Privacy Policy & Families Policy Compliance
1. Executive Summary
Dino Puzzle Pals is a child-directed dinosaur tile puzzle and educational discovery game designed for toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, young children (ages 4–12), and their families.
We are fully committed to protecting the privacy and digital well-being of young players. Our core privacy principles:
- Zero Personal Data Collection: We do not collect, solicit, store, or transmit any Personally Identifiable Information (PII) from children or adults.
- Zero Behavioral Tracking & Profiling: We do not track user behavior across apps, build advertising profiles, or collect advertising identifiers (GAID/IDFA).
- 100% Offline Capability: All gameplay, dinosaur artwork, sound effects, music, and educational facts are bundled directly within the app and function entirely offline without internet connectivity.
- Local On-Device Storage Only: All game progress (puzzle completion status, unlocked dinosaurs, and settings preferences) is stored exclusively on the user's local device.
- Full Legal Compliance: Dino Puzzle Pals strictly adheres to:
- COPPA (Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, 15 U.S.C. §§ 6501–6506, 16 C.F.R. Part 312)
- GDPR-K / UK-GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation — Children's Data Provisions, Article 8)
- CCPA / CPRA (California Consumer Privacy Act / California Privacy Rights Act child privacy protections)
- LGPD (Brazilian General Data Protection Law — Children & Adolescent Data Protections, Article 14)
- Google Play Families Policy (Designed for Families Program requirements)
- Apple App Store Kids Category Guidelines (Guideline 1.3 & 5.1.4)
2. Information We Process & Data Storage
2.1 On-Device Local Game Data (Non-Personal)
The App uses local device storage (via Flutter's shared_preferences) strictly to save game state across sessions so children can resume their progress. This information never leaves the local device:
| Data Element | Purpose | Storage Method | Transmitted Off-Device? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sound FX Toggle | Remembers audio mute preference | Key-value store (sound_enabled) |
No (Local Only) |
| Music Toggle | Remembers music mute preference | Key-value store (music_enabled) |
No (Local Only) |
| Tile Numbers Toggle | Remembers tile number guide preference | Key-value store (show_tile_numbers) |
No (Local Only) |
| Dino Album Unlocks | Tracks which dinosaurs have been unlocked | Key-value store (unlocked_dinos) |
No (Local Only) |
| Completed Difficulties | Tracks completed puzzle grid sizes per dino | Key-value store (dino_progress_*) |
No (Local Only) |
| Active Puzzle State | Allows saving and resuming in-progress puzzle | Key-value store (active_puzzle) |
No (Local Only) |
2.2 Information We Do NOT Collect
Dino Puzzle Pals does NOT:
- Request or collect names, usernames, nicknames, or real names.
- Request or collect email addresses, phone numbers, or physical addresses.
- Access precise or coarse GPS location data.
- Access the device camera, microphone, photo gallery, contacts, or calendar.
- Collect persistent device identifiers for tracking (e.g. IMEI, MAC address, Android ID, Advertising ID).
- Include social media login, chat features, open commenting, or multi-player interactions.
- Include web browser viewports or uncurated external links accessible to children.
3. Advertising & Analytics Policy
3.1 Advertising
- In the current release version of Dino Puzzle Pals, there are NO advertisements.
- If family-safe advertising is introduced in any future release, it will:
- Exclusively utilize Google Play Certified Ad SDKs for Families.
- Operate strictly in child-directed mode (COPPA flag enabled, non-personalized/contextual only).
- Contain zero interest-based behavioral targeting, retargeting, or cross-app profiling.
- Comply with all Google Play Families ad format restrictions (no deceptive ads, no interstitial gates blocking gameplay unexpectedly).
3.2 Analytics & Third-Party SDKs
- The app contains NO third-party behavioral analytics, crash reporting trackers, or marketing SDKs that collect personal user telemetry.
- Audio playback and image rendering are handled entirely through local, offline Flutter framework capabilities (
audioplayersand local asset bundling).
4. Parental Controls & Interactive Parental Gate Guidelines
To ensure children cannot inadvertently navigate out of the app, contact developers, or initiate external actions, Dino Puzzle Pals employs an interactive Parental Gate system compliant with Google Play Families and COPPA standards.
4.1 When a Parental Gate is Required
A Parental Gate is mandatory prior to:
- Opening external web URLs (e.g., privacy policy website, developer portal).
- Launching external communication apps (e.g., email client to support).
- Accessing the Google Play Store rating or store listing page.
- Initiating any future commercial transactions (e.g., In-App Purchases).
- Resetting all saved game progress.
4.2 Parental Gate Specification & Criteria
- Mechanism: Word-based arithmetic challenge (e.g., "Ask a Grown-Up: What is nine plus six?") presenting multiple choices with randomized answers and dynamic operands.
- Child-Resistance: The problem is phrased in full English words (e.g., "seven plus eight" rather than "7 + 8") requiring elementary reading comprehension and addition skills beyond the developmental baseline of young preschool players.
- No Pass-Through: A single button tap or generic "Are you sure?" confirmation dialog is not sufficient and is never used as a parental gate.
- Fail-Safe: Incorrect answers instantly dismiss the gate or generate a new randomized question without unlocking the external action.
5. Parent & Guardian Rights
Under COPPA, GDPR-K, and applicable global child data protection regulations, parents and legal guardians have the right to:
- Review information stored or processed by the application.
- Request the permanent deletion of any communications sent by them to our support channels.
- Refuse any future collection or processing of their child's data.
How to Exercise Your Rights
Because Dino Puzzle Pals stores all progress locally on the device and does not maintain remote user databases:
- To clear all on-device data: Open device settings → Apps → Dino Puzzle Pals → Storage → Clear Data, or use the "Reset Progress" option in Settings.
- To contact us regarding privacy inquiries: Email us directly at hodiau.dev@gmail.com. We respond to all parent inquiries within 48 business hours.
6. Google Play Console Declarations Guide
This section serves as the authoritative guide and record for submitting declarations in the Google Play Console for Dino Puzzle Pals.
6.1 Target Audience & Content (Designed for Families)
| Field / Question | Selected Value | Justification / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Target Age Groups | 5 and under, 6 to 8, 9 to 12 |
Specifically designed for kids aged 4–12 and families. |
| Child-Directed Declaration | Yes | The app is primarily directed toward children. |
| Families Policy Compliance | Yes | Fully complies with all Google Play Families Policy requirements. |
| Neutral Age Screen | Not required | App is child-directed; no adult-only non-compliant features exist. |
| Ads Declaration | "No, my app does not contain ads" | Verified for current release. |
| App Access / Credentials | All functionality available without credentials | No login, passwords, or accounts required. |
6.2 Data Safety Form (Google Play Console)
| Data Safety Question | Answer | Details / Explanations |
|---|---|---|
| Does your app collect or share any user data? | No | The app does not collect, transmit, or share any user data. |
| Data Collection | None | No personal, financial, location, or usage data collected. |
| Data Sharing | None | No data shared with third parties. |
| Data Encryption in Transit | N/A (No data transmitted) | All operations are local to the device. |
| Data Deletion Mechanism | User controlled | Users can delete local data at any time via device app settings or reset button. |
Detailed Data Types Verification:
- Location (Approximate / Precise): Not collected.
- Personal Info (Name, Email, Address, Phone, User IDs): Not collected.
- Financial Info (Payment details, purchase history): Not collected.
- Health & Fitness: Not collected.
- Messages / Emails / SMS: Not collected.
- Photos & Videos: Not collected.
- Audio Files / Voice Recordings: Not collected.
- Files & Docs: Not collected.
- Calendar / Contacts: Not collected.
- App Activity (Page views, clicks, search): Not collected.
- Web Browsing: Not collected.
- App Info & Performance (Crash logs, diagnostics): Not collected.
- Device or other IDs (Advertising ID, Android ID): Not collected.
6.3 IARC Content Rating Questionnaire
| Category | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Category | App Category | Game: Puzzle / Trivia / Educational |
| Violence | Does the game contain violence against humans or animals? | No (Friendly cartoon dinosaurs, peaceful puzzle solving) |
| Fear / Horror | Does the game contain frightening or horrific elements? | No (Cute, smiling, colorful prehistoric characters) |
| Sexuality | Does the game contain sexual content, nudity, or themes? | No |
| Simulated Gambling | Does the game teach or encourage gambling? | No |
| Language | Does the game contain potentially offensive language? | No (Only dinosaur names and educational fun facts) |
| Controlled Substances | Does the game reference tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs? | No |
| Crude Humor | Does the game contain bodily humor or crude humor? | No |
| User Interaction | Does the app allow users to interact or exchange messages? | No |
| Location Sharing | Does the app share the user's physical location? | No |
| Digital Purchases | Does the app allow users to purchase digital goods? | No (In initial base release; if added, behind parental gate) |
| Web Content | Does the app contain an unrestricted web browser? | No |
Expected International Ratings Output:
- ESRB (North America):
Everyone (E) - PEGI (Europe):
PEGI 3 - USK (Germany):
USK 0 - IARC:
3+/General Audience - ClassInd (Brazil):
Livre (L) - ACB (Australia):
General (G)
7. Privacy Policy Hosting & Repository Access
This privacy policy is maintained within the project repository at docs/PRIVACY_POLICY.md and is publicly hosted on our website for Google Play Console Store Listing submission.
8. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect game enhancements or evolving regulatory requirements. Any modifications will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this document. We encourage parents to periodically review this policy to stay informed about our child safety practices.
9. Contact Information
For any questions, parental requests, or privacy concerns regarding Dino Puzzle Pals, please contact:
- Developer Name: Hodiau Dev
- Email: hodiau.dev@gmail.com
- Subject Line: Dino Puzzle Pals - Child Privacy Inquiry