Privacy Policy

Effective November 11, 2026

HermitCrabs.net - The Game is operated by AngryPancakes LLC, an Oklahoma limited liability company (“we,” “us,” or “our”). This policy covers the game website and related support.

Local saves and optional cloud saves

You can play solo without signing in. Guest solo rounds, scores, coins, beach journal, and preferences save in your browser. Clearing site data can delete local progress and pending uploads; closing a tab normally does not. Others using the same browser profile may see saved progress.

Where online features are available, signing in with Google lets us store and sync gameplay progress across your devices. Guest solo progress can merge into that account, and the browser keeps a pending copy until the server acknowledges it. Sound and motion preferences stay on the device. Signing out does not delete server-side history.

Information processed online

• Google sign-in: if you choose it, we receive your Google account identifier and basic profile information such as name, email address, and profile image. We store identity, authorization, and session records to authenticate you. Google handles your password; the game does not receive it. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
• Progress and guest identity: online features use a random browser credential and server-side player identifier. We store gameplay evidence, scores, rewards, save versions, and device-branch identifiers needed for synchronization. Signing in can associate that guest identity and its multiplayer results with your account.
• Private rooms and chat: we process room names, display names, membership, presence, submitted gameplay actions, scores, results, and room text messages. Other room participants can see shared game information, display names, scoreboards, and chat. Invite links allow others to join within the room limit, so share them with the intended group. Avoid posting private or sensitive information in chat.
• Gameplay analytics: where the online backend is available, guest and signed-in play reports session identifiers, active play time, accepted words, hints, round outcomes, mode, difficulty, and pace. These reports help us understand how many people play and improve the game. Reports use the game’s random guest identity or signed-in account; signing in can link earlier guest reports. The analytics records do not include chat, email addresses, raw IP addresses, or browser fingerprints. Cloudflare Web Analytics may also measure site visits, referrers, and page performance without advertising tracking.
• Delivery and security: we and Cloudflare process IP addresses, browser details, requested URLs, request times, and security events. Restricted previews may also use Cloudflare Access sign-in details, including email addresses, authentication records, and access cookies.
• Definitions: when a definition is not bundled, opening it may send the word to Free Dictionary API, which also receives your IP address and connection information. We do not send your save, authentication cookies, or referring page address.
• Support: we receive the contact details and information you send us. Please provide only what is needed.

We use browser storage and cookies for local saves, guest identity, sign-in, security, and a bounded queue of gameplay analytics awaiting delivery. There are no payments or advertising trackers. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control do not change these practices. Blocking necessary storage or cookies can prevent saving, sign-in, or online play.

How we use and share information

We use information to run and secure the site, fix problems, answer requests, and meet legal obligations. Providers receive what they need for those tasks; see Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy. External services have their own privacy practices. Disclosure may also be necessary for legal or safety reasons or a business transfer, subject to privacy protections.

Where required, our legal grounds are providing the requested service, legitimate interests in operations and security, legal obligations, or consent. Processing may occur in the United States and other countries, subject to applicable transfer requirements.

Retention, security, and your choices

Local saves remain until you or your browser remove them. A room keeps its latest 100 chat messages while available. The host can close it, or it expires 24 hours after its last connection leaves. Cleanup removes temporary room state and chat after finalized results have been saved; temporary failures can delay cleanup. Room participant metadata and completed results remain separately, including after room closure, so personal history and rewards can be retained. Account progress and identity records also remain beyond an individual room’s lifetime.

Detailed gameplay analytics sessions and events are retained for up to 90 days, and daily activity summaries for up to 400 days, with scheduled cleanup. Daily player summaries retain random player identifiers for measuring return visits. Cleanup failures may delay removal. Pending analytics in browser storage expire after seven days and can be removed with the browser’s site-data controls. Analytics may be incomplete when reporting is blocked or the connection is unavailable.

Support and operational records are kept only as reasonably needed for the purposes above, disputes, and legal requirements. Provider retention and recovery copies vary by service and configuration. No system is completely secure.

Applicable law may give you rights to access, correct, delete, or copy information; restrict or object to processing; withdraw consent; appeal our response; or complain to a regulator. Contact us below for server-side data requests. We may verify your request and will follow legal deadlines without unlawful discrimination. To delete browser-only saves, use your browser’s site-data controls; we cannot retrieve or remotely erase data that was never uploaded. Clearing browser data does not delete server records.

Children

The game is intended for players aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information so we can investigate and delete it where required.

Updates and contact

We will update the effective date when this policy changes, provide additional notice for material changes as appropriate, and obtain consent when required. For questions or privacy requests, email support@hermitcrabs.net or write to: