Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains what personal information TAIPAN! (the "App") and this companion website, taipantycoon.com (the "Site"), collect, why, and what rights you have over it — written to meet the disclosure requirements of the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation ("GDPR") and the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the CPRA ("CCPA"). The short version: we collect very little, we don't sell or share it, and almost everything about your game stays on your own device or in your own iCloud account.
1. Who We Are
TAIPAN! is published by A. Gacutan ("we," "us," "our"), who is the data controller for the purposes described here. You can reach us at contact@taipantycoon.com.
2. Information We Collect
From the App: TAIPAN! does not have its own servers and does not collect or transmit your gameplay data to us. Your current game, Captain's Log run history, and settings are stored locally on your device using standard iOS local storage. If you're signed in to iCloud, the App also backs up this same save data to your personal iCloud account (via Apple's iCloud key-value storage) so it can follow you to a new device signed in with the same Apple ID. That backup is stored and transmitted entirely within Apple's iCloud infrastructure, under your Apple ID and Apple's own privacy policy — we never see this data and cannot access it remotely, whether it's sitting on your device or in your iCloud account.
From Game Center: if you choose to use the Net Worth leaderboard or achievements, your Game Center nickname, scores, and achievement progress are handled directly between your device and Apple under Apple's own Game Center terms and privacy policy. We receive none of this directly — Apple may make aggregate or per-player data available to us only through Apple's standard Game Center / App Store Connect reporting tools.
From this Site's contact form: if you use the Support page's contact form, we collect the name, email address, subject, and message you choose to type in. This is submitted directly to a form-relay service (see Section 5) that emails it to us — we don't otherwise store it in a database.
From browsing this Site: this Site uses no cookies, no analytics, and no third-party tracking scripts of any kind. We don't know who you are or what pages you viewed unless you fill out the contact form. Standard web server access logs (IP address, browser type, timestamp) may be generated automatically by our hosting provider for security and abuse-prevention purposes, and are not used to identify you individually.
3. Why We Process This Information (Legal Basis)
Where GDPR applies, our legal basis for each use is:
- Contact form submissions: your consent, given by voluntarily completing and submitting the form (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)).
- Replying to your message: our legitimate interest in providing customer support (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)).
- Local app data, iCloud backup, and Game Center: performance of the App's core functionality that you request by playing it (GDPR Art. 6(1)(b), to the extent it applies to a locally-run app with an optional personal cloud backup).
4. We Do Not Sell or Share Your Personal Information
We do not sell, rent, or "share" (as that term is defined under the CCPA, including for cross-context behavioral advertising) any personal information, and we never have. There are no advertising SDKs, data brokers, or ad-tracking pixels anywhere in the App or on this Site.
5. Third Parties We Use
A small number of third-party services process limited data on our behalf:
- Apple Inc. — Game Center, App Store distribution, and, when you're signed in to iCloud, the iCloud key-value storage that backs up and syncs your save data across your own devices. Governed by Apple's own privacy policy.
- FormSubmit (formsubmit.co) — relays the Support page contact form to our inbox by email. FormSubmit processes the form fields you submit (name, email, subject, message) solely to deliver that email; see their own privacy policy for details.
- Our hosting provider — serves the static files that make up this Site and may generate standard access logs as described in Section 2.
None of these parties receive data to sell, advertise with, or build profiles about you.
6. Data Retention
Local app data (your current game and Captain's Log) stays on your device until you delete the App or clear its data, and is never retained by us. The iCloud backup copy of that same data persists in your own iCloud account according to Apple's own retention practices, until you delete it yourself (for example, by turning off iCloud for the App or deleting your iCloud data for it). Contact form messages are kept only as long as reasonably needed to address your inquiry, then deleted; we don't maintain a long-term mailing list or contact database from support emails.
7. Your Rights Under GDPR
If you're in the EU, UK, or a jurisdiction with similar protections, you have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you;
- Correct inaccurate information;
- Request erasure of your information;
- Restrict or object to our processing of your information;
- Receive your information in a portable format; and
- Lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.
Because the only personal information we hold is whatever you've sent us through the contact form — your local and iCloud save data is yours alone, and we never receive or hold it — exercising these rights is simple — email us at contact@taipantycoon.com and we'll act on your request within one month.
8. Your Rights Under CCPA
If you're a California resident, you have the right to:
- Know what personal information we've collected about you and why;
- Delete personal information we hold about you;
- Correct inaccurate personal information;
- Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information — though as stated in Section 4, we don't sell or share it in the first place, so there's nothing to opt out of; and
- Not be discriminated against for exercising any of these rights.
To exercise any of these rights, email contact@taipantycoon.com from the address you want us to act on, and let us know what you're asking for. We'll verify your request and respond within 45 days.
9. Cookies & Tracking
This Site does not set cookies, does not run analytics (Google Analytics or otherwise), and does not embed third-party tracking pixels or fonts loaded from a tracking-capable CDN. There is nothing to consent to here, and no cookie banner, because there's nothing being tracked.
10. Children's Privacy
TAIPAN! is not directed at children under 13 (or the equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Since the App stores data locally rather than collecting it on a server, there is no account creation or personal data submission within the App itself. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us through the Site's contact form, contact us and we'll delete it promptly.
11. International Data Transfers
If you contact us from outside the United States, the message you send may be processed by FormSubmit and our hosting provider on servers located in the United States or elsewhere. By submitting the contact form, you understand your message may be transferred internationally to deliver it to us.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the App, the Site, or applicable law. We'll update the "Last updated" date above whenever we do; material changes will be reflected here before they take effect.
13. Contact Us
Questions about this policy, or want to exercise any of the rights above? Reach us at contact@taipantycoon.com or through the Support page.