Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Applied Method, LLC ("we," "us," or "our") operates the In-Between card game platform (the "Service"). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our Service.

By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

We collect several types of information to provide and improve our Service.

2.1 Personal Information

When you create an account or use the Service, we collect:

• Email address - Provided when you register with email or by your sign-in provider
• Username - Your chosen display name within the game
• Profile picture - Either uploaded by you or retrieved from your social login provider
• Authentication identifier - A unique identifier used to connect your account to Firebase Authentication

2.2 Gameplay Data

To provide game functionality and track your progress, we collect:

• Game history and match results
• Win/loss records and player rankings
• Achievements earned and experience points (XP)
• Virtual currency balance and transaction records
• Game preferences and settings

2.3 Technical Information

We automatically collect certain technical information when you use the Service:

• IP address
• Device type, model, and operating system
• Browser type and version
• Session data and timestamps
• Cookies and local storage data
• Error logs and crash reports

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

Account Management

Creating and maintaining user accounts, authenticating users, and managing account security.

Gameplay

Providing game functionality, matchmaking, leaderboards, statistics tracking, and achievement systems.

Communication

Sending service updates, notifications about game events, responding to support requests, and communicating important changes to our Terms or Privacy Policy.

Content Moderation

Reviewing user-generated content (usernames and profile pictures) to enforce our Terms of Service and maintain a safe gaming environment.

Legal Compliance

Complying with legal obligations, protecting our rights, preventing fraud, and responding to legal requests from law enforcement or government agencies.

4. Third-Party Services

We share data with the following third-party services to provide the Service:

4.1 Social Login Providers

We offer email/password sign-in and OAuth authentication through available providers, including Google and Apple. When you use social login:

• We receive limited profile data (email address, name, profile picture)
• These providers have their own privacy policies governing their data practices
• We do not have access to your social media passwords
• You can revoke our access through your social provider's settings at any time

4.2 Current Advertising and Payments

We do not currently use third-party advertising networks or process payments in the In-Between mobile app. We may show links to our own games. If advertising or payments are added later, we will update this policy before enabling them.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to provide and improve the Service:

Essential Cookies

Required for authentication and session management. These cookies are necessary for the Service to function and cannot be disabled.

Preference Cookies

Store your settings and preferences (such as game settings, volume preferences, and display options) to provide a personalized experience.

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. However, disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of the Service.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR (EU Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right to Access

You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

Right to Rectification

You can request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten")

You can request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.

Right to Restriction of Processing

You can request that we limit the processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

Right to Data Portability

You can request to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and have it transferred to another service provider.

Right to Object

You can object to processing of your personal data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing purposes.

Right to Withdraw Consent

Where processing is based on your consent, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@applied-method.com. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have violated your privacy rights.

7. Your Rights Under CCPA (California Users)

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know

You have the right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources from which we collected it, our business purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.

Right to Delete

You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.

Right to Opt-Out of Sale

We do not sell your personal information. However, if we ever decide to do so in the future, we will provide a clear "Do Not Sell My Personal Information" link on our website.

Right to Non-Discrimination

You have the right to not be discriminated against for exercising your CCPA rights. We will not deny you service, charge different prices, or provide a different level of service for exercising your privacy rights.

Categories of Information Collected

We collect the following categories of personal information:

• Identifiers (email, username, OAuth IDs)
• Virtual currency balance and game transaction records
• Internet or network activity (gameplay data, browsing behavior)
• Technical identifiers such as IP address

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at support@applied-method.com. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:

• Active accounts: Data is retained while your account remains active
• Game history: Gameplay data is retained for leaderboards, statistics, and historical records
• Deleted accounts: Account profile, profile image, achievements, and friendships are removed when account deletion succeeds. Shared game history and transaction records may remain without a link to your active account.

If you would like to request earlier deletion of your data, please contact us at support@applied-method.com.

You can delete your account from Profile settings in the app or on the web. See the account deletion instructions for steps and details.

9. Security Measures

We take the security of your personal information seriously and implement industry-standard measures to protect it:

• Authentication Security: We use secure OAuth authentication through trusted providers and Firebase Authentication; we do not store passwords on our servers
• Encryption in Transit: All data transmitted between your device and our servers is encrypted using HTTPS/TLS
• Database Security: Our CouchDB database is protected with access controls and authentication
• JWT Authentication: Session tokens use industry-standard JSON Web Tokens for secure authentication
• Regular Updates: We keep our software and dependencies up to date with security patches

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the security of your account credentials.

10. Age Requirement

The Service is intended for users who are 18 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18.

If you are under 18 years old, please do not use the Service or provide any personal information to us. If we discover that we have collected personal information from a user under 18, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child under 18 has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at support@applied-method.com so we can take appropriate action.

11. International Data Transfers

The Service is hosted on Render.com, a US-based hosting provider. Your personal information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

These countries may have data protection laws that differ from the laws of your country. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to the United States and other countries where we operate.

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we take steps to ensure that international data transfers comply with applicable data protection laws, including the use of standard contractual clauses when appropriate.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

When we make material changes to this Privacy Policy, we may:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify you by email or display a notice on the Service, as appropriate

Your continued use of the Service after the effective date of the updated Privacy Policy constitutes your acceptance of the changes. If you do not agree with the updated Privacy Policy, you should stop using the Service and may request deletion of your account.

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Applied Method, LLC
1111B S Governors Ave STE 26981
Dover, DE 19904
United States
Email: support@applied-method.com

We will respond to your inquiry as soon as possible, typically within 30 days.