Privacy Policy
Fathom Station (“the game”) is made by Eric Pelland, publishing as JustANerd (“we”, “us”). This policy explains what information the game and this website handle, why, and the choices you have. We keep it short and plain on purpose. If anything is unclear, email justanerdgaming@proton.me.
The short version
- No account and no sign-up. We never ask for your name, email, contacts, photos or location.
- Your station is saved on your device. We don't have a copy of it.
- The phone and tablet versions send anonymous gameplay stats (through GameAnalytics) so we can see what's fun and what's broken.
- The game can show optional rewarded video ads (through Google AdMob), and only when you tap to watch one.
- Purchases are handled by Apple or Google. We never see your payment details.
- We don't sell your personal information.
1. Information stored on your device
Your game progress (your station, creatures, coins, settings and so on) is stored locally on your device so the game can pick up where you left off. It isn't uploaded to us. You can erase it at any time in Settings › Delete Game Save, or by uninstalling the game. On Android, device backups of the game's data are switched off.
2. Gameplay analytics (GameAnalytics)
On iOS and Android the game uses GameAnalytics to measure how the game is played. It collects:
- a random identifier created for the install (not your name or account), and, on Android, the device's resettable advertising ID if your settings allow it;
- technical details: device model, operating system and version, app version, language, and approximate country (derived from your IP address);
- gameplay events: when a session starts and ends, which features and Codex sets you unlock, whether a rewarded ad was finished, and which in-game product was bought and at what price (never payment details).
We use this only to understand and improve the game (balance, pacing, bugs). It isn't used to advertise to you. The desktop and test versions of the game send nothing.
3. Rewarded ads (Google AdMob)
The game offers optional rewarded videos (for example, “watch a video to speed this up”). They are served by Google AdMob. When ads are loaded or shown, Google may collect your device's advertising identifier, IP address, device and app information and how you interact with the ad, to deliver ads, measure them, prevent fraud and, where you have agreed, personalise them. See how Google uses information from apps that use its services.
- EEA, UK and Switzerland: before any ad is requested, the game shows Google's consent message so you can choose whether ads may be personalised.
- iOS: the game doesn't ask for permission to track you across other companies' apps, so Apple doesn't share your device's advertising identifier.
- Android: you can reset or delete your advertising ID, or opt out of personalised ads, in your device's Settings › Privacy › Ads.
- If you buy the Ad-Free Pass, no ads are shown and you still get every reward.
4. In-app purchases
Purchases are processed by the Apple App Store or Google Play under their own terms and privacy policies. We receive confirmation of which product was bought so we can deliver it. We never receive your name, card number or billing address.
5. This website
fathomstation.com is a static website. It doesn't use cookies, analytics, trackers or embedded third-party content. Like any web server, our hosting provider may keep standard access logs (IP address, browser, pages requested) for security and to keep the site running. If you email us, we use your email address and message only to reply, and we delete the conversation when it's no longer needed.
6. Why we're allowed to use it (legal bases)
For players in the EEA and UK: we process gameplay analytics on the basis of our legitimate interest in running and improving the game, ads on the basis of your consent (for personalised ads) or our legitimate interest (for non-personalised ads and fraud prevention), and purchases to perform our contract with you.
7. Sharing
We share information only with the service providers named above (GameAnalytics, Google AdMob, Apple and Google for purchases and distribution), who process it to provide their services, or where the law requires it. We don't sell or rent personal information, and we don't “share” it for cross-context behavioural advertising as defined by California law.
8. How long it's kept
Save data stays on your device until you delete it. GameAnalytics and Google keep their data according to their own retention policies. Emails are kept only as long as needed to help you.
9. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR, UK GDPR or US state laws such as the CCPA), you may have the right to access, correct, delete or get a copy of your personal information, to object to or restrict its processing, and to withdraw consent at any time. Because we don't know who you are, the easiest options are usually:
- delete your save in Settings or uninstall the game;
- reset your advertising ID, or turn off personalised ads, in your device settings;
- email justanerdgaming@proton.me with the request and the device type, and we'll help, including asking GameAnalytics to remove data linked to your install.
You can also complain to your local data protection authority.
10. Children
Fathom Station is a cozy game for a general audience. It isn't directed at children under 13 and we don't knowingly collect personal information from them. If you're a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information, contact us and we'll delete it.
11. Security and transfers
Data sent by the game travels over encrypted connections. Our service providers may process data in countries other than yours, including the United States and the EU, with the safeguards required by law (such as Standard Contractual Clauses).
12. Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top and, for significant changes, mention it in the game's update notes.
Contact
Eric Pelland (JustANerd)
justanerdgaming@proton.me