Island Settlers — Privacy Policy

Last updated: 17 August 2026

Island Settlers has no accounts, advertising, analytics, purchases or cross-app tracking. Single-player play stays on your device. If you choose multiplayer, the limited session data described below is sent securely to our match server so the room can function. This policy covers the iPhone and iPad app (com.otterholte.islandsettlers), the Android app (com.otterholte.islandsettlersapp) and the web version at islandsettlers.com.

What the app stores on your device

The game keeps a small amount of information in your device's local storage so it can remember your preferences between sessions:

• the display name you type before playing with friends;
• your settings — sound, difficulty, button side, and similar;
• which tutorial steps you have already seen;
• a random identifier the game generates for itself so it can tell your device apart from another player's inside a multiplayer room.

None of this is backed up to the cloud by the app, and it is deleted when you uninstall the app or clear its storage. The display name and random identifier are transmitted only if you open multiplayer, as described below. The identifier is not an advertising ID and is not used for advertising, analytics or tracking.

Playing on your own

Single-player matches and the tutorial run entirely on your device. The app's assets are bundled inside it, so the game does not need a network connection at all and makes no network requests while you play alone.

Playing with friends (multiplayer)

If — and only if — you choose Play with friends, the game opens an encrypted connection to the match server at play.islandsettlers.com. The following data is sent so the multiplayer room can function:

• the display name you typed, which other players in your room can see;
• a random app-specific identifier, used to return you to the same seat after a reload or brief connection loss;
• the five-character room code;
• your moves in the match — where your settler is, what you gather, build and trade.

The game server keeps multiplayer state in memory and does not write names, identifiers, room state or match actions to a database. Room data is removed when the room closes; an inactive player record is removed within 12 hours; and a server restart removes all in-memory session data. Your display name is not verified or connected to an account.

As with any online service, your IP address is processed to establish the connection. It is also held temporarily in memory when needed to limit repeated room creation or invalid room-code attempts, then removed after the one-minute rate-limit window expires. Our hosting provider may process connection information as our service provider to operate and secure the server. We do not use IP addresses to determine your location, advertise to you or track you across apps or websites.

Please do not use your real full name, an email address, or any other personal detail as your display name — other players in the room will see it.

What the app does not do

• No advertising, and no advertising or tracking SDKs.
• No analytics, crash reporting or telemetry.
• No in-app purchases and no payment processing.
• No access to your contacts, photos, files, camera, microphone, precise or approximate location, or calendar.
• On Android the app uses the INTERNET permission for multiplayer and VIBRATE for haptic feedback; Google Play may add its licensing and internal app-receiver permissions during delivery. On iPhone and iPad the app requests no permissions at all — it never asks for tracking, location, notifications, contacts, photos, the camera or the microphone, because it uses none of them.
• No sale of personal data. Multiplayer data is handled by our hosting provider only to operate and secure the match service.

Children

Island Settlers is intended for players aged 13 and older and is not directed to children under 13. Multiplayer lets players choose a display name that other players in the same room can see; do not use a real full name, email address or other personal detail as a display name.

Your rights

You can remove the information stored on your device by clearing the app's storage or uninstalling it. Leaving a multiplayer room removes the room data when the room closes, and inactive player records expire automatically within 12 hours. Because there are no accounts, we normally cannot connect a server record to a real person. For a privacy question or request, email the address below.

Changes to this policy

If the game ever starts doing something this page does not describe, this page will be updated before that version is released, and the date at the top will change.

Contact

Eli Otterholt — otterholteli@gmail.com

Help with the game itself, and how to report a display name you have seen in a room, are on the support page.