Maelstrom does not require an account and does not ask players to provide names, email addresses, precise locations, contacts, photos, or gameplay histories. The app uses Google Mobile Ads, Google's User Messaging Platform, Google Analytics for Firebase, Firebase Installations, and Google Ads measurement. These services may process limited device, advertising, analytics, interaction, and diagnostic information as described below. Maelstrom is configured to request non-personalized Google ads.
1. About this policy
This Privacy Policy explains how information is handled when you use Maelstrom, an iOS arcade game developed and published by John Verco. It applies to Maelstrom version 1.0.3 and later until it is replaced by an updated policy. It covers the app's advertising, analytics, campaign measurement, consent, and privacy-choice features.
2. Information Maelstrom does not directly request
Maelstrom does not provide user accounts and does not ask you to submit personal information in order to play. The app does not ask for your name, email address, contacts, photos, precise location, or other account information.
Settings, preferences, scores, progress, and other gameplay information needed to operate the game may be stored locally on your device. John Verco does not receive that locally stored information. You can remove it by deleting the app from your device.
Maelstrom does not set a custom Firebase Analytics User ID and does not intentionally transmit saved progress, scores, or complete gameplay histories to Firebase Analytics. The app does not use Firebase Crashlytics, a cloud-save service, or a developer-operated user-profile database. Integrated Google SDKs may nevertheless process the limited categories of information described below.
3. Third-party services and data categories
Maelstrom integrates the following Google services:
- Google Mobile Ads / AdMob, which supplies optional rewarded ads and occasional interstitial ads;
- Google User Messaging Platform, which presents and records applicable consent and privacy choices;
- Google Analytics for Firebase, which measures app usage, engagement, app acquisition, and campaign effectiveness;
- Firebase Installations, which provides an identifier for an individual installed instance of the app for supported Firebase services; and
- Google Ads, which may receive or use eligible conversion and campaign-measurement information from Google Analytics and Firebase.
According to the privacy manifests and documentation supplied with these SDKs, the services may process:
- An IP address, which may be used to estimate a device's coarse or general location;
- Device-, app-, developer-, or installation-scoped identifiers;
- Advertising information, such as advertisements that were shown;
- Product interactions, such as app launches, taps, engagement events, and video or advertisement interactions;
- Crash, performance, technical, and other diagnostic information; and
- Campaign and attribution information used to understand how users discovered or installed Maelstrom.
For the current iOS build, Apple's combined SDK privacy report identifies Device ID as linked to a device or app installation and used for tracking under Apple's definition. Coarse Location, Product Interaction, and Advertising Data are identified as linked but not used for tracking. Crash Data, Performance Data, and Other Diagnostic Data are identified as not linked and not used for tracking. These SDK declarations may change when the incorporated third-party SDKs are updated.
For more information, review Google's Privacy Policy, How Google uses information from apps and sites that use its services, and Privacy and Security in Firebase.
4. Advertising
Maelstrom uses Google AdMob to provide two forms of advertising: optional rewarded ads that let a player continue after a game ends, and occasional interstitial ads shown at a natural post-game transition.
Maelstrom is configured to request non-personalized Google ads for all users, including users who grant broader consent through Google's privacy interface. The app also disables Google Mobile Ads' publisher first-party identifier. These settings are intended to reduce advertising personalization and publisher-level identification.
Non-personalized advertising does not mean that no information is processed. Google may still use contextual information, coarse location, device- or app-scoped identifiers, advertising events, and technical information to deliver and measure ads, limit repeated ads, detect fraud and abuse, maintain security, diagnose technical problems, and improve its advertising services.
Maelstrom does not integrate a separate advertising network or mediation provider. Google may work with advertisers and authorized advertising technology providers involved in delivering and measuring AdMob ads. Those providers may be disclosed through Google's consent interface where required.
5. Analytics, Firebase Installations, and campaign measurement
Maelstrom uses Google Analytics for Firebase. Firebase Analytics automatically records certain supported lifecycle, session, engagement, device, app, and attribution events and properties. John Verco uses these reports to understand app usage, measure audience and acquisition performance, evaluate advertising campaigns, diagnose broad usage trends, and guide future improvements.
Maelstrom does not assign a custom Analytics User ID and does not intentionally send a player's name, email address, saved progress, scores, or complete gameplay history to Firebase Analytics. Analytics data may instead be associated with a device-, app-, or installation-scoped identifier.
Firebase Installations generates a Firebase installation identifier for an installed instance of Maelstrom. Firebase and Google Analytics may use that identifier internally to provide analytics and attribution information associated with that app installation. Different installations receive different identifiers.
When the Firebase and Google Analytics property is linked to Google Ads, eligible campaign and conversion information, including supported first-launch or acquisition events, may be used to measure the effectiveness of advertisements promoting Maelstrom and to report campaign results.
6. Device identifiers, tracking, and App Tracking Transparency
Maelstrom does not request permission through Apple's App Tracking Transparency framework and does not directly access Apple's Identifier for Advertisers (IDFA). The app does not implement its own user-account matching or app-owned cross-app tracking system.
However, the privacy manifest supplied with the Google Mobile Ads SDK declares that Device ID may be used for tracking under Apple's privacy definition, which includes certain advertising-measurement uses involving data from other companies' apps, websites, or offline properties. Maelstrom's App Store privacy label therefore discloses Device ID as linked to the user or device and used for tracking.
Maelstrom's non-personalized-ad configuration and disabled publisher first-party identifier reduce personalization and publisher-level identification, but they do not override or erase all potential advertising-measurement uses declared by an incorporated SDK. If a future version adds ATT-based access, new advertising partners, or materially different identifier use, this policy and the App Store disclosures will be updated.
7. Consent Mode and privacy choices
Maelstrom uses Google's User Messaging Platform to request and record applicable advertising and analytics privacy choices. In regions where a Google privacy message is required, you may consent, decline consent, or manage individual options. Maelstrom initializes Firebase before the consent process so Google Consent Mode can apply the relevant choices to analytics storage, advertising storage, advertising user data, and advertising personalization.
Outside the EEA, United Kingdom, and Switzerland, Maelstrom's current default configuration permits storage used for analytics and ad delivery while denying advertising user data and advertising personalization. Where European regulations apply, Google's User Messaging Platform may update those consent states based on the choices presented to the user. Regardless of those choices, Maelstrom continues to request non-personalized Google ads.
Maelstrom does not request an advertisement until Google's consent information indicates that ads may be requested. Declining consent does not prevent you from playing Maelstrom, although Google may serve limited, contextual, or non-personalized ads where legally permitted.
Where a privacy-options entry point is required, you can reopen it from Maelstrom's Privacy Choices control to review or change your decision. You may also adjust relevant privacy and advertising settings on your iOS device. If you cannot access the privacy-options control, contact John Verco using the address below.
8. Sharing and sale of information
John Verco does not independently sell personal information collected through Maelstrom for money. Information processed in connection with advertising, analytics, consent, installation measurement, and campaign attribution may be disclosed to or processed by Google and its authorized advertising or technology partners as described in Google's policies and applicable consent interfaces.
Any third party with whom Maelstrom shares user information is required to provide the same or equivalent protection described in this policy and required by applicable platform rules and law. Information may also be disclosed if required by law, legal process, or a valid governmental request.
Where applicable law treats certain advertising or measurement disclosures as a "sale," "sharing," or targeted advertising, eligible users may exercise an available opt-out through the privacy controls in the app, their device settings, Google's privacy tools, or by contacting John Verco.
9. Retention and deletion
Deleting Maelstrom removes settings and gameplay information stored locally by the app on your device. Deleting the app does not necessarily cause information already processed by Google to be deleted immediately.
Google retains and deletes information processed through AdMob, Google Analytics for Firebase, Firebase Installations, the User Messaging Platform, and Google Ads according to the applicable service settings, terms, policies, and legal obligations. Analytics reports and installation-level information may be retained according to the configured Google service retention settings.
Because Maelstrom does not create user accounts or collect a player's name or email address through the app, John Verco may not be able to associate an anonymous device- or installation-level record with a particular individual without additional information. Privacy or deletion requests concerning information controlled by Google may need to be directed to Google through its privacy tools or contact methods.
If you contact John Verco by email, your message and contact information may be retained for as long as reasonably necessary to respond, maintain appropriate records, resolve disputes, or comply with legal obligations. You may request deletion of those direct communications unless retention is legally required.
10. Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, deletion of, or restriction of personal information; to object to or opt out of certain processing, sale, sharing, tracking, or targeted advertising; to withdraw consent; to receive a portable copy of certain information; and to appeal a denied request. You will not be discriminated against for exercising an applicable privacy right.
You may review available consent choices through Maelstrom's Privacy Choices control. Because John Verco does not maintain user accounts and much of the relevant information is processed by Google at a device-, app-, or installation-scoped level, some requests may need to be submitted directly to Google. You may still contact John Verco for assistance using the email address below. Residents of the EEA, United Kingdom, or Switzerland may also lodge a complaint with their local data-protection authority.
11. Children's privacy
Maelstrom is a general-audience arcade game and is not directed specifically to children under 13. John Verco does not knowingly collect names, email addresses, or other personal information directly from children through Maelstrom. If you believe a child has provided personal information directly to John Verco, please contact John Verco so the matter can be reviewed and addressed.
12. International processing
Google and its service providers may process advertising, analytics, installation, consent, campaign, and diagnostic information in countries other than the country where you live. Google describes its international data-transfer and protection practices in its privacy policy. John Verco is based in the United States.
13. Security
Reasonable measures are used to limit Maelstrom's data collection, request non-personalized advertising, disable Google Mobile Ads' publisher first-party identifier, and rely on established platform and service providers. No method of electronic processing, storage, or transmission is completely secure, however, and absolute security cannot be guaranteed.
14. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated when Maelstrom's features, advertising, analytics, consent, campaign-measurement practices, service providers, or legal obligations change. The revised policy will be posted at this URL with an updated effective date. Material changes will be communicated in the app when appropriate or required.
15. Contact
For questions or privacy requests concerning Maelstrom, contact:
John Verco
Email: hello@verco.ai
United States