Privacy Policy

Account and identity data: If you sign in, BuzzBowl receives your authenticated user ID from Clerk. We also store a display name you provide or use in gameplay.

Guest identity data: If you join as a guest, BuzzBowl may set an HTTP-only cookie named buzzbowl_guest_id with a generated guest identifier (up to 30 days).

Gameplay data: game codes, host options (including manual instructions), team assignments, captain status, scores, question attempts, accepted/challenged answer status, and player-level performance stats.

Audio and transcript data: when players answer or challenge by voice, audio is captured in browser and sent to backend APIs as base64 for transcription. Resulting transcripts are stored as part of gameplay records.

Question data: generated questions and normalized historical question text are stored to help avoid repeats in future games.

Browser-side identifiers: the browser may store buzzbowl-player:<gameId> in localStorage to remember player identity for that game on that device.

We use collected information to:

• create and run games, teams, scoring, and results;
• authenticate users and support guest sessions;
• transcribe speech and support AI-based question/judging features;
• sync live gameplay state across participants;
• enforce game integrity and operational limits (for example, daily game creation limits).

By using BuzzBowl and submitting gameplay content, you direct us to process your information for service operation. When you enable microphone access, you consent to processing of captured audio for transcription and gameplay.

BuzzBowl uses the following processors and infrastructure providers:

• Clerk for authentication/session services;
• Neon Postgres for persistent data storage;
• OpenAI for question generation, answer/challenge evaluation, speech transcription, and speech synthesis;
• Ably for real-time game event delivery.

We do not sell personal information in this implementation. We may disclose information if required by law, legal process, or to protect rights, safety, and platform security.

BuzzBowl may set a first-party guest cookie (buzzbowl_guest_id, HTTP-only, sameSite=lax, up to 30 days) for guest continuity. Client-side localStorage may also be used for in-game player mapping on your browser.

In persistent mode (with a configured database), gameplay and related records can remain stored until deleted by the operator. This code does not currently implement automatic deletion schedules.

In non-persistent mode (without a configured database), data may be held only in server memory and can be lost on restart or redeploy.

We use technical measures provided by our stack and hosting environment, but no system can guarantee absolute security. You should avoid submitting highly sensitive personal information through gameplay fields or voice input.

BuzzBowl is often used in educational contexts. If you use BuzzBowl with minors, the host/organization is responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable child privacy and education laws and obtaining required notices or consents.

Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, or restriction of your personal information. Contact the service operator to submit requests. Because BuzzBowl is deployment-based, request handling may vary by operator.

Your information may be processed in regions where our providers operate. By using BuzzBowl, you understand that data may be transferred and processed outside your local jurisdiction.

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Updates are effective when posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date.

If you have privacy questions or requests, contact the BuzzBowl operator using the support channel provided with this deployment.