Shelf Hunt privacy policy

Last updated: 8 October 2026 · game version 1.0

Who we are

Shelf Hunt is made by SonataGames, an independent developer based in Kyiv, Ukraine. She decides which data the game needs and why, which makes her the data controller. For any question about your data, write to sonatagames.studio@gmail.com; we reply within a month. Game website: yakovina.github.io.

What the game keeps on your phone

Completed levels and stars, coins, found items, fridge recipes, corgis you have spotted, your day streak and gifts, settings (language, sound, your answers about statistics and ads), a random install number for statistics and a level counter for ads. All of this lives in the game’s storage on your phone. If you delete the game, this data goes with it.

On Android, the system may keep a copy of your progress in your Google account backup if backup is turned on in your phone. That way your progress comes back on a new phone. Google and your phone settings manage these copies, and we never see them.

Statistics (GameAnalytics)

Why. To see which levels are too hard, where players get stuck and what breaks, so we can make the game better. We also use statistics to make summary reports for brands about how quickly players find packs. These reports contain only totals across all players, such as the average search time, and nothing about any single player.

What is sent:

• a random install number: the game creates it itself, and it has no link to your advertising ID, name or phone number;
• session start, session number and session length;
• game events: level started, completed or failed, hint used, ad watched, coins earned or spent;
• how many seconds it took to find each item and which item was picked by mistake;
• technical game error reports;
• phone model, OS version, game version and game language.

Like any internet service, GameAnalytics sees the IP address the data comes from and uses it to work out the country.

When it is sent. In the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom and Switzerland, the game sends statistics only after you answer “Yes” to a short question in the game. In other countries statistics are on from the start. You can switch them off at any time: Settings → “Analytics”. From then on the game sends nothing.

Legal basis. In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, your consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)). Elsewhere, our legitimate interest in improving the game (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)); objecting is easy: switch “Analytics” off.

Who processes it and for how long. GameAnalytics ApS (Denmark) processes this data on our behalf under a data processing agreement. GameAnalytics keeps technical data and events for up to 12 months, then anonymises or deletes them; after that only overall totals remain. More: GameAnalytics retention policy and their privacy notice.

Ads (Google AdMob)

The game is free, and its ads are served by Google AdMob. There are two kinds:

• Reward videos. You tap the video button yourself and get coins, a hint or extra time.
• Full-screen ads between levels. At most after every third finished level, and at least 3 minutes apart. They appear only from level 6 on, starting with your second time playing, and never right after a failed attempt.

Consent. In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland the game first shows Google’s consent form (User Messaging Platform), and ads load only when your choice allows it. You can change your choice at any time: Settings → “Ads” (this row appears in settings in these countries).

iPhone. The system may ask for permission to track. If you decline, ads are not personalised with the advertising ID. You can change this in iPhone Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.

Android. You can reset or delete your advertising ID in your phone settings (Google → Ads).

What AdMob collects: the device advertising ID, IP address (Google uses it to estimate approximate location), device information (model, OS, language) and ad interactions (impressions, taps, views). Google also uses part of this data for non-personalised ads: to limit how often an ad is shown, to count impressions and to prevent fraud.

Google is an independent controller of this data and handles it under its own policies: how Google uses information from sites or apps that use its services.

Legal basis. In the EEA, the UK and Switzerland, your consent given in Google’s form. Elsewhere, our legitimate interest in keeping the game free through ads.

Notifications

Reminders about the daily gift and your day streak are scheduled on the phone itself, so nothing is sent to a server for them. The game asks for notification permission after your first win. You can turn them off in your phone settings.

The Share button

The game creates a text and a picture with your result right on your phone and opens the system share sheet. You choose where to send it; the game itself uploads nothing. From there, the rules of the app you pick apply.

Purchases and coins

Version 1.0 has no purchases. Coins are the game’s virtual currency: they exist only inside the game, have no monetary value and cannot be exchanged for money. If purchases appear in a later version, we will update this policy first.

Who else receives data

• Google (AdMob) — as an independent controller, to show and measure ads.
• GameAnalytics — as a processor on our behalf, for statistics.
• Apple and Google as app stores — download data and, with your permission, crash reports, under App Store and Google Play rules.
• Brands — only summary figures across all players together.

We share data only with the parties named on this page.

Transfers outside the EEA

Servers and subcontractors of Google and GameAnalytics may be located outside the European Economic Area, including in the United States. These transfers rely on the Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission (with the UK addendum for the United Kingdom). We view the summary statistics from Ukraine.

How long we keep data

• On your phone — as long as the game is installed.
• Statistics at GameAnalytics — up to 12 months, then only anonymised totals.
• Ad data — under Google’s rules.
• Your emails to us — while the conversation lasts and up to 12 months after.
• Summary reports for brands — with no time limit, as they hold no data about individuals.

Security

The game sends data over an encrypted connection (HTTPS). Only the developer has access to the GameAnalytics and AdMob dashboards.

Your rights

If you are in the EEA, the UK or Switzerland, the GDPR and local laws give you the right to know what data we hold about you and get a copy; to correct or delete it; to restrict processing; to object to processing based on legitimate interest; to withdraw consent at any time (this applies from then on); and to complain to the data protection authority in your country.

In Ukraine, these rights come from the Law “On Personal Data Protection”, and you can complain to the Ukrainian Parliament Commissioner for Human Rights (ombudsman.gov.ua).

How to use your rights

• Stop statistics — Settings → “Analytics”.
• Change ad consent — Settings → “Ads” (EEA, UK, Switzerland); on iPhone also Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.
• Erase everything the game keeps on your phone — delete the game.
• Delete statistics already sent: in the game, open Settings → Delete my data. The game switches statistics off and opens an email to sonatagames.studio@gmail.com with your phone’s game number — send it and we will ask GameAnalytics to delete that data (within 30 days). For anything else, write to the same address.

Children

Shelf Hunt is made for teens aged 16 and over and for adults, and it is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect children’s data. If you are a parent and believe a child under 16 has sent us data, write to sonatagames.studio@gmail.com and we will delete it.

Changes

If this policy changes, we will update this page and the date at the top. For significant changes (for example, new services or purchases) we will update the policy before that version of the game comes out.

Contact

SonataGames · Kyiv, Ukraine · sonatagames.studio@gmail.com