This Privacy Policy explains what information Vice Nation ("we", "us") collects when you use the Vice Nation game and website (the "Service"), how we use it, and the choices you have. We try to collect as little as we need to run a fair, secure game.
The short version
- We collect your email address, a securely hashed password, your gameplay and, for security, your IP address.
- We use cookies only to keep you signed in, remember a guest character and tell linked accounts apart. No advertising cookies.
- We don't sell your personal information and don't use it for targeted advertising.
- You can ask us to access, correct or delete your data at privacy@vicenation.io.
1. Information we collect
Account information
- Email address, used to create and verify your account, sign you in, reset your password and send you service messages.
- Password, which we never store in readable form; we store only a one-way cryptographic hash.
- Two-factor authentication data if you turn it on: an encrypted authenticator secret and hashed recovery codes.
Game information
- Your character: name, side, avatar appearance, level, stats, location, inventory, money balances, properties, achievements and cooldowns.
- Your activity in the game: fights, robberies, arrests, purchases, activities, bets and spins, travel, daily streaks and similar events.
- Social information: crew membership and rank, crew wall messages, crew invites and who invited you or whom you invited through the referral program.
Some of this is public by design. Your character name, side, level, location, properties, crew, achievements, leaderboard ranks and certain events (for example, "a player robbed a building") are visible to other players and visitors in the live feed, player directory, profiles and leaderboards. Crew wall messages are visible to your crew.
Technical and security information
- IP address, used to rate-limit requests, prevent abuse and spam, detect multiple-account abuse and keep the Service secure.
- Basic request information our servers log automatically, such as time of request, pages or endpoints requested, browser type and error details.
Information you send us
If you email support, we keep your message and our reply so we can help you.
2. Cookies
We use a small number of strictly necessary cookies:
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
vn_session (__Host-vn_session in production) | Keeps you signed in and protects forms against cross-site request forgery. | Until you close your browser or sign out |
vn_guest (__Host-vn_guest in production) | Remembers your guest character so you can keep playing and later claim it with an account. | About 3 days |
vn_device (__Host-vn_device in production) | A random device identifier, stored with your character (and, at signup, a one-way hash of your IP address) so accounts on the same device or network can be recognized as linked. Linked accounts can't fight, trade, post bounties on or earn referral rewards from each other. | About 13 months |
All three are HttpOnly (not readable by page scripts) and, in production, sent only over secure connections. We don't use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies. The game may also store small preferences (such as sound settings) in your browser's local storage. Our pages load fonts from Google Fonts, which receives your IP address when your browser fetches them; see Google's privacy policy for details.
3. How we use information
- To run the game: create your character, process your actions, pay wages and income, calculate fights and rankings, and show the public world.
- To secure accounts and the Service: verify email, support two-factor authentication, rate-limit requests and detect cheating, fraud, multiple accounts and abuse.
- To operate the referral program: credit recruiters and starting bonuses.
- To moderate: enforce our Terms of Service, review reports and act on violations.
- To communicate: send account emails (verification, password resets, security notices) and important service updates. We won't send marketing email without your consent, and you can opt out at any time.
- To improve the game: understand how features are used and balance the economy, generally using aggregated data.
Where laws such as the GDPR apply, our legal bases are: performing our contract with you (running the game), our legitimate interests (security, fair play, moderation and improving the Service), your consent (where we ask for it) and legal obligations.
4. How we share information
We don't sell or rent your personal information. We share it only:
- With service providers who help us run the Service, such as hosting, database and email delivery providers, under contracts that limit their use of the data.
- With other players, as described above for public game information.
- When required by law, or to protect the rights, safety and security of our players, the public or the Service.
- As part of a business transfer, such as a merger or acquisition, in which case this policy will continue to apply to your data.
5. How long we keep it
- Account and character data: while your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete or anonymize it within a reasonable period, except where we need to keep some information for security, fraud prevention or legal reasons.
- Guest characters: deleted automatically about 3 days after creation if not claimed by an account.
- Game events and the activity feed: generally removed after about 30 days.
- Sessions: end when you sign out or they expire.
- Rate-limiting records tied to IP addresses: short-lived, typically minutes to hours.
- Moderation records such as bans: kept as long as needed to enforce them.
6. Security
We protect your information with measures including password hashing, encryption of two-factor secrets, encrypted connections (HTTPS), verified encrypted database connections, secure HttpOnly cookies, CSRF protection, a strict content security policy and rate limiting. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a unique password and turn on two-factor authentication. If we learn of a breach affecting your personal information, we'll notify you as required by law.
7. Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete or export your personal information, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent. To make a request, email privacy@vicenation.io from the address on your account. We'll respond within the time required by law and may need to verify your identity first. You also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority.
You can change your character name and appearance in the game, and you can delete your guest data at any time by clearing your browser's cookies.
8. Children
Vice Nation is not intended for children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child under 13 has created an account, contact privacy@vicenation.io and we'll delete it. Where local law sets a higher age for consent to data processing, users below that age need a parent's or guardian's permission.
9. International transfers
We may process and store information in countries other than yours. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for those transfers. [HOSTING LOCATION AND TRANSFER MECHANISMS TO BE CONFIRMED BY COUNSEL.]
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. If the changes are significant, we'll tell you in the game or by email before they take effect. The effective date at the top shows when it was last updated.
11. Contact
Questions or requests about privacy: privacy@vicenation.io. For anything else: support@vicenation.io.