This Privacy Policy explains what information the Sift mobile app ("Sift", "the app", "we", "us") and its online services collect, how it is used, and the choices you have. Sift is a puzzle and quiz game developed and operated by Seif Eddine.
The short version
- You can play Sift's single-player puzzles and quizzes without an account. That progress stays on your device.
- Online features use our servers: Sift 60 (daily challenge and leaderboard), Party (multiplayer rooms) and Community (question packs made by creators). They process the information described below.
- Only Community creators create an account, with an email address, username and password.
- We use Google services for analytics, crash reports, in-app messages and advertising, and Google Play for purchases on Android.
- We do not sell your personal information.
1. Who we are
Sift is developed and operated by Seif Eddine, who is the "data controller" for the information described here. For any privacy question or request, contact contact@siftpuzzle.online.
2. Information stored on your device
Sift saves the following on your device. It is not sent to us unless a section below says so:
- Puzzle and quiz progress, results, streaks and statistics
- In-game balances such as coins, lives and hints, and a record of what your purchases unlocked
- Preferences (language, sound, haptics, reduced motion, notification settings)
- The name you last used in Party, and the identifiers and access tokens the app uses for Sift 60, Party and Community (a Community creator's sign-in token is kept in the device's secure storage)
Deleting the app removes this on-device data.
3. Sift 60
The first time you use Sift 60, the app registers your installation with our Sift 60 server. We then process:
- Player profile: a random installation identifier and player ID created by our server, your display name and, only if you choose one, your country. If you have already used a name in Party, the app suggests it as your display name; you can change it.
- Device details: platform (Android or iOS) and app version.
- Gameplay: each run's start time and deadline, the answers you choose and when they arrive, score, number of correct answers, streaks and attempt number. We analyse answer timing to detect cheating.
- Rewarded runs: if you watch a rewarded ad to replay a challenge or play an extra run, we record that reward and mark the run as assisted. Assisted runs never appear on the leaderboard.
- Challenges with friends: when you create a challenge link, we store a challenge code. Anyone with the link can see your display name and the score you set.
- Moderation: if a display name breaks our rules, we may change it, ask you to change it, or restrict your access. We keep a record of name changes and restrictions.
Public information: the Sift 60 leaderboards show your display name, your country if you chose one, and your ranked score. Do not use your real name or other personal details as your display name.
4. Party
Party lets you play with friends in a room identified by a short code. To run a game, our Party server processes the name you enter, the room code, and your answers and choices during the game. This information is held in the server's memory for as long as the room exists and is not stored in a database. Other players in your room see your name and in-game results.
When a room plays a Community pack, the app uses an anonymous player identifier issued by our Community server. We record that the pack was played, which version was played and how many players took part, using pseudonymous identifiers that do not reveal who you are. We use these records for play statistics.
5. Community packs and creator accounts
Players
Browsing and playing published Community packs does not need an account. If you report a pack, we store the reason, any details you write, the pack and question concerned and a pseudonymous identifier for you, so that one person cannot file the same report many times. We do not store your IP address or device details with a report, and we never show the creator who reported their pack.
Creators
If you create a creator account, we process:
- Account details: your email address, username, password and language preference, and the version of the Creator Terms you accepted. Passwords are stored only as a salted, keyed hash.
- Account security: one-time verification and password-reset codes (stored as keyed hashes, valid for 15 minutes), and sign-in sessions with their start and last-use times and a shortened form of your IP address (the first three parts of an IPv4 address, or the first part of an IPv6 address), which you can see and end in the app.
- Your packs: titles, descriptions, questions, answers, explanations, category, language and cover images, every submitted version, and moderation decisions and reports about them. Cover images are converted to a standard format when uploaded, which removes embedded metadata such as location.
- Statistics: aggregated play counts and numbers of players for your published packs.
Public information: your username and the content of your published packs are visible to all Sift players.
Emails: we use your email address to send verification codes, password-reset codes and security notices such as a password change. We do not send marketing email.
The photo library is accessed only when you choose a cover image, and only the image you pick is uploaded.
6. Information collected automatically
Analytics (Google Analytics for Firebase)
Usage events such as app opens, modes and screens used, games started and completed, hints, lives and coins used, sharing, purchases and ad activity (including the estimated value of ads shown), together with the app language, general device information (model, operating system version) and approximate country or region. These events are linked to a Firebase installation identifier, not to your name, email or account.
Crash and performance diagnostics (Firebase Crashlytics)
If the app crashes or misbehaves we receive a crash report with the type of error, device state (model, OS version, memory) and a stack trace, plus non-identifying context such as the screen, game mode or ad placement in use. We use it only to find and fix problems.
Remote configuration and in-app messages
The app fetches settings from Firebase Remote Config and from our own configuration server, for example feature switches, maintenance notices and update notices. The request to our server includes only your platform and app version. Firebase In-App Messaging may show messages we create, such as event announcements, and uses your Firebase installation identifier and app activity to decide when to show them.
Server logs
When the app connects to our servers, they record standard technical information such as IP address, time, the address requested and the result. We use it for security, preventing abuse (for example rate limits) and fixing problems, and keep it only for a limited time.
Game content
The app downloads puzzles, quiz questions and other game content from our websites. Like any web request, this reveals your IP address to the server delivering it.
7. Advertising (Google AdMob)
Sift shows ads from Google AdMob: full-screen ads at natural breaks, and optional rewarded ads that you choose to watch for a benefit (such as a hint, coins, an extra life, or an extra Sift 60 run). AdMob may collect your device's advertising identifier, IP address, device and app information and ad interactions in order to show, measure and limit ads and to prevent fraud.
- EEA, UK and Switzerland: we ask for your consent through Google's consent message before ads can be personalised. You can change your choice at any time from the privacy options in Settings.
- iOS: we ask permission through App Tracking Transparency before the advertising identifier can be used for tracking. If you decline, you still see ads, but they are not based on tracking.
- We ask Google to limit ad content to its "PG" maximum content rating, and we do not tell Google that ads are for children.
8. In-app purchases
On Android, you can buy optional items such as removing ads, coins and lives through Google Play. Google Play handles payment, and we never receive your card or payment details. The app receives the purchase status from Google Play and records what you unlocked on your device. On iOS, Sift does not offer in-app purchases.
9. Notifications
If you turn them on, Sift schedules a daily reminder locally on your device. We do not send push notifications and do not collect data through notifications.
10. How we use information
- To run the game and its online features: Sift 60, leaderboards, challenges, Party rooms and Community packs
- To create and secure creator accounts and send account emails
- To review, publish and moderate Community content and handle reports
- To detect cheating, abuse and security problems
- To understand how the app is used and to improve it
- To find and fix crashes and bugs
- To show and measure ads and provide rewards for rewarded ads
- To deliver in-app purchases
- To meet legal obligations
11. How information is shared
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only:
- With other players, as described above (Sift 60 display name, country and score; Party names; creator usernames and published packs).
- With service providers who process it for us:
- Google: Firebase (Analytics, Crashlytics, Remote Config, In-App Messaging), AdMob and Google Play. See Google's Privacy Policy.
- Hostinger: hosting for our servers and websites, and the email service used to send creator account emails.
- Apple and Google, as the app stores that distribute Sift.
- When required by law or to protect the rights, safety and security of our players, Sift or others.
12. Legal bases (EEA / UK users)
Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on: contract, to provide the features you use (Sift 60, Party, Community and creator accounts) and to deliver purchases; legitimate interests, to keep the service secure, prevent cheating and abuse, moderate content, and understand and improve the app with analytics and crash reports; consent, for personalised advertising and the related use of advertising identifiers, which you can withdraw at any time; and legal obligation, where the law requires us to keep or disclose information.
13. How long we keep information
| Information | How long |
|---|---|
| On-device data | Until you clear it in the app or uninstall the app |
| Sift 60 profile, runs and scores | While Sift 60 operates, unless you ask us to delete them |
| Party rooms | In server memory only while the room exists |
| Creator verification and reset codes | Valid for 15 minutes; deleted 48 hours after they end |
| Creator sign-in sessions | Up to 30 days (ended after 7 days without use); deleted 30 days after they end |
| Unverified creator accounts | Deleted after 7 days |
| Creator accounts and packs | Until you delete your account. Then your email address and password are removed immediately and your packs are no longer shown; submitted content, moderation records and reports may be kept where needed for safety, disputes or legal obligations. |
| Community play records | At least 90 days in detail; aggregated statistics while the pack exists |
| Server logs | A limited time, for security and troubleshooting |
| Firebase and AdMob data | According to Google's retention settings |
14. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live (including the EEA, UK and California), you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict or object to processing of your information, and to data portability.
- Delete a creator account: in the app, from your creator account settings.
- Delete Sift 60 data or make any other request: email contact@siftpuzzle.online. To help us find your data, include your Sift 60 display name and roughly when you last played.
- Change your display name or country in Sift 60 at any time.
- Advertising: change your consent from the privacy options in Settings (where shown), reset or limit your advertising ID in your device settings, or change App Tracking Transparency on iOS.
- Notifications: turn the daily reminder off in Settings.
You also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority. California: we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined under the CCPA/CPRA, and we do not discriminate against anyone who exercises their rights.
15. Children
Sift is intended for a general audience aged 13 and older and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Community creator accounts are available only to people aged 16 or older. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.
16. International processing
Our service providers may process information in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, these transfers rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.
17. Security
Connections to our servers are encrypted (HTTPS). Passwords, access tokens and one-time codes are stored only as hashes, our databases are not reachable from the internet, and access to administrative tools is restricted. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.
18. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy, for example when we add features. We will change the "Last updated" date above and, for significant changes, give notice in the app or on this page.
19. Contact
Questions or requests about this policy or your data: contact@siftpuzzle.online · Seif Eddine.
Related: Community Creator Terms · Community Content Policy