Privacy Policy
Gawkin ("we", "us") is a live online staring-contest game, playable in the browser at gawkin.app and as an iPhone app. This policy explains what we collect and why. We aim to collect as little as possible.
What we collect
- Camera & microphone (during play only). Your camera drives on-device blink detection and is streamed peer-to-peer to your current opponent (and, in spectated matches, to viewers) as live video for the duration of a match. We do not record or store this video on our servers.
- Account details (optional). If you create an account, we store your email address (or the identifier provided by Google or Apple sign-in), a display name you choose, and your gameplay records. You can play on the web without an account.
- A random per-install ID and a display name. Used to show you on leaderboards and connect matches. The name is public; the ID is not your identity and isn't linked to your real name.
- Gameplay stats. Stare durations, blink counts, and wins, to power the global leaderboards.
- Gem balance and transactions. If you buy or send gems (an in-game currency), we store the balance and transfer history. Gems are purchased through Apple (in the app) or our payment processor Stripe (on the website) and can never be converted to cash.
- Purchases. In-app purchases are processed by Apple; website purchases by Stripe. We receive confirmation of the purchase, not your card details.
- Abuse reports. If you report a player, we store the reporter ID, the reported ID, and the reason so we can review and act on it.
- Basic analytics. We count page views and use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which is cookieless and does not track you across sites.
Face data
Blink, smile, and look-away detection is the core of the game, and it runs entirely on your device: in the browser via on-device face tracking (MediaPipe), and on iPhone via Apple's ARKit (TrueDepth camera). Face-tracking data is processed frame-by-frame on your device and discarded as each frame completes. We do not collect it, transmit it, store it, or share it — the only thing sent to our servers is the result of a round (for example, that a blink occurred), which is not face data. We never use face data for identification, authentication, advertising, or any purpose other than running the game on your device.
Cookies & local storage
We use browser local storage to remember things like your display name, best scores, sound and theme preferences, and your login session. Our own analytics are cookieless. Third-party advertising (below) may use cookies.
Advertising
The free web version of Gawkin may show ads served by Google AdSense. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to this site and other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, and learn about other providers' opt-outs at www.aboutads.info. Where required, we will ask for your consent before showing personalized ads. Gawkin Pro removes ads. The iPhone app currently shows no third-party ads.
What we do NOT collect
Real name, contacts, precise location, or browsing history. We don't sell your data.
Who we share with (processors)
- Cloudflare — hosts our website and backend (matchmaking, leaderboards, accounts, report log).
- Stripe — payments on the website.
- Apple — in-app purchases and optional Game Center on iPhone; Apple sign-in.
- Google — optional Google sign-in; advertising as described above.
Live video & safety
Matches are live and can be between strangers. Nudity, harassment, and illegal content are not allowed (see the Community Guidelines). You can report and block any player; reports are reviewed and violators are removed.
Children
Gawkin is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age in your region), and we don't knowingly collect data from them.
Data retention & deletion
Leaderboard entries, gem records, and reports persist until deleted. You can delete your account from the account menu on the website or in the app, which removes your login and server records. You can also email support@gawkin.app with the player name you use and we'll remove your data.
Security
We use reputable infrastructure (Cloudflare, Apple, Stripe) and transport encryption everywhere. No system is perfectly secure.
Changes
We'll update this page and the date above when this policy changes.