Privacy Policy

Effective Date: 05/01/2026 • Last Updated: 04/19/2026

1. Introduction

Welcome to Root Run, operated by Wandering Root Studios. We are committed to protecting your privacy while providing an immersive, real-world exploration experience. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our mobile application.

2. Information We Collect

To provide the core gameplay loop of our garden simulator, we collect the following types of data:

• Precise Location Data: We collect GPS coordinates to map your in-game garden to the real world and to trigger interactions with local landmarks.
• Environmental Data: We sync with local weather data (via OpenWeatherMap) based on your coordinates to influence plant growth.
• Device Information: Basic info such as device model and operating system for debugging and performance optimization.
• Gameplay & Safety Data: Information regarding your in-game progress and location-based interactions processed for safety verification.

3. Safety & AI Processing

To maintain a safe environment and prevent trespassing or inappropriate gameplay.

• Placement Guard: When you interact with the map or "plant" items, our AI-powered safety system analyzes location data and proximity to restricted areas to ensure interactions occur in safe, public spaces.
• Automated Safety Decisions: This processing is automated and used solely to enforce our safety guidelines. Your personal data is not used to train these AI models in a way that identifies you individually.

4. How We Protect Your Location

We believe in "Privacy by Design." Unlike many GPS apps, we implement the following safeguards:

• Location Fuzzing & Cloaking: We utilize grid-based storage so that your exact standing position (such as your home) is not stored as a static, identifiable point.
• Minimal Retention: Raw GPS movement history is purged every 24 hours. We only retain the minimum data necessary to maintain your "planted" assets.
• Geofencing: Our system integrates geofencing to discourage and prevent interactions within identified private property.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We utilize trusted third-party services to power our world. These services process data according to their own privacy policies:

• Maps & Navigation: OpenStreetMap (OSM) for map rendering.
• Artificial Intelligence: RootRun built AI for real-time safety monitoring and placement verification.
• Climate Sync: OpenWeatherMap for real-time weather effects.
• Backend Services: Firebase (Google) for encrypted data storage and account management.

6. Your Choices & Telemetry Opt-Out

• Location Permissions: You can withdraw consent for location tracking via your device settings at any time.
• Data Deletion: You may request the deletion of your account and all data via in-game settings or by contacting us at support@wanderingrootstudios.com.

7. Children's Privacy

Root Run is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we discover a user is under 13, we will delete their information immediately.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our game mechanics or legal requirements. We will notify you of any significant changes through an in-app notification.