Privacy Policy
Effective: October 25, 2026
Somewhere in the Woods is a service operated by MindGrove Labs, based in British Columbia, Canada.
This privacy policy explains what information we collect when you use Somewhere in the Woods, its camp and its shared campfire (Campfire), and how we use and keep it.
1. Information we collect
Your camp records
You use the camp signed in with a Google account. Your camp records other than settings, such as your camp name, expedition records and bookmarks, are stored in your browser and on our servers so that you can continue on other devices. Settings are stored only in your browser.
Your camp name is shown to other people at the campfire.
Playlists
To learn which of the camp's records people like, we count every night, from your camp records on our servers, which records are in your playlist. What changed since the last count is kept without your account: the day, the record, and for a record taken out, how many days it had stayed. These counts identify no one.
Campfire information
When you use the campfire, we collect and store:
- your account's unique identifier (ID)
- the camp name you set
- when you joined a campfire and when you used it
- chat messages and when they were sent
- notes you leave by the fire, with your camp name and when you left them, and the marshmallows you give
- wishes you leave on the notice board, with your camp name and when you left them, and the hearts you give; while you are in the camp, your account ID is on a channel that counts who is in the camp (nothing is stored)
- the days you added a log to the fire, to count the day's logs
- reports, reported messages and records of restrictions
Talks with Hubert, the Tavern's bartender (AI)
When you order a drink from Hubert in the Tavern, his replies are written by an outside AI service (OpenAI). To write each reply we send OpenAI what you typed in that talk so far, the drink you chose, your camp name, how well he knows you in the game and any memories you have agreed he may keep. What you say in a talk is kept on our server only while the talk is on, so that a reloaded page can carry on, and is deleted when it ends. At the end he shows one to three lines he would keep for your next visit; they are stored only if you choose to keep them, and you can read and delete them from his menu at any time. His replies are generated by AI and are not written or reviewed by a person. These talks are never shown to other users and change nothing else in the camp.
Google sign-in information
Signing in with Google is required to use the camp. When you sign in, Google provides your Google account's email address, name, profile picture and unique identifier during authentication.
We use this information to authenticate and link your account and to handle your inquiries. We don't use your email address for advertising or marketing emails.
Your Google account information is not shown to other campfire users; they see only your camp name.
2. How we use information
We use the information we collect only to:
- run the campfire chat and show who is there in real time
- show the notes left by the fire
- authenticate and manage accounts
- keep your camp records and sync them between devices
- handle reports, prevent misuse and keep the community safe
- enforce the terms of use and meet our legal obligations
- see how the camp is used, as visit counts that identify no one
- learn which of the camp's records people keep in their playlists, as statistics that identify no one
3. Disclosure and third-party services
Chat messages and camp names are shown in real time to other people at the same campfire. Users cannot view past conversations.
Notes left by the fire are shown, with the camp name, to everyone who opens the campfire.
The operator accesses stored information only when needed to investigate reports, keep the service safe or meet legal obligations.
We use these external services to run the service:
- Supabase: authentication, data storage and real-time chat
- Google: account sign-in
- Google Fonts: fonts
- Cloudflare: hosting and visit statistics without cookies (Web Analytics)
- OpenAI: writes Hubert's replies in the Tavern, only when you talk with him over a drink
Supabase stores service data on servers in the United States. Connection information such as your IP address may be passed to these services when you use them.
OpenAI processes the content of your talks with Hubert on its servers in the United States under its API data policies, and only while you talk with him over a drink. We send no account identifier with it, only a code derived from your account that cannot be traced back to you, which lets OpenAI act on abuse reports.
Cloudflare serves the site and counts visits in aggregate (page views, country, browser type) without cookies and without identifying individual visitors.
Except where required or permitted by law, we do not provide personal information to third parties for purposes not stated in this policy.
4. How long we keep information
- Chat messages: kept for up to 30 days after they are sent, then deleted automatically.
- Friends: your camp name and your camper's look are shown to the friends you add. Your friend code, friend list and requests are kept until you remove them or ask us to delete your account; requests not answered within 30 days are deleted automatically.
- Messages to friends: kept for up to 30 days after they are sent, then deleted automatically. A reported message and the messages around it are kept with the report.
- Notes and marshmallows: kept for 7 days, then deleted automatically.
- Wishes and hearts on the notice board: kept until you delete the wish yourself, until you ask us to delete your account, or until the camp takes the wish down.
- Logs added to the fire: kept for 3 days, then deleted automatically.
- Talks with Hubert: the words of a talk are kept only while it is on and deleted when it ends; a record of each talk (its day, the drink, how many lines; no words) for 30 days; a log of each AI call (time, tokens used, cost; no words) for 90 days. The memories you chose to keep stay until you delete them or ask us to delete your account.
- Your playlist as last counted: kept until you ask us to delete your account. The nightly counts and changes, kept without your account, are statistics that identify no one.
- Reports: reported messages and the related conversation are kept for as long as needed to handle the report. Reports closed without action are deleted within 30 days of closing.
- Restriction records: the information behind a decision that directly affects a user is kept for at least one year after the decision, as the law requires, and deleted once it is no longer needed.
- Account information and camp records stored on our servers: kept until you ask us to delete your account. Anonymous accounts that have not been used for 30 days are deleted automatically.
Information needed to meet legal obligations or resolve disputes may be kept longer than the periods above. Statistics processed so that no individual can be identified may be kept separately.
5. Protecting your information and your rights
MindGrove Labs applies reasonable security measures to prevent unauthorized access to, leaks of and misuse of personal information.
You can ask to access, correct or delete your personal information, and, to the extent the law allows, withdraw your consent to its processing.
We may need to confirm your identity when you make a request. For anonymous accounts, we may be limited in what we can do if there isn't enough information to confirm ownership.
You can use the service's reporting and blocking features. Your block list is stored in your browser and on our servers.
6. Children's information
The campfire is not intended for children under 14.
7. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated as the service or the law changes. Changes will be posted on this page, and important changes will be announced separately in the service.
8. Contact
For privacy questions, requests or complaints, contact:
Operator: MindGrove Labs
Privacy officer: MindGrove Labs Privacy Officer
Email: mindgrove.apps@gmail.com