Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how ScrabbleWordFinder.com ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and shares information about you when you use our website and services (collectively, the "Service"). By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

We may collect information that you voluntarily provide when using our Service, including:

• Contact information (name, email address) if you reach out to us via our contact form
• Any feedback, comments, or suggestions you submit

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically, including:

• Log Data: Your IP address, browser type and version, the pages you visit, the time and date of your visit, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data.
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, unique device identifiers, and mobile network information.
• Usage Data: Search queries entered into our word finder tool, filter preferences, and interactions with our website.

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Service and hold certain information. Cookies are files with a small amount of data that may include an anonymous unique identifier. You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, some portions of our Service may not function properly.

Specific cookies and local storage items we set include:

• cookie-consent, consent-analytics, consent-ads: Stores your cookie consent preferences (Local Storage).
• dictionary-preference: Remembers your selected Scrabble dictionary (TWL, SOWPODS, ENABLE) across sessions (Local Storage).
• word-finder-favorites: Stores your list of favorited words locally on your device (Local Storage).
• _ga, _gid (Google Analytics): If you consent to analytics, these cookies help us understand how you interact with our website.
• Google AdSense Cookies: If you consent to advertising, third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our Service
• To respond to your inquiries, comments, or support requests
• To monitor usage patterns and analyze trends to enhance user experience
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and security threats
• To display relevant advertisements through third-party ad networks
• To comply with legal obligations

3. Third-Party Services

3.1 Analytics

We may use third-party analytics services such as Google Analytics to help us understand how our Service is used. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they used prior to coming to our site. We use the information from Google Analytics only to improve our Service. Google Analytics collects the IP address assigned to you on the date you visit our site, rather than your name or other identifying information.

You can learn more about how Google uses data at google.com/policies/privacy/partners.

3.2 Advertising

We may use third-party advertising services, including Google AdSense, to display advertisements on our website. These services may use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your prior visits to our website or other websites. 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 Google Ads Settings or by visiting aboutads.info.

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. Under applicable privacy regulations, IP addresses and server log data are classified as personal data and are subject to the same protections as unknown other personally identifiable information we collect. We may share aggregated, non-personally identifiable information with third parties for analytics, research, and improvement purposes. We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g., a court order or government agency).

5. Data Security

The security of your information is important to us. We implement commercially reasonable security measures to protect the information we collect. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

6. Data Retention

We retain different types of data for different periods:

• Contact form submissions: Email records are retained for up to 2 years to allow us to follow up on inquiries.
• Server logs: Automatically deleted after 30 days.
• Analytics data: Google Analytics data is retained for 26 months (Google's default). You can request deletion via the right to erasure process described in Section 8.
• Cookie preferences: Your cookie consent choice is stored in your browser's local storage indefinitely until you clear your browser data. To change your preference, clear your site cookies and reload the page.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• The right to access the personal information we hold about you
• The right to request correction of inaccurate personal information
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to object to or restrict processing of your personal information
• The right to data portability

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

9. Additional Rights for EU/EEA Residents (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) gives you specific rights regarding your personal data. We process your data on the following legal bases:

• Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR): We process usage data and log data to maintain the security and performance of our Service.
• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR): We process analytics and advertising data only after you have given explicit consent via our cookie consent banner.
• Legal Obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR): We may process data to comply with applicable laws or respond to lawful government requests.

In addition to the rights listed in Section 8, EU/EEA residents also have:

• The right to withdraw consent at any time (by clicking "Decline" in our cookie banner or clearing your browser cookies)
• The right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority

For GDPR-related inquiries, please contact us at privacy@scrabblewordfinder.com. We aim to respond to all requests within 30 days.

Please note that data collected through Google Analytics and Google AdSense is transferred to Google's servers, which may be located in the United States. Google participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, providing appropriate safeguards for such transfers.

10. Additional Rights for California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants you the following rights:

• Right to Know: You have the right to request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collect, use, and disclose.
• Right to Delete: You have the right to request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell your personal information. However, our use of Google AdSense may constitute "sharing" of data under CCPA for cross-context behavioral advertising. You may opt out of this by visiting aboutads.info or using the Google Ads Settings link in Section 3.2.
• Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

To submit a CCPA request, please contact us at privacy@scrabblewordfinder.com.

11. Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to third-party websites that are not operated by us. We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of every site you visit.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

• By email: privacy@scrabblewordfinder.com
• By visiting our Contact page