Privacy Policy

Abyss Fishing · Lanternfish Studios
Effective date: October 17, 2026 · Last updated: October 17, 2026

This policy explains what information the mobile game Abyss Fishing (the "Game") collects, why, who it is shared with, and the choices you have. "We", "us" and "our" mean Lanternfish Studios.

The short version: your game progress is stored on your device. We don't ask for your name, email, phone number, location, contacts or photos. For friend features, a small game profile (username, avatar, stats, Fish Log, aquarium) is stored on our server and shown to your friends. Our ad partner (Google AdMob) and our purchase partners (Google Play, RevenueCat) process some device data to show rewarded ads and handle purchases.

1. Who we are

Abyss Fishing is published by Lanternfish Studios, the business name of Kelvin Cao, a sole proprietor in British Columbia, Canada, who is the data controller for the information described here. Contact details are in section 13.

2. What we collect

2.1 Game data stored on your device

Your progress (coins, gems, upgrades, catches and Fish Log, aquarium, settings, tutorial progress and similar) is saved in the Game's local storage on your device. It is not sent to us unless you use the online features below. It includes a random Player ID created on first launch. The Player ID is not linked to your name or any account; it is shown in Settings → Account & Help so support can find your purchases and save.

Unless you turn on cloud save (below), your save stays on your device only: if you uninstall the Game or clear its data, your progress is lost.

2.1a Cloud save (optional)

If you choose Link Google account in Settings → Account & Help, we keep a copy of your save on our server so you can restore it on another device (Restore on this device). Nothing is uploaded unless you link an account. Once you do, we store:

• Your save: everything listed in 2.1 (including your Player ID, gems and purchases as recorded in the Game), which device type last saved it (Android, iPhone or browser), and when. It is updated about once a minute while you play and when you leave the Game.
• Your Google sign-in: Google tells our sign-in service (Supabase) your Google account ID and email address, and the name and profile picture link on your Google account. We use only the account ID (to recognise you) and the email address (shown to you in Settings so you know which account is linked). We never see your Google password.

Other players can't see your save or your email address. Linking does not by itself create a friends profile; that still happens only when you use friend features (2.2).

2.2 Online profile and friend features

Nothing is sent to our friends service until you use it: the first time you open the FRIENDS tab (or open a friend's invite link), the Game signs in with an anonymous account for your device (no email or password), keeps a sign-in token on the device, and uploads your game profile so friends can find you. If you never use friend features, no online account is created. Once you've joined, the server stores:

• Your game profile: your in-game username, avatar, title, Trophy Gallery pins, stats (deepest dive, fish caught, coins earned), Fish Log and aquarium layout, a friend code (like ABYSS-K7QM3X) assigned by the server, whether you accept friend requests, and when you were last online.
• Your Player ID: the same ID shown in Settings → Account & Help, so support can find your online account when you write to us. Other players can't see it.
• Social activity: friend requests, your friends list, players you block, and preset reactions you send or receive (fixed phrases such as "Nice catch!"; there is no free-text chat).
• Reports: if you report a player, we store the reason you chose (offensive name, cheating or other) and a snapshot of their name, avatar and stats so we can review it. If someone reports you, the same is stored about you.
• Technical data: our hosting provider (Supabase) processes your IP address and basic request information to run the service and protect it from abuse.

Usernames are chosen in-game and should not be your real name. They are checked against a list of offensive words, and a name that breaks our rules may be replaced (see What other players can see).

2.3 Purchases

In-app purchases (gem packs, coin packs, the Starter Pack, the Captain's Pass and cosmetics) are processed by Google Play (and, on iPhone, by Apple). We never see or store your card or bank details. To deliver and restore purchases we use RevenueCat, which receives the store's purchase records (product, price, currency, date, transaction ID), an app user ID, and basic device information such as OS version and country.

2.4 Advertising

The Game offers optional rewarded ads (for example, watch an ad to refill your dive tanks). These are served by Google AdMob, which collects your device's advertising ID, IP address, device and app information, and how you interact with ads. See section 5 for your choices.

2.5 Support emails

If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever you write. The CONTACT SUPPORT button pre-fills your Player ID, the Game version and your device's browser/user-agent string so we can help; you can delete them before sending.

2.6 What we don't collect

We don't collect your real name, phone number, precise or approximate location (beyond what ad and hosting providers infer from IP address), contacts, photos, microphone or camera data.

3. How we use it

We don't sell your personal information, and we don't use it to make decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. Third parties

We share data only with service providers that help run the Game:

We may also disclose information if the law requires it, to protect players' safety, or as part of a sale or merger of the studio (in which case this policy would continue to apply).

5. Ads and your choices

• Ads in the Game are optional rewarded ads; you choose when to watch one.
• In the EEA, UK and Switzerland, and in US states with privacy laws, the Game asks for your choice through Google's consent form before personalised ads are shown. You can change it any time in Settings → Account & Help → PRIVACY OPTIONS.
• On Android you can reset or delete your advertising ID in your device settings (Settings → Privacy → Ads, or Google → Ads, depending on the device).
• On iPhone, the Game will ask for tracking permission (App Tracking Transparency) before using your advertising identifier.
• With an active Captain's Pass, rewarded-ad rewards are given without showing an ad.

6. What other players can see

Through friend features:

• Your friends, and players you have a pending friend request with, can see your username, avatar, title, stats, Trophy Gallery, Fish Log and aquarium.
• Players who aren't your friends can't look you up by name. Someone who has your friend code can send you a request; they see your profile only while that request is pending.
• Friends who react to your trophies are shown to you, and your reactions are shown to them.
• Blocking a player ends any friendship or request between you and hides each of you from the other.
• You can stop new friend requests in Settings → Account & Help → Friend requests; with it off, your code works like an unknown one.
• If players report your username and it breaks our rules, we may replace it with a neutral name such as "Sailor1234". Three separate reports of the same name within 30 days, from established accounts, replace it automatically; you can then choose a new one.

7. How long we keep it

• On-device data: until you reset progress, clear the Game's data or uninstall it.
• Online profile and social data: until you delete your account. Unanswered friend requests expire after 14 days.
• Cloud save and Google link: until you delete your account. Each upload replaces the previous copy; we don't keep older versions.
• Inactive online accounts: deleted after 2 years without a sign-in.
• Reports: kept for 1 year after the report is closed, then deleted. If an account is deleted sooner, the report is kept for moderation but its link to both accounts is removed.
• Purchase records: as long as needed to provide restores and as required by tax and accounting law.
• Support emails: up to 2 years after the conversation ends.

8. Deleting your data

You can delete your data without contacting us:

• Progress on this device: Settings → Account & Help → RESET PROGRESS. Uninstalling the Game or clearing its storage also deletes it.
• Online account: Settings → Account & Help → Online profile → DELETE deletes your server profile, friendships, requests, blocks, reactions, cloud save and Google link straight away, and signs you out. Your progress on this device stays. Nothing goes online again unless you choose JOIN AGAIN.

Request deletion by email. Email support@lanternfishstudios.com with the subject "Data deletion request" and include your Player ID (Settings → Account & Help in the Game). You don't need the Game installed to ask. We'll confirm and complete the request within 30 days. We delete your online profile, social data, cloud save and any support emails, and ask RevenueCat to delete its records for your app user ID. We may keep purchase records where tax law requires, and moderation reports without your identity.

9. Your rights

EEA, UK and Switzerland

You can ask to access, correct, delete or receive a copy of your personal data, to restrict or object to how we use it, and to withdraw consent at any time (for ads, through PRIVACY OPTIONS). You can complain to your local data protection authority.

California and other US states

Residents of California and other states with privacy laws can ask to know what personal information we collect, use and disclose, and to delete or correct it. We don't sell personal information for money. Personalised advertising through AdMob may count as "sharing" for cross-context behavioural advertising under California law; you can opt out through PRIVACY OPTIONS in the Game or by emailing us. We don't use sensitive personal information, and we won't treat you differently for using your rights.

To use any of these rights, email us (see Contact) with your Player ID. We may need to confirm the request comes from the owner of the save or account before acting on it. We reply within one month (EU/UK) or 45 days (California).

10. Children

The Game is made for players aged 13 and over and is not directed to children under 13. We don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

Because younger players may still find it, the Game asks for your year of birth the first time you open it. We don't keep the year itself: the Game only remembers, on your device, whether you said you were under 13 and, if so, the year you'll turn 13. If you're under 13:

• ads are requested as child-directed: they aren't personalised, aren't based on your advertising ID, and are limited to content suitable for all ages;
• friend features and cloud save are switched off, so no online profile or account is created for you, and nothing about you is stored on our servers;
• the rest of the Game, including in-app purchases (which Google Play's parental controls can restrict), works as normal.

This changes on its own once you turn 13. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal information, contact us (section 13) and we will delete it.

11. Security and international transfers

Data sent between the Game and our servers is encrypted in transit. The friends database allows each player to change only their own profile, and lets players see only the profiles described in section 6. No system is perfectly secure, but we work to protect your information.

Our providers may process data in the United States and other countries. Where data leaves the EEA or UK, they rely on safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses or the EU-US Data Privacy Framework.

12. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top, and for significant changes we'll tell you in the Game before they take effect.

13. Contact

Lanternfish Studios
Email: support@lanternfishstudios.com
Kelvin Caostreet address goes here, Vancouver, British Columbia V5R 1M3, Canada