Privacy Policy for GameScan
Last updated: September 3, 2025
1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy describes how GameScan ("we", "our", or "us") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use our mobile application (the "Service").
2. Information We Collect
Personal Information
- BoardGameGeek Credentials: When you register for premium features, we collect your BoardGameGeek username and password to authenticate with the BoardGameGeek API and log game plays to your account.
- API Keys: We generate and store encrypted API keys to authenticate your account for premium features.
Device Permissions
- Camera Access: We request camera permission to scan barcodes and QR codes on board games. Camera data is processed locally on your device and is not stored or transmitted to our servers.
Usage Data
- Scanned Barcodes: We collect and store barcode data along with corresponding BoardGameGeek IDs to create an anonymized dataset that improves our game identification service. This data is stored without any personally identifiable information.
- App Preferences: Settings and preferences are stored locally on your device using AsyncStorage.
Error Reporting and Crash Data
- Automatic Error Reports: When the app encounters an error or crash, we automatically collect diagnostic information including error messages, stack traces, device information (model, OS version), app version, and user actions leading up to the error.
- User Context: If you're a registered user, your BGG username is included in error reports to help us identify patterns and prioritize fixes.
- Optional Error Feedback: You may be prompted to describe what you were doing when an error occurred. This feedback is voluntary and linked to the specific error report.
User Feedback
- Feedback Submissions: When you submit feedback through the app, we collect your feedback type (bug, feature, other), title, and optional description.
- Metadata: Feedback submissions include app version, platform, device information, and registration status to help us understand and address your feedback effectively.
3. How We Use Your Information
- Game Lookup: To identify board games from scanned barcodes and provide links to BoardGameGeek pages
- Play Logging: To automatically log game plays to your BoardGameGeek account (premium feature)
- Authentication: To verify your identity and provide access to premium features
- App Functionality: To remember your preferences and settings
- Dataset Creation: To build an anonymized database of barcode-to-game mappings that improves our service for all users
- Error Diagnosis: To identify, diagnose, and fix app crashes and errors
- App Improvement: To understand user feedback and prioritize feature development and bug fixes
4. Data Storage and Security
- Local Storage: Your preferences, API keys, and BGG username are stored locally on your device using AsyncStorage
- Server Storage: Your BGG credentials are encrypted and stored securely on our servers only for API authentication purposes
- Barcode Database: Scanned barcodes and their corresponding BoardGameGeek IDs are stored in our database as anonymized data to improve game identification accuracy
- No Image Storage: Camera images are processed in real-time for barcode scanning but are never saved or transmitted
- Error Reports: Error data is transmitted securely to Sentry and retained for 90 days
- Feedback Data: User feedback is stored in Linear for issue tracking and resolution
5. Third-Party Services
We integrate with the following third-party services:
- BoardGameGeek API: To retrieve game information and log plays to your BGG account
- Game Scanner API (gamescanner.vercel.app): Our backend service that facilitates game lookups and play logging
- Sentry (sentry.io): For automatic error reporting and crash analytics. Privacy Policy
- Linear (linear.app): For user feedback and issue tracking. Privacy Policy
These services have their own privacy policies governing the use of your information.
6. Camera Permission Usage
The app requests camera permission solely for the purpose of:
- Scanning barcodes and QR codes on board game boxes
- Real-time barcode detection and processing
We do not:
- Store or save any camera images or videos
- Record or transmit camera data
- Use the camera for any purpose other than barcode scanning
- Access the camera when the app is not actively being used for scanning
7. Data Retention
- Local app data is retained until you uninstall the app or clear app data
- Server-stored credentials are retained until you request account deletion
- Anonymized barcode-to-game mappings are retained indefinitely to maintain and improve our dataset
- Error reports in Sentry are automatically deleted after 90 days
- Feedback submissions in Linear are retained until the issue is resolved or you request deletion
8. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Request deletion of your account and associated data
- Modify your BGG credentials through the app settings
- Revoke camera permissions through your device settings
- Opt out of providing error feedback (errors will still be reported anonymously)
- Request deletion of your feedback submissions by contacting us
9. Children's Privacy
Our Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal identifiable information from children under 13.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update our 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.