Merchants of the Stars – Privacy Policy

Last updated: 23 May 2025

Tau Games and Apps Inc. ("we", "our", or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how our mobile game Merchants of the Stars (the "Game") collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards information when you play on Android or iOS.

1. Who We Are

Developer:

Tau Games and Apps Inc.
55 Northfield Dr E,
Unit 323,
N2K 3T6,
Waterloo, ON
Canada

Privacy‑contact email:

contactus@taugames.ca

2. Summary

• We do not collect personally identifiable information ("PII").

• We use:

  • AdMob to serve ads.
  • PostHog to collect anonymous gameplay analytics in order to understand aggregate gameplay behaviour.

• Analytics are tied only to a random unique identifier generated on your device and are retained for up to 3 months. This unique identifier is not based on any PII on your device.

• You can opt‑out of analytics at any time through Settings > Other > Upload Gameplay Data.

• We obtain consent for personalised ads where required.

3. Information We Collect

Device & Usage Data

• What we collect

  • App‑generated unique (random UUID not based on your PII).
  • Non‑persistent advertising identifiers as needed by our AdMob integration (Google Advertising ID / Apple IDFA).
  • Operating system version.
  • Gameplay events such as level attempts, and other in-game actions.
  • Performance data like crash reports or other diagnostics.

• Why we collect it

  • To serve, frequency‑cap, and measure ads; detect fraud; and, if consented, personalise ads.

  • To produce aggregated statistics that help us balance and improve the Game.

• Legal basis (EU/UK GDPR)

  • Consent: Personalised Advertising
  • Legitimate interests: Non‑personalised ads, Analytics

We do not collect any information that directly identifies you (no name, email, phone number, or other personally identifiable information).

4. How We Use the Data

1. Advertising (AdMob): Showing ads, capping their frequency, detecting fraud, and, if consented, personalising ads.
2. Analytics (PostHog): Analytics on levels attempted. and other in-game actions, so we can improve the Game.

We do not attempt to re‑identify, combine, or enrich this data with any external PII.

5. Third‑Party Services

• Google AdMob (Advertising network): See Google Advertising Privacy & Terms: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads
• PostHog (Product analytics): See PostHog Privacy Policy: https://posthog.com/privacy

These providers may process data on servers outside your country. Each provider acts as an independent controller of the data it receives.

6. Data Retention

• Analytics: Raw PostHog events are stored for up to 3 months, after which they are automatically deleted or fully aggregated.

• Advertising: Retention is governed by Google AdMob’s policies.

7. Your Choices

• Opt‑out of analytics: Toggle “Analytics” off in the Game’s settings (Settings > Other > Upload Gameplay Data). This prevents new analytics events from being sent to PostHog.

• Personalised ads: When first launching the Game, you may be asked whether you consent to personalised advertising. You can change this choice later in your device’s ad settings or reset your Advertising ID/IDFA.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export your data, and to object to certain processing (EU/UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, etc.). To exercise any of these rights, email contactus@taugames.ca with your device’s in‑game Support ID.

We will respond within one month (30 days) or the timeframe required by local law.

9. Children’s Privacy

Merchants of the Stars is intended for a general audience (13+). We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13 years old (or a higher age threshold where required). If you believe a child has provided data, please contact us so we can delete it.

10. Data Security

We employ industry‑standard technical and organisational measures—such as TLS encryption in transit and access controls—to protect your information.

11. International Transfers

Our servers and those of our partners may be located outside your country of residence. We rely on appropriate legal safeguards (e.g., EU Standard Contractual Clauses) when transferring data internationally.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time—e.g., to reflect changes in our practices, legal requirements, or the Game’s features. When we do, we’ll post the revised version in‑game and update the “Last updated” date above. Continued use after the update constitutes acceptance.

13. Contact Us

For any privacy‑related question, request, or complaint, contact:

Email: contactus@taugames.ca

Address:

Tau Games and Apps Inc.,
55 Northfield Dr E,
Unit 323,
N2K 3T6,
Waterloo, ON
Canada

© 2025 Tau Games and Apps Inc. All rights reserved.