User Analytics

We have accounts set up, and tracking in place, through our Analytics systems. These monitors user activity both on our web sites (eg, this one) and in-game activities.

In particular, it's unlikely that these outside servers would go down at the same time as ours, so we can monitor errors like software bugs or failed game sign-in attempts.

This interacts with our Core:Privacy rules. We don't actively gather personally-identifiable data. For example: we actively monitor the country or city from which requests are coming, or type of OS or device, but not who the individuals are, except what information you make available through your social media accounts (eg, Google Account).

Access to the statistics can be provided to trusted Builder Toots or Promotions teammates, but we currently do not “publish” the data. Perhaps, in time, we may want to publish a transparency report including some demographics data.

What we gather

Google Analytics

See https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/ for many details.

In general, we can see (when Google knows): Gender; Age range; general location; activities performed on our web site, like reading pages or some game actions; and possibly some “interests” information.

eg, as of today (13:33, 28 July 2016 (PDT)) one such “interest” (“affinity”) category is “Gamers/Hardcore Gamers.”

Google also tracks some technical data, which is also shared by your web browser with every site that you visit, such as your operating system, browser (navigator) program, and display screen capabilities.

Facebook Analytics

We are in the process of integrating similar analytics with Facebook. The rules will be approximately the same as with Google.

Instabug and Rollbar

These are services which record bugs and crashes in the game software running in your web browser.

If Instabug or Rollbar detect a problem, they will report some technical details to us.

You can also choose to report a bug, yourself, through Instabug, and even attach a screenshot. This will be found on the “bug” menu at the right-hand side of the game play screen.

Internal logs

Our own web servers log similar technical information to that monitored by all web servers, such as Internet addresses, operating system (OS), and web browser software information.

Our game systems may detect when you activate optional hardware, such as a gamepad, camera, or microphone, and record some technical information, such as the resolution and frame rate of the camera. This information may be collected.

What we do not gather

• We do not track personally-identifiable information, such as your real name, except when you have shared that information publicly (eg, when you link a social media account with your real name or photograph).
• We may obtain your Google Account e-mail address, which we may use if you ask us to, or in certain exceptional circumstances; see E-Mail Policy.

Why we gather it

How is this analytic information used?

Outreach and Promotions

Our goal is to reach players who will enjoy the game. If we find that our outreach and Promotions are not reaching some groups, the Analytics will reveal it. We may use the information about our players to create advertisements and promotions.

Technical Problems

Google's Analytics can easily reveal “drop outs,” such as users who were unable to sign in, that might be difficult or impossible for us to track on our own.

Rollbar and Instabug are used to detect errors in our software that is running on your computer. Without this information, we might not know about problems that affect our players, but did not occur for our programmers.

We can also narrow down problems to particular systems, such as operating systems or display screen settings, based on this data.

Technical Capabilities

We use the Analytics systems to track users' operating systems, browsers, and technical capabilities in order to plan our technology development. For example, we might decide whether (or not) to provide a software feature based upon whether a large number of our users might (or might not) be able to access it.

We can also plan our Technical Support guides based upon what systems or devices our players or visitors are actually using.

Contact

If you have concerns about the way that our Analytics data may be used, contact the Cadre.