Privacy Policy
Last updated: 6 October 2026
Autumn Term ("we", "us") makes the game Autumn Term. This policy explains what personal information we collect when you play, why, who sees it, how long we keep it and what your rights are. We have tried to keep it plain. If anything is unclear, write to team@autumnterm.com.
1. What we collect
| Information | What it is and why we need it |
|---|---|
| Your email address | To sign you in (we email you a six-digit code), to reply if you write to us, and to tell you about something important about your account. We never show it to other players. |
| Your handle | The name you choose. It appears on leaderboards and, in Online mode, above your character. Please do not use your real name. |
| Your school and character | In Online mode you choose a school and how your character looks. Other players in the same place can see them. |
| Your progress | Where you were in the game world, relics you have found, story progress and items, so the game can put you back where you left off. |
| Game scores | Your results in mini-games, shown on leaderboards with your handle (and your school in the school view). |
| Online play | While you are Online, your handle, school, character and your position and movement in the game world are shared in real time with other players in the same place. There is no text chat. |
| Feedback you send | What you write in the feedback box, with some context the game attaches: where you were in the game, the game mode, your graphics setting, screen size and browser. Please do not put personal details in it. |
| Gameplay analytics | Events such as entering a place, starting a mini-game or finishing it, recorded against a random player ID, never your email. We use them to see what is played, what is slow and what is missing. |
| Technical data | Your IP address, browser and device type and error information, in our server logs, to keep the service running, secure and free of abuse. |
We do not collect payment details (the game is free), your real-world location, contacts, photographs, microphone or camera. We do not run advertising, we do not sell your information and we do not use it to build advertising profiles.
2. Why we use it, and our legal basis
- To provide the game you asked for (your account, saving your progress, Online play, leaderboards): this is needed to perform our agreement with you (the Terms).
- To keep the game safe and working and to improve it (security, preventing cheating and abuse, fixing faults, understanding how the game is played, reading feedback): this is our legitimate interest. We keep what we use to a minimum and you can object (see section 7).
- To meet legal duties, for example if the law requires us to keep or hand over information.
- With your consent, if we ever ask for it for something optional (such as updates by email). You can withdraw it at any time.
3. Who sees your information
- Other players see your handle, school, character and in-game position when you are Online, and your handle and scores on leaderboards.
- Our service providers who process it for us: Amazon Web Services (hosting and storage), and our email service (which delivers your sign-in codes). They may only use it to provide their service to us.
- Authorities or advisers where the law requires, or to protect the safety of players or our rights.
We do not sell personal information or share it for advertising.
4. Where it is stored
Our database and files are hosted in the European Union (Ireland). If information is ever transferred outside the European Economic Area, we will make sure it is protected by an approved safeguard.
5. How long we keep it
- Your account, progress and scores: until you ask us to delete your account.
- Sign-in codes: ten minutes. Sign-in sessions: they expire after a period of inactivity and you can sign out at any time.
- Server and error logs: about 30 days.
- Gameplay analytics: up to 24 months, then deleted or made anonymous.
- Feedback: for as long as it helps us improve the game, without your email unless we need to reply.
- Backups: deleted information may remain in encrypted backups for up to 14 days.
6. Cookies and similar technologies
We do not use advertising or tracking cookies. The game stores a small amount of information in your browser (local storage) that it needs to work: it keeps you signed in and remembers your settings (graphics, sound, controls). Our pages load fonts from Google Fonts, which means your browser contacts Google when a page loads, and Google receives your IP address.
7. Your rights
Under data protection law you can ask us to:
- tell you what we hold about you, and give you a copy;
- correct anything that is wrong;
- delete your account and your information;
- restrict how we use it, or object to our use of it (including the analytics);
- give you your information in a portable format;
- stop any use that relies on your consent.
Email team@autumnterm.com from the address on your account. We may need to check it is you, and we will reply within one month. Your handle is permanent while your account exists (you can change your school a limited number of times), but deleting your account removes them.
If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you can complain to the Data Protection Commission in Ireland (dataprotection.ie) or to your local data protection authority.
8. Children
Autumn Term is for players aged 16 and over, or aged 13 to 15 with the permission of a parent or guardian. It is not for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect their information. If you are a parent and think a child under 13 has an account, write to us and we will delete it. Players should never share their real name, address, school work or other personal details in a handle or in feedback.
9. Security
Information is encrypted while it travels between your device and our servers and while it is stored. Access is limited to the people who need it. No system is completely secure, so please keep your email account safe, because a sign-in code goes there. If something goes wrong that affects your information, we will tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
10. Changes to this policy
If we change what we collect or how we use it we will update this page and its date, and tell you in the game if the change is important.
11. Contact
Autumn Term, team@autumnterm.com.
See also our Terms and Conditions.