Privacy Policy

Who we are

The Coldfile is a digital interactive narrative product owned and operated by Kevin Alexander Soto Burgos (“we”, “our” or “us”), an individual who is the controller of the personal data described in this policy. You can reach us at kevin2005_10@hotmail.com.

What we collect

You can play without an account. Without one, we do not ask for your name, email address, phone number or address, and the app creates a random app user ID on your device to link your purchases. This ID does not reveal who you are on its own, but it is a lasting identifier, so we treat it, and everything linked to it, as personal data. Your profile shows it as your support code.

If you choose to sign in with Google, Google shares with us your name, email address, Google account ID and profile photo link (the app does not show the photo), and Firebase gives your account a user ID and records when it was created and when you last signed in. That user ID replaces the random app user ID: RevenueCat links your purchases to it, and your profile shows it as your support code. We never receive your Google password.

When you purchase a case, RevenueCat stores, on our behalf, the product you bought and the Google Play purchase reference so the app knows what you own. We do not see or store your payment card. All payments are handled by Google Play.

As you play, the app saves your per-case progress (which documents you opened, which questions you answered, your verdict, your detective notes) on your device. We do not receive it unless you sign in (see below). If Android backup is on for your Google account, Android may include your progress in your device backup and restore it when you reinstall; otherwise, uninstalling the app erases it.

If you are signed in, the app also saves a copy of your progress (including hints used and hidden documents found, time played, when you started each case and when you made your accusation), notes and shelf of free cases in Google Firebase (Cloud Firestore), linked to your user ID, so you can get them back on another device. When you sign out, the copy on your device stays there, and the cloud copy stays in your account until you delete it.

When you open the app or return to it, the app checks Expo’s servers for content updates. Expo receives your IP address, a random installation ID created by the app, and the app version.

If you dictate a note in the notebook, the app uses the microphone only while you dictate, and your phone’s speech recognition service turns your voice into text. On many Android phones that service is Google’s, which may process the audio on its servers under its own privacy policy (policies.google.com/privacy); when the speech model for your language is installed on your phone, the app asks for recognition on the device and the audio stays on it. The app keeps only the resulting text, as part of your notes. It does not store the audio and does not send it to us. You can refuse or withdraw microphone access in Android settings; the rest of the app works without it.

If the app crashes or hits an error, it sends Sentry a crash report: what failed in the code, the screen you were on, your device model, operating system and app version. It does not include your name, email, user ID, notes or progress, and we have set Sentry not to store your IP address.

Only if you allow it, the app sends PostHog usage data: when you open a case, view a case for sale, buy a case or make an accusation (with the ending you get), plus when the app is installed and opened. This data is linked to a random installation ID, never to your name, email, user ID or support code, and PostHog does not look up your location. The app asks once; until you answer, nothing is sent. You can change your answer at any time in Profile, Preferences, Usage data, and the app saves the date of your answer on your device.

Only if you turn on notifications, the app registers this device with OneSignal so we can send you push notifications, for example when a new case comes out or a reminder about a case you left half-read. OneSignal receives a device subscription ID (a random identifier for this installation, together with the push token Google gives your device) and these tags: the last case you opened, the percentage of its documents you have read, how many cases you have closed, whether you have bought a case, and the app language. It never receives your name, email, user ID, notes or anything you write. The app asks when you finish a case, before Android asks for permission; until you say yes, nothing is sent to OneSignal. You can turn notifications off at any time in Profile, Preferences, Notifications, which unsubscribes this device, or in your phone’s settings. The app saves the date of your answer on your device.

Our providers also receive technical data from their software in the app, such as your IP address, device model, operating system and app version.

If you email us, we receive your email address, your message, and the support code and app version that the app adds to it. We use them only to answer you and keep them for as long as needed to resolve your request. Our mailbox is provided by Microsoft (Outlook).

If you file a claim or complaint in our Complaints Book (Libro de Reclamaciones), we receive your name, ID document, address, email address, phone number if you give it, and your claim. We use them only to answer it and keep them for the period required by Peruvian consumer law.

Why we use your data

To validate, unlock and restore your purchases (Google Play, RevenueCat): this is necessary to provide what you bought.

To provide the optional account and keep your progress in the cloud (Google Firebase, RevenueCat): this is necessary to provide the feature you ask for when you sign in.

To deliver updates and fixes (Expo): this is necessary to provide the app you use.

To find and fix crashes (Sentry): this is necessary to keep the app you use working.

To understand which cases people play and buy, so we can improve the app and plan new cases (PostHog): your consent, which you can withdraw at any time without affecting earlier processing.

To send you the notifications you turn on and choose who gets each one, so that, for example, nobody is offered a case they already own (OneSignal): your consent, which you can withdraw at any time without affecting earlier processing.

To answer your emails: to handle the request you send us.

To handle claims filed in the Complaints Book: a legal obligation under Peruvian consumer law.

We do not make decisions about you based solely on automated processing.

What we don't do

We do not run third-party advertising, do not sell or share your personal data for advertising, and do not embed cross-site tracking pixels. The app does not request your device’s location or its advertising ID. Our providers may infer your approximate country from your IP address.

Service providers we use

Google Play: processes all payments and handles card processing, receipts and refunds, and taxes where it is responsible for them. Google LLC, United States. Privacy: policies.google.com/privacy.

RevenueCat: manages your purchase entitlements (what you have unlocked). It receives your app user ID, your Google Play purchase records (product, purchase token, order ID, price and currency) and technical data. Based in the United States. It never receives your payment card details. Privacy: revenuecat.com/privacy.

Expo (EAS Update): delivers app updates and receives the data described above. Based in the United States. Privacy: expo.dev/privacy.

Google Firebase (Authentication and Cloud Firestore): only if you sign in. Handles the Google sign-in and stores your account (name, email, Google account ID, profile photo link and user ID) and the cloud copy of your progress, notes and shelf, in the United States. Firebase keeps the IP addresses logged at sign-in for a few weeks to prevent abuse. Privacy: firebase.google.com/support/privacy.

Sentry: receives the crash reports described above. Functional Software, Inc., United States; data stored in the United States. Privacy: sentry.io/privacy.

PostHog: only if you allow usage data. Receives the usage data described above. PostHog, Inc., United States; data stored in the United States. Privacy: posthog.com/privacy.

OneSignal: only if you turn on notifications. Sends the push notifications and receives the device subscription ID, tags and technical data described above, and from your IP address it records the approximate country of the device; the notifications reach your phone through Google’s Firebase Cloud Messaging. OneSignal, Inc., United States. Privacy: onesignal.com/privacy_policy.

Cloudflare: hosts our legal pages and stores the claims filed in the Complaints Book. Cloudflare, Inc., United States. Privacy: cloudflare.com/privacypolicy.

International transfers

RevenueCat, Expo, Sentry, PostHog, OneSignal and Cloudflare are based in the United States, your account, the cloud copy of your progress, crash reports and usage data are stored in the United States, and Google and Microsoft process data in several countries. Your data may therefore be processed outside your country, including outside the EU/EEA. These transfers are necessary to provide the purchases, updates, account and working app you use; for usage data and notifications, they rely on your consent. Where the law requires it, they also rely on the safeguards in each provider’s data processing terms; Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. You can ask us for more details.

Security

Data sent to our providers travels over encrypted connections. Your progress and notes are stored in the app’s private storage on your device and are protected by your device’s own security. If you sign in, access rules let only your account read or change its cloud copy. Only we can access our provider dashboards.

How long we keep your data

Your progress and notes stay on your device (and in your Android backup, if you use one) until you uninstall the app or clear its data. If you have an account, your account and its cloud copy are kept until you delete the account. RevenueCat keeps your app user ID and purchase records while we offer the app, because they are needed to restore your purchases. If you ask us to delete your data, we will delete your RevenueCat customer record within 10 business days; your purchases remain on your Google account and can be restored, which creates a new record. Purchase records held by Google Play are retained under Google’s own policies and for the period required by applicable tax law.

Sentry deletes crash reports automatically after the retention period of our plan, between 30 and 90 days. PostHog keeps usage data for the retention period of our plan, currently one year, and then deletes it. Because usage data is linked only to a random installation ID, we cannot match it to a request from you; turning off usage data in Profile stops it from being sent.

OneSignal keeps the device subscription and its tags while we use OneSignal to send notifications. Because they are linked only to a random identifier, we cannot match them to a request from you; turning notifications off in Profile unsubscribes this device and stops tags from being sent, and uninstalling the app ends the subscription.

Deleting your account. In the app, go to Profile, Account, Delete account. This deletes your account and its cloud copy right away; Google removes them from its backup systems within up to 180 days. The progress on your device stays there. Without the app, follow the steps at coldfile-legal.kevin2005-10.workers.dev/delete-account and we will delete your account within 10 business days. Deleting your account does not delete your RevenueCat customer record, which stays linked to your former user ID so you can restore your cases; if you also want it deleted, ask us and we will do it within 10 business days. Google Play keeps its purchase records as described above.

Your rights

Wherever you live, you can ask us to access your data, give you a copy, correct it or delete it. Depending on where you live, you may also have the right to object to processing, to restrict processing, to receive your data in a portable format, and to withdraw your consent at any time without affecting earlier processing.

To make a request, email us and include the support code shown in your profile. If you have an account, you can instead write from its email address; without an account we do not know your name or email, so without the code we cannot find your records. We answer access requests within 20 business days and all other requests within 10 business days. If you are not satisfied with our answer, you can complain to the data protection authority in your country; in Peru, that is the National Authority for Personal Data Protection (Autoridad Nacional de Protección de Datos Personales).

We do not sell or share your personal data, as those terms are used in California law. California residents can exercise the rights above in the same way.

Children

The Coldfile is intended for players aged 16 and over. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 16. If you believe a minor has used the app, email us with the support code shown in the app and we will delete the related data.

Changes

We may update this policy. If a change is significant, such as a new provider or a new use of your data, we will tell you inside the app before it takes effect. The date at the top shows the current version.

Contact

Questions, requests or complaints: kevin2005_10@hotmail.com.