Privacy policy
Last updated 23 October 2026 · Applies to the Pairlings app, including the beta.
Who we are
Pairlings is made by Utterly Useless LLC ("we", "us"). If you have a question about this policy or your data, contact us at info@utterlyuselessllc.com.
What we collect
We don't ask for your email, phone number, real name, contacts, photos or location. The app collects only what it needs to pair you with your partner and run the game:
| Data | Why we need it |
|---|---|
| The name you type in (a nickname is fine) | Shown to your partner |
| Your penguin, its look and the accessories it wears | Drawn on both phones |
| How long you've been together (a range, such as "1 to 3 years") | Choosing which daily questions you get |
| Your answers to the daily questions | Revealed to your partner once you have both answered, and kept in your shared answer history |
| Moves, nudges and gifts you send | Delivered to your partner's phone |
| Game progress: streak, coins, level, items you own, Plus status, chosen world | Keeping both phones in sync |
| A random account key the app creates on your phone, and the time you last opened the app | Recognising your phone without an email or password, and keeping your streak fair |
Settings such as sound and vibration stay on your phone and are never sent to us.
Who can see it
- Your partner sees your name, penguin, answers (only after you've both answered that day's question), and anything you send them.
- Nobody else. We don't sell, rent or share your data with advertisers or data brokers, and we don't use it to build advertising profiles.
- Our service providers. Data is stored with Supabase, our database provider, on servers in the United States. They process it only to run the service for us.
- If the law requires it. We would disclose data only when legally required to.
How it's protected
All data travels between your phone and our servers over an encrypted connection (HTTPS). The database can't be read directly from the internet: the app can only perform specific actions, and each one checks your phone's private account key first. Your partner's phone can see only what belongs to your shared game.
Keeping and deleting your data
- Unpair (Settings › Partner › Unpair) ends your shared game for both of you and clears the answers you shared.
- Delete my account (Settings › Privacy and help) erases your name and answers, ends your pairing and resets the app on your phone. It can't be undone.
- If you uninstall without deleting, your account stays inactive on our servers. You can ask us to erase it by emailing info@utterlyuselessllc.com.
Payments
Pairlings Plus is free for everyone during the beta, and no payment is taken. When paid plans launch, purchases will be handled by Google Play or the Apple App Store, and we will never see your card details.
Age
Pairlings is for adults aged 18 and over. We don't knowingly collect data from anyone younger. If you believe a minor is using the app, contact us and we will delete the account.
Your rights
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR in the UK and EU, or state privacy laws in the US), you may have the right to access, correct, export or delete your data, and to object to how it's used. Most of this you can do in the app; for anything else, email us and we'll respond within 30 days.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top and, for important changes, tell you in the app before they take effect.