Privacy policy

GoalWord is a free football player guessing game. You do not need an account to play, and we do not ask for your name, email address, or date of birth. This policy describes the limited data that is involved when you use the site.

Who we are

GoalWord is an independent website operated by the GoalWord editorial team. We are the controller of the personal data described in this policy, except where a third-party service acts as an independent controller (for example, Google for advertising). The contact and support page explains the current ways to get help.

What we store in your browser

GoalWord uses your browser’s local storage to remember your game. This is essential to the service: without it, refreshing the page would lose your guesses and your streak. The keys we use are:

• Game progress: your current daily, practice, and archive rounds, including guesses and revealed clues.
• Statistics: your streak, maximum streak, games played, wins, and guess distribution.
• Consent choice: whether you accepted or rejected non-essential advertising storage.

This information stays on your device. We do not receive it, and we do not combine it with data from other users. You can delete it at any time by clearing site data for this website in your browser settings. Clearing it will reset your local stats and streak.

Information processed by our hosting provider

GoalWord is served through Cloudflare Pages. Like most hosting providers, Cloudflare may process technical information such as your IP address, browser type, requested URL, and timestamps in order to deliver the site, protect it from abuse, and produce aggregate performance and security reports. Cloudflare acts as a service provider for this purpose. We do not use this information to identify individual visitors.

Analytics

If analytics is enabled, GoalWord uses Cloudflare Web Analytics. It is designed to be privacy-first and cookieless: it reports aggregate page views and performance metrics without creating a profile of individual visitors. If analytics is not configured, no analytics script is loaded.

Advertising

GoalWord is supported by advertising. When advertising is enabled, we use Google AdSense. Google and its partners may use cookies, local storage, and similar technologies to serve, measure, and limit ads. Depending on your consent choice and your location, ads may be personalised or non-personalised.

We use Google Consent Mode. Before you make a choice, advertising storage, ad user data, ad personalisation, and analytics storage are set to “denied”. If you accept, those signals are updated to “granted”. If you reject, they remain denied. The AdSense script may still load in order to request non-personalised ads, but it is instructed not to use advertising storage or personalisation when consent is denied.

Google’s use of advertising data is governed by Google’s own privacy policy. You can learn more and manage your Google ad settings at My Ad Center. You can also opt out of personalised advertising from many providers through aboutads.info or Your Online Choices in Europe.

We do not sell personal information. We do not share your game progress with advertisers. Advertising slots are placed in page content and are kept away from the guess controls and the result card.

Legal bases for processing

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on the following legal bases:

• Consent for personalised advertising, advertising storage, and analytics where required. You can withdraw consent at any time through the “Privacy settings” link in the footer.
• Legitimate interests for keeping the site secure, preventing abuse, and understanding aggregate usage in a way that does not identify you.
• Legal obligation where we are required to retain or disclose information by law.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict, or object to the processing of your personal data, and to data portability. You may also have the right to withdraw consent and to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

Because most game data is stored only in your browser, we often cannot access it to fulfil a request. In that case, clearing your browser’s site data is the most direct way to delete it. GoalWord does not currently operate an email inbox; the contact and support page explains the current options.

California and other US state privacy rights

If you are a California resident, you may have the right to know what personal information is collected, to request deletion or correction, to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, and to limit the use of sensitive personal information. We do not sell personal information for money. Personalised advertising may be considered “sharing” under the CPRA; you can opt out by rejecting non-essential advertising in the privacy banner or by using the “Privacy settings” link in the footer.

We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights. You can exercise the choices described above directly in your browser and in the privacy settings. GoalWord does not currently operate an email inbox; the contact and support page explains the current options. Because we do not hold accounts, we may be able to confirm only that we do not have personal information tied to you.

Children’s privacy

GoalWord is a general-audience football game and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe a child has provided personal information to us, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

International transfers

Our hosting and advertising providers may process data in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, these transfers are covered by appropriate safeguards such as standard contractual clauses. The provider’s own privacy policy describes its transfer mechanisms.

Retention

Game data in your browser remains until you clear it. Server logs held by our hosting provider are retained according to its standard retention periods. GoalWord does not currently operate an email inbox or store contact messages.

Third-party links

The site may link to external websites, including Google’s ad settings and privacy pages. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. Read their policies before providing personal information.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy when the game, the advertising setup, or the law changes. The effective date at the top of the page shows the latest version. Material changes will be reflected here; continued use of the site after an update means you accept the revised policy.

Contact

Questions, requests, or concerns: see the contact and support page. You can also read our cookie policy and terms of use.