steam, you are subject to Valve Corporation’s data collection practices, which are independent of our own. This includes the storage of Steam Achievements and Steam Playtime. We recommend parents review the Steam Subscriber Agreement and Privacy Policy.
If you are a parent or guardian and you believe your child has provided us with personal information, we strongly encourage you to contact us immediately, and we will do our best efforts to promptly remove such information from our records.
Who we share your data with
We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. We share data only when necessary to operate the game, provide services you have consented to, or comply with legal obligations.
The following third parties may receive or access your data:
1. Unity Technologies
We use Unity’s services (Analytics, Authentication, Cloud Diagnostics, and Leaderboards) to manage and improve the game.
- Data Shared: Depending on the player’s in-game consent choice (see Third-Party Services and Analytics section), we share IP addresses, device identifiers, persistent Unity Authentication Player IDs, and gameplay metrics with Unity.
- Purpose: Unity processes this data on our behalf as our Data Processor to provide analytical services, crash reports, and the infrastructure for online features.
- Ages Under 13: No Personal Information is shared with Unity for users under the age of 13, as the services are disabled for them.
2. Valve Corporation (Steam)
We rely on the Steam platform for game distribution, identity, and social features.
- Data Shared for Achievements: When a player progresses toward or unlocks an achievement, the game sends a simple trigger and progress value (e.g., “Level 5 reached”) to Steam’s servers. This data is associated with the player’s Steam ID.
- Purpose: To enable the persistent storage and public display of Steam Achievements on the player’s Steam Community Profile. Valve is the data controller for this specific data, and its collection is governed by the Steam Subscriber Agreement and Privacy Policy.
- Note on Developer Access: As the game developer, we only have access to aggregated, anonymous achievement data (e.g., the global unlock percentage) and do not directly collect individual achievement data linked to a specific user’s non-public PII.
3. Legal Disclosure
We may disclose your personal data if we believe in good faith that such disclosure is necessary to:
- Comply with a legal obligation (e.g., in response to a court order or subpoena).
- Protect and defend the rights or property of ChipWits, Inc.
- Protect the personal safety of users of the Service or the public.
- Protect against legal liability.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
Data collected by third-party services for the game, such as Unity Analytics, is retained according to that service’s policy. By default, Unity retains personal data collected via its Analytics service for 13 months. Leaderboard data is retained as long as the leaderboard is active, or until you request its deletion.
What rights you have over your data
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
For personal data collected within the ChipWits game (analytics and leaderboard data):
- Review and Deletion: You can request to receive an exported file of your personal data or request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This includes data collected by Unity Analytics and your Leaderboard performance.
- Leaderboard Scores: You can modify your settings in-game to opt out of submitting scores for Leaderboards. To request the deletion of past submitted scores, please contact us directly.
We will use the deletion methods provided by third-party services like Unity to honor your request. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Consent
By using our website and / or game, you hereby consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its Terms of Use.