1. Information We Collect
We collect information you provide directly to us:
- Account information — email address, username, and password (hashed with bcrypt) when you create an account
- Username — your public username shown in games, changeable once every 30 days
- Study progress — quiz scores, question results, and mastery data stored locally in your browser (localStorage)
- User-generated content — study sets, notes, and custom game modes you create
2. Information Collected Automatically
When you use Zingot, we may automatically collect:
- Usage data — pages visited, features used, time spent (via Vercel Analytics)
- Device information — browser type, operating system, screen resolution
- Cookies & localStorage — authentication tokens ("remember me"), game state, mastery tracking, and user preferences. You can clear this data at any time via your browser settings.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve our services
- Authenticate your account and keep you logged in
- Enable multiplayer game sessions via WebSocket
- Analyze usage patterns to improve the platform
- Display relevant advertisements via Google AdSense
- Generate AI-powered study questions and performance analysis (no personal data is sent to AI providers)
4. Advertising & Google AdSense
Zingot uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google AdSense uses cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on your visits to this site and other websites. You can learn more about Google's advertising practices at:
policies.google.com/technologies/ads
Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the Internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Ads Settings.
We also use Vercel Insights for basic analytics (page views, performance metrics). This data is anonymized and used only for platform improvement.
5. Data Storage & Third Parties
- TiDB Cloud — our database provider for storing user accounts, study sets, and custom modes (hosted in the US)
- Vercel — our hosting provider, stores server logs and provides analytics
- Render — hosts our WebSocket server for real-time multiplayer (no persistent data stored)
- OpenRouter — processes AI-powered set generation and analysis (question content only, no personal data)
- Google AdSense — serves contextual advertisements
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. Data is stored securely and access is limited to what is necessary for platform operation.
6. Data Retention & Deletion
- Account data — retained for as long as your account is active. You can request deletion at any time.
- Study sets & modes — remain in our database until you delete them or request account removal.
- Local data — mastery scores, game history, and preferences stored in your browser's localStorage can be cleared via browser settings or by clicking "Reset Mastery" on any set.
- Server logs — retained for up to 30 days for security and debugging purposes.
7. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)
Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- Rectification — request correction of inaccurate data
- Deletion — request deletion of your account and associated data ("right to be forgotten")
- Opt out — opt out of data collection for advertising purposes via Google Ads Settings
- Data portability — request your data in a machine-readable format
- Withdraw consent — withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within 30 days.
8. Children's Privacy
Zingot is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will delete it promptly.
9. Security
We take reasonable security measures to protect your data:
- Passwords are hashed using bcrypt before storage
- All connections are encrypted via HTTPS
- API endpoints use authentication tokens where applicable
- We follow security best practices for database access and API keys
However, no method of electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.
10. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or report a concern, please reach out via our Contact page.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated date at the top. Material changes will be notified via the Platform.
Zingot