Overview
Critter Captains is an iPhone logic game published by Sebastiano Zane under the name Forcola. This policy explains how information is handled by the app and these support pages.
You do not need an account. Your puzzles, progress and supplies stay on your device. Advertising services can process technical information, even though Forcola does not operate an account or cloud-save service.
Information handled by Critter Captains
| Local game data | Campaign and daily puzzles, submarine placements, water notes, lives, hints, reveals, tutorial progress, completed daily dates, streaks and freezes, settings, installation time and ad timing. Forcola does not upload this saved game. |
|---|---|
| Advertising and diagnostics | Google Mobile Ads may process IP address and approximate location inferred from it, app or device identifiers, ads viewed, ad interactions, app interactions, crash information and performance data. These support ad delivery, measurement, reliability and fraud prevention. |
| Privacy choices | Google's User Messaging Platform processes and stores advertising-consent choices and related technical information so that eligible ad requests respect those choices. |
| Local reminders | If you enable daily reminders, iOS stores permission and notification scheduling information on your device. Forcola does not operate a push-notification server. |
| Support correspondence | If you email support, Forcola receives your email address, message and any attachments you choose to send. |
The app does not request contacts, photos, microphone access, precise GPS location or payment details. There is no account profile or in-app purchase in the current version. Please avoid including unnecessary personal information in support messages.
Advertising
Critter Captains uses Google AdMob for banners, occasional ads between attempts or levels, and optional rewarded ads. Rewards can provide a hint, a whole-submarine reveal, restored lives or a streak freeze. Choosing a rewarded ad is optional; a reward is granted only when the advertising service confirms it was earned.
Where required, the app presents Google's privacy message before requesting eligible ads. Depending on your region and choices, ads may be personalised, non-personalised or limited. Declining personalised advertising does not necessarily stop all advertising or all technical data processing. You can continue playing and restart without a rewarded video when an ad is unavailable.
After Google's consent check allows ads, Critter Captains requests Apple's App Tracking Transparency permission if you have not already made a choice. If you allow tracking, the advertising SDK may use Apple's advertising identifier for more relevant ads and advertising measurement, subject to your other consent choices. If you decline or tracking is restricted, the app does not receive permission to use that identifier; eligible non-personalised or limited ads may still be available. Playing and restarting do not require tracking permission. Advertising services can still process the technical information described above.
Forcola does not sell personal information for money. Advertising processing can fall within legal definitions of sharing or targeted advertising in some regions; use the available advertising privacy controls to manage those choices.
See how Google uses information from apps using its services and Google Mobile Ads data disclosures.
Game statistics and crash reporting
Share game statistics is off by default. If you enable it, Firebase Analytics receives game events such as level starts and completions, mistakes, tutorial progress and reward use, along with associated app, device and installation information. These statistics help us understand difficulty and improve the game. The Analytics integration excludes advertising-identifier collection and disables Analytics advertising storage, advertising user-data use and ad personalisation; turning on statistics does not turn on those advertising uses. You can turn them off in Settings. Firebase Crashlytics reporting remains disabled. Advertising diagnostics described above are separate.
Firebase Remote Config retrieves settings such as when ads become eligible and the time between them. It uses app and installation identifiers, device settings such as language, country and time zone, and operating-system and network information to deliver those settings. This service operates independently of the optional game-statistics switch. Turning off game statistics does not withdraw advertising consent; those controls are separate. See Firebase privacy information and Firebase data disclosures.
Your choices
- Advertising: open Critter Captains → Settings → Ad privacy choices. This option appears when Google requires a privacy-options entry point. You can review or withdraw the choices available for your region.
- Apple tracking permission: manage your choice in iOS Settings → Privacy & Security → Tracking. This choice is separate from Google’s advertising privacy choices and optional game statistics.
- Statistics: Share game statistics in Settings is optional and off by default. Turn it off to stop future optional Firebase Analytics collection; this does not turn off Remote Config or change advertising choices.
- Reward videos: choose Not now to dismiss an offer. Free supplies are used before a video is offered for that booster. Restarting does not require a rewarded video.
- Notifications: after daily puzzles unlock, Daily puzzle reminder in Settings is off until you enable it and allow notifications. Turn it off there, or manage Critter Captains notifications in iOS Settings. Reminders are scheduled locally two hours before the daily reset at midnight UTC, for the next seven days; completing today's daily cancels its reminder.
- Saved progress: deleting the app removes its local save unless restored through a device backup. Critter Captains has no account to delete and no Forcola cloud-save copy. Manage device backups separately in your Apple settings.
- Privacy requests: email forcolasupport@icloud.com for access, deletion or other privacy questions. This website cannot directly change consent saved inside your app.
Purposes and legal bases
Local game information is used to deliver the game you request and restore your progress. Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, consent is used for optional processing that requires it, including relevant advertising choices. You can withdraw that consent without affecting processing already lawfully carried out.
Support correspondence is used to answer your request and resolve problems, based on Forcola's legitimate interest in providing support. Security and abuse prevention may rely on legitimate interests where permitted, and information may be retained or disclosed to meet legal obligations. Advertising providers explain their purposes and applicable legal bases in the consent information and their privacy documentation.
Retention
Local game information remains until it is replaced during play, removed with the app or restored from a backup. Support messages are retained only for as long as needed to resolve the request, keep a necessary support record, address disputes or satisfy legal obligations.
Advertising, analytics and platform providers retain information under their own policies and applicable settings. Withdrawing consent stops future consent-based processing as applicable; it does not automatically erase every record already held. Contact Forcola about information held through support, and use the providers' privacy controls for their records.
Children
Critter Captains is a general-audience logic game. Its animal characters do not imply that personalised advertising is appropriate for children. Forcola does not knowingly solicit personal information from children through support. If you believe a child has sent personal information, contact Forcola so the information can be reviewed and removed where appropriate.
Your privacy rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete or receive a copy of personal information, restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent, or opt out of sale, sharing or targeted advertising. Email Forcola using the contact below; identity verification may be needed to fulfil a request.
Because there is no account and your save is local, Forcola cannot necessarily identify or retrieve advertising-provider records from your email address alone. Do not send passwords or unnecessary identifying documents. Forcola will explain any information reasonably needed to handle your request.
You can complain to your local data-protection authority, including the UK Information Commissioner's Office where applicable. Forcola will not discriminate against you for exercising an applicable privacy right.
This website
These pages do not use analytics scripts, advertising scripts, contact forms or cookies set by Forcola. Fonts and styling are served with the site. GitHub Pages may process network and request information as the hosting provider. Opening external links or sending email is subject to the relevant provider's privacy practices.
Changes to this policy
The effective date will change when this policy is updated. Material changes will be explained in the app where appropriate. Changes to advertising, optional services or data collection will be reflected in the policy and the applicable privacy choices.
Contact
Sebastiano Zane publishes Critter Captains as Forcola and is responsible for its privacy practices. For questions or requests, email forcolasupport@icloud.com.