Last updated: October 11, 2026
This policy covers Chicago Bomb Squad — the web app at this site and the iOS/Android apps of the same name. It explains what data we collect, why, and what choices you have.
If you play without signing in, we don't know who you are. Your progress (which levels you've completed, hints used) is stored only on your own device. We also generate a random device ID, not tied to your identity in any way, to count how many people play and which levels they reach — we cannot use it to identify you personally, and we cannot read it back to see anything you've entered.
If you sign in (with Apple, Google, or an email and password), we collect your email address. If you use Google, we also collect your name and profile picture as provided by Google; if you use Apple, just your name (Apple doesn't share a profile picture). We use this to save your progress across devices, to unlock later content, and — only if you've asked us to — to email you when new content is released. We never sell this information.
Gameplay progress (levels completed, hints and auto-marks used) is stored on our servers, tied to your account if you're signed in.
Feedback. If you send feedback from Settings in the app, we store your message together with the app version, the level you're on, your device type, and your account (if you're signed in) or your random device ID. We read it only to improve the game, and can't reply to it. Feedback sent while signed in is deleted if you delete your account.
Advertising. On the iOS/Android apps, ads appear in two ways: a short ad between some levels (from level 12, never during a puzzle, and not shown to Pro subscribers), and optional rewarded ads you can choose to watch to refill a hint or auto-mark. Both are served by an advertising partner — currently Unity Ads. We may switch between Unity Ads and Google AdMob, so both are listed here. In the process, the ad provider's SDK may collect your IP address (used to estimate country-level location), a device or advertising identifier, a user identifier, which ads you've seen, how you interacted with them, technical details about your device (language, model, screen size, connection type), and performance data such as crash logs. This is governed by the relevant provider's own privacy policy — Unity's or Google's. On iOS, we ask for your permission before any of this can be used to personalize ads to you (App Tracking Transparency) — if you decline, ads still work, they're just not personalized.
Install attribution. On the iOS/Android apps, we use AppsFlyer to understand which marketing campaign, if any, led to your installing the app, and to generate a random per-install identifier used for that measurement. This runs automatically on app launch — it does not require watching an ad. Depending on your App Tracking Transparency choice, AppsFlyer may also collect your device's advertising identifier, IP address (used to estimate country-level location), device model and OS version, and basic app-open/session events. This is governed by AppsFlyer's own privacy policy.
Purchases. Purchases (Notes, the Pro subscription) are processed by Apple — we never see your payment details. To unlock and restore what you've bought, we receive Apple's confirmation of the transaction and store a record of it: the product, purchase and expiry dates, Apple's transaction identifier, and the account or random device identifier it belongs to. Cancel or manage a subscription anytime in your Apple ID settings.
Diagnostics and first-session recordings. On the iOS/Android apps, we use Sentry to find and fix problems. If the app hits an error, Sentry receives a technical report (what went wrong, device model, OS and app version). For a brand-new player's first session only, Sentry also records a replay of the app's screens and taps so we can see where the game is confusing. All text on screen and anything you type are masked in these recordings, and we don't attach your name, email or account to them. This is governed by Sentry's privacy policy.
We do not sell your data to anyone, for any reason.
We don't request access to your contacts, camera, microphone, or photos. We don't track your precise location. We don't require a real name — an email address (or your Google account, if you choose that option) is all we ask for.
Chicago Bomb Squad is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we'll remove it.
If we make material changes to this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of the app after a change means you accept the updated policy.
Questions about this policy, or requests about your data, can be sent to aswin@thegroovapp.com.
← Back to the game