Clozy by starkovs.dev
Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 18, 2026

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains what information Clozy ("the App", "we", "us") collects, how it is used and how you control it. The App is developed and operated by Michael Starkov, an independent developer based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.

In short: you can play without an account, your voice is turned into words and never stored, other players only ever see your nickname, we collect anonymous usage statistics to improve the game, and the only ads are short videos you choose to watch for an extra hint. We never sell your data.

2. Playing without an account

You can play without an account. Your guesses, results, streak, XP and settings are then stored only on your device. The App still sends anonymous usage statistics (section 7).

3. Voice input

If you tap the microphone, the App asks for permission to use the microphone and speech recognition. Your speech is turned into text by Apple's speech recognition, on your device when your iPhone supports it, otherwise by Apple's servers under Apple's Privacy Policy. Clozy does not record, store or upload audio. The recognised words are used as guesses only, like typed ones.

4. Daily reminders

If you turn on the daily reminder, the App asks for permission to send notifications and schedules them on your device. Reminders are created and shown by your iPhone alone: no server sends them and nothing about them leaves your phone. You can turn them off in the App (Statistics → Daily reminder) or in Settings → Notifications → Clozy.

5. Information stored with an account

An account is optional. If you create one, we store:

  • Account details: your email address, or the identifier and email provided by Sign in with Apple (which may be a private relay address). If the sign-in provider shares your name, it is stored with your account but never shown to other players.
  • Your nickname, which you choose.
  • Game results: for each finished puzzle, the puzzle number, the number of guesses and hints, whether you solved it or gave up, the XP earned and when. Not the words you guessed.
  • Leagues: your league, your weekly group and your weekly XP.
  • Friends: the friend requests you send, receive and accept.
  • Safety: the players you block and the nicknames you report.

6. What other players can see

  • Players in your weekly league group see your nickname and weekly XP.
  • Your friends see your nickname, league, XP and your daily-word stats: streaks, best game, average guesses, words solved, hints used, and whether you solved today's puzzle and in how many guesses. Never the words or your guesses.
  • Anyone who knows your nickname can send you a friend request.
  • Other players never see your email address or your name.

7. Usage statistics

To understand how the game is played and fix what is confusing, the App sends anonymous usage events to PostHog: for example that the App was opened, which screen was shown, that a puzzle was started or finished with the number of guesses and hints, that a hint was used or a result shared, and the app version and type of device. Events are tied to a random identifier created on your device, and to your account if you sign in. They never contain the words you guess, your email or your name. As with any internet request, PostHog receives your IP address, which may be used to estimate your country or city.

8. How we use information

Only to run and improve the App: to save and restore your progress across devices, to run leagues, friends and streaks, to keep nicknames appropriate, to send sign-in and confirmation emails, to secure your account and to answer support requests. We do not sell, rent or share your personal information for marketing.

9. Ads for extra hints

The App shows ads only when you choose to: after your free hint of the day, you can watch a short video to get another hint. There are no banners and no ads during play.

The videos are served by Google AdMob. To choose and measure ads, Google receives information such as your IP address, the type of device and app version, ad interactions, and an advertising identifier. Before the first video the App asks:

  • Consent: where the law requires it (for example in the EU, the UK and some US states), Google's consent form lets you accept or refuse personalised ads.
  • Apple's tracking question ("Allow Clozy to track your activity…"). If you allow it, Google may use your device's advertising identifier (IDFA) to show more relevant ads. If you do not, you still get videos, just not personalised ones. You can change this any time in Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking.

We never pass your guesses, nickname, email or results to advertisers. Learn more in How Google uses information from apps that use its services.

10. Service providers

  • Supabase: hosts the database and the accounts of players who sign in. Data is encrypted in transit (TLS). Privacy Policy.
  • Resend: sends sign-in and confirmation emails. Privacy Policy.
  • PostHog: anonymous usage statistics, stored in the United States. Privacy Policy.
  • Apple: Sign in with Apple and speech recognition. Privacy Policy.
  • Google AdMob: optional reward videos (section 9). Privacy Policy.
  • Expo (EAS Update): delivers app updates and receives technical information such as the app version and device platform.

Some of these providers store data outside Canada, including in the United States.

11. Retention and deleting your data

Account data is kept while your account exists. You can delete your account at any time in the App: Profile → Delete account. This immediately and permanently removes your account, nickname, results, leagues, friends, blocks and reports from our servers, and your results from the device you delete it on. If you signed in with Apple, the App asks you to confirm with Face ID or your passcode and then revokes Clozy's access to your Apple ID, so Clozy also disappears from Settings → [your name] → Sign in with Apple. Usage statistics are kept in anonymous, aggregated form.

If you signed in on other devices, the progress saved on them stays until you delete the App there. If you can no longer open the App, email us and we will delete your account for you.

12. Children

The App is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has created an account, contact us and we will delete it.

13. Your rights

You can change your nickname in the App and delete your account at any time. You can also contact us to access or correct the information we hold about you. In Canada you have rights under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and Alberta's Personal Information Protection Act; residents of other regions, including US states such as California, may have similar rights under local law.

14. Changes

If this policy changes, we will update the date above and, for significant changes, tell you in the App.

15. Contact

Questions or requests about your privacy: support@starkovs.dev

Michael Starkov, Calgary, Alberta, Canada