Privacy Policy

1. Who we are

This Privacy Policy explains how the developer of =0 (“we,” “us”) handles personal information when you use =0, also known as GuiLing, 归零 or 歸零 (the “app”), its game services, and this official website. We are the controller of personal information we process for these services.

For privacy questions or requests, contact liangjiyun0828@163.com. Advertising and infrastructure providers may also process information under their own policies, linked below.

2. Information we process

• Player identity. The app generates a device-associated identifier and stores it in the iOS Keychain. Our server uses it to find or create a player account and assigns a user ID. This is an automatic guest identity, even though you do not register with an email or password. The Keychain identifier may persist after uninstalling and reinstalling the app. If your account already has a nickname, that nickname is also associated with your identity.
• Game activity. We process run identifiers, puzzle versions, tile selections and other game actions, start and completion times, durations, validation results, and best scores. These records allow us to check completed runs, operate the game, and maintain the leaderboard.
• Connection and device information. Requests to our services include an IP address, app identifier and version, platform information, request timestamps, and player/device identifiers. Infrastructure may record request and error information for delivery, troubleshooting, and security.
• Approximate location. When a completed result is saved, we use the connection’s IP address to estimate its country, region, and city. This is not GPS location and may be inaccurate, especially when using a VPN or mobile network. The game does not request precise location access.
• Advertising information. Advertising SDKs may process device and network information, identifiers permitted by your settings, ad views, clicks and other ad interactions, and diagnostic information. See the advertising section below.
• Messages you send. If you send in-app feedback or email us, we process your message, associated player information where provided, your email address when emailing, and any attachments you choose to include. Please do not send passwords, payment details, or unnecessary sensitive information.
• Local preferences. The app stores settings such as sound preferences and privacy choices on your device.

3. Why we use information

We use information to recognize your player identity, prepare and time runs, verify results, publish rankings, provide ads, respond to support requests, investigate errors and abuse, and meet applicable legal obligations.

Where the GDPR or a similar law applies, the legal bases depend on the activity: performance of our agreement for the game services you request; legitimate interests for proportionate security, integrity checks, and support, balanced against your rights; consent where required for advertising, tracking, or other optional processing; and compliance with legal obligations. Accepting the Terms is not a substitute for consent where the law requires separate consent.

4. Public leaderboard

Successfully validated results can appear on the public, in-app leaderboard. Other players may see your nickname, if available, or user ID; best completion duration; completion date and time; and approximate country code, region, and city. Your IP address, Keychain identifier, and detailed action record are not displayed on the leaderboard.

The leaderboard keeps each player’s best validated result across supported puzzle versions. Updating the puzzles does not automatically remove earlier results. Rankings refresh periodically. There is currently no private-score mode; contact us if you want to request removal of your player data or a published result.

5. Advertising and your choices

The app integrates CSJ/GroMore advertising mediation, Tencent GDT/Youlianghui, and Kuaishou advertising SDKs. Which network serves an ad depends on the app configuration and availability. SDKs can collect information directly from the device when initialized and used.

Depending on the provider, SDK version, and permissions, this can include device model, operating system, language, time zone, screen and storage information, app version, IP address, network type, vendor identifier (IDFV), advertising identifier (IDFA) where allowed, ad impressions/clicks, diagnostic data, and device motion or sensor information used for ad interaction or fraud detection. Providers use this information for ad delivery, measurement, fraud prevention, reliability, and personalization where permitted.

Our startup flow asks for a privacy choice before initializing advertising. On supported iOS versions, Apple’s App Tracking Transparency prompt separately controls tracking across other companies’ apps and websites. You can decline tracking and still use the game. You can change this permission in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. Declining tracking does not remove ads or all processing necessary to deliver and secure them. Our app configures advertising restrictions based on this permission and does not supply precise GPS coordinates or Wi-Fi BSSID through its advertising privacy provider.

For questions about personalized advertising or to exercise an applicable opt-out right, contact us. We do not treat agreement to the game’s Terms as permission to track you.

6. Providers and disclosures

We use the following services. Their policies give further detail about their own processing; some provider pages are available primarily in Chinese.

Hosting and email providers also process information needed to operate our backend and receive support messages. We may disclose information when required by law, to protect people or the service, or as part of a lawful business transfer with appropriate notice and protections. We do not publish your support messages. Any new use requiring consent will be subject to that consent.

7. Website storage

This website does not include advertising scripts, behavioral analytics, third-party fonts, or social-media tracking widgets. The small game example runs in your browser and does not send scores or tile choices to our server. It does not create an account or store your choices after you leave the page.

Our website code does not set cookies or use local storage. Hosting or security services may process requests or use necessary security mechanisms. Following an external link or emailing us involves the destination service and its own privacy practices.

8. Retention and security

Player identifiers, game records, validated scores, and associated region information are retained to operate your player history, validate results, and maintain the cumulative leaderboard. They are not automatically erased when you uninstall the app or when a puzzle changes. We retain these records while needed for these purposes, unless a deletion request is fulfilled or another retention obligation applies.

IP lookup cache entries normally expire after seven days for successful lookups and five minutes for failed lookups. These cache periods do not apply to the region stored with a score, provider records, or server access logs. Support and operational records are kept for as long as needed to address the relevant issue, maintain security, and meet legal obligations; we do not apply one fixed retention period to every category.

When data is no longer needed, it should be deleted or anonymized. Where limited retention is necessary for a legal obligation or dispute, we will explain the reason when responding to a request where permitted. Deletion may not immediately remove data from backup systems or copies other people have made of public results.

The app uses HTTPS to communicate with its backend. No online service or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Contact us if you believe your data has been accessed or used improperly.

9. Your rights and requests

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, receive a copy of, or delete your information; restrict or object to processing; withdraw consent; or complain to your local data protection authority. Where applicable, you may also opt out of targeted advertising or processing legally defined as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information. Advertising disclosures may fall within these definitions even where no money is paid for the information. We do not restrict statutory rights because you make a request.

Send a request to liangjiyun0828@163.com. Include the request type and your in-app user ID if available. A public user ID alone is not proof of ownership; we may need proportionate additional information to verify that the account is yours. Do not send passwords or identity documents unless a specific, necessary verification step has been explained.

You may request deletion of your automatic player account and associated game records and leaderboard entries. Requests are handled through support; this webpage does not itself delete an account. We will respond within the period required by applicable law and explain any lawful limits, verification requirements, or permitted extensions. If you cannot find your user ID, contact us for help.

Withdrawing consent does not affect processing already lawfully carried out. To stop future app activity, stop using the app; uninstalling alone does not delete server records or necessarily erase the Keychain identifier. You can manage tracking in iOS Settings and contact us to withdraw other consent or exercise your rights. Removing data needed for the game may make linked scores and services unavailable.

10. International processing

Our operator is based in China. Using the app from another country may involve processing in China and in countries where our infrastructure, advertising, IP lookup, or email providers operate. Those countries may have different data protection laws. Cross-border processing must follow applicable requirements, including any required consent or legally recognized safeguards. Contact us for information about the processing and safeguards relevant to your data.

11. Children

The service is not directed to children under 13, or a higher minimum age where local law requires it. If you are a minor permitted to use the service, a parent or guardian should review these terms and privacy information with you. The app does not provide a separate child-account mode.

If you believe a child has provided personal information without the authorization required by law, please contact us so that we can investigate and take appropriate action, including deletion where required.

12. Updates and contact

We may update this policy when the app, providers, or our data practices change. The date at the top identifies the current version. We will provide additional notice and obtain new consent where required for a material change. You can always contact liangjiyun0828@163.com with questions about this policy.