Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 31, 2026

Connect4 is a hobby project: a two-player Connect 4 game you play in your browser. This page explains, in plain language, what information the game handles, why, and what choices you have. We collect as little as we can to make the game work.

1. Information we collect

Account information

When you create an account you give us:

• a username, which other players can see;
• an email address, used to identify your account (for example, so two accounts cannot share one address). We do not currently send emails;
• a password. We never store your password itself. It is scrambled with a one-way hash (bcrypt) before it is saved, so it cannot be read back, not even by us.

We also record when your account was created.

Game and room activity

While you are in a game room, the server keeps track of:

• who the host and opponent are, and who is watching;
• the moves played, the current score and how long the game has been running;
• chat messages sent in the room (the most recent 50 are kept so late arrivals can see them);
• whether you are currently connected, which is used to show who is in the room.

The moves, scores and the chat shown in the room are held in the server's memory only, and they are deleted when the room closes, when the host leaves, or when the server restarts. Chat messages are also saved in our database, as described under "Chat log" below. The moves and scores are not saved, apart from the match history described next.

Match history

When an online match ends, we save a short record of it in our database:

• which two accounts played, and who was player 1 and player 2;
• the result: a win for one of the players, a draw, or a quit (the match was abandoned before it finished, for example because someone left or the room was closed);
• when the match started and when it ended.

The record does not include the moves or the chat. Local matches played on one device without an account are not recorded at all. Match records are linked to your account and are deleted when you delete your account (see "Your choices" below).

Chat log

Every chat message you send in a game room is also saved in our database, together with the room code, the time, your role in the room (host, opponent or spectator) and a link to your account. Lines the room posts by itself, such as "has joined" or "has left", are not saved.

• How long: we keep chat messages for 60 days. They are not deleted automatically: older messages are cleared out by hand, so a message can occasionally stay a little longer than 60 days.
• Who can read them: only the developer, with direct access to the database. They are not shown to other players or used for anything else.
• Why: to look into abuse and reports about what was said in a room.
• If you delete your account: your messages stay in the log until they are cleared, but the link to your account is removed. We do not store your username with them, so they can no longer be tied to you.

Technical information

Like any website, our server receives your IP address and basic browser details when you connect. The game does not save these in its database and does not use them to build a profile of you.

2. Cookies and local storage

• Session cookie. When you log in, we set one cookie that keeps you signed in. It is essential for the game to work, cannot be read by scripts on the page, is only sent with requests to this site, and expires after 7 days or when you log out.
• Local storage. Your browser keeps one small setting, whether you collapsed the chat panel, so the game can remember it. It never leaves your device.

We do not use advertising, analytics or tracking cookies.

3. How we use your information

• to create your account and keep you signed in;
• to run games: matching players, showing the board, scores and chat;
• to keep a history of the matches you played, and to show a leaderboard of players' wins and losses;
• to keep a chat log so we can look into abuse and reports;
• to show the lobby (hosts, opponents, scores and game times) and simple totals such as how many players are online;
• to keep the service secure and working.

We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising or marketing.

4. What other people can see

• Your username is visible to other logged-in players in the lobby, in game rooms and in chat.
• Your username, together with your total wins, losses and draws and your win/loss ratio, appears on the leaderboard once you have finished at least one match. The leaderboard is public: anyone who visits the site can see it, with or without an account.
• Your chat messages are visible to everyone in the same room. Please do not share personal details in chat.
• Your email address and password are never shown to other players.

Pick a username that does not reveal more about you than you want strangers to know.

5. Sharing and third parties

The game does not load third-party scripts, fonts, trackers or advertising, and we do not share your information with other companies. We may disclose information if the law requires it.

6. How long we keep it

• Account details and match history: until your account is deleted. Deleting your account also deletes every match record you appear in, including matches against other players.
• Login sessions: up to 7 days, or until you log out.
• Chat log: 60 days, not deleted automatically (see "Chat log" above).
• Rooms, moves and the chat shown in the room: only while the room exists, as described above.

7. Security

Passwords are stored only as salted bcrypt hashes. Access to the database is limited to the server. No online service can promise perfect security, so please use a password you do not use anywhere else.

8. Your choices

You can manage your information yourself on the Settings page, once you are logged in:

• Change your email address or your password. We ask for your current password first. Changing your password signs you out on your other devices.
• Delete your account. This removes your username, email address, password hash and all of your match records straight away, and it cannot be undone. If you are hosting a room, it is closed. Your chat messages stay in the chat log until they are cleared, but are no longer linked to you.

You can also ask us to show you the information we hold about you by contacting us using the details below. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local privacy law, and we will respect them.

9. Changes to this policy

If we change how the game handles information, we will update this page and the date at the top. Continuing to use Connect4 after a change means you accept the updated policy.

10. Contact

Connect4 is developed by Dustin Refos. For questions or requests about your information, you can reach me by:

• WhatsApp: +597 857 2221
• Email: dustinrr@gmail.com