Privacy Policy

1. Overview

TrueElo ("the Service") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we handle information when you use our chess analysis tool at trueelo.app.

Key Point: TrueElo is designed with privacy in mind. For anonymous users, we do not collect personal information, do not use cookies, and do not track your identity—your data stays in your browser. For users who choose to sign in, we securely sync your chess data across devices while maintaining minimal data collection.

2. Information Collection

2.1 Anonymous Users

For users who do not sign in, TrueElo does not collect:

• Personal identification information
• IP addresses or geolocation data
• Device fingerprints or unique identifiers
• Browsing history or behavioral tracking data

2.2 Authenticated Users (Optional)

If you choose to create an account for cloud sync, we collect:

• Email address: For authentication and account management
• Authentication tokens: Secure session management
• User ID: Anonymous identifier for data organization

Sign-in is completely optional. You can use all features without an account—signing in only enables cross-device sync.

Note: If you voluntarily submit the contact form, your name, email, and message are sent to our form processor (Formspree). See Section 4 for details.

3. Data Storage

TrueElo uses two storage systems: a cloud-based shared cache (for performance) and local browser storage (for user-specific data).

3.1 Shared Cache

To improve performance, TrueElo shares analysis results across all users via a cloud caching service:

• Engine evaluations: Chess positions and analysis results
• Game statistics: Aggregate win/draw/loss data from public game databases
• No personal data: Only chess positions and aggregate statistics are stored—no identifiers, no user data
• Expiration: Cache entries expire periodically

3.2 User Data Storage

Anonymous Users (Local Only)

User-specific data is stored locally in your browser and never leaves your device:

• Preferences: Your selected settings and display options
• Repertoire: Your saved opening lines
• Study progress: Your practice history

Authenticated Users (Cloud Sync)

If you sign in, your data is synced to secure cloud storage for cross-device access:

• Dual storage: Data is stored both locally and in the cloud
• Cloud-primary sync: Changes are saved to the cloud first, then cached locally
• Offline mode: Read-only access to cached data when offline
• Simple migration: Cloud data takes precedence if it exists, otherwise local data uploads
• Data migration: Local data automatically migrates to cloud on first sign-in

All stored data contains only chess-related information—no personal information beyond your authentication email.

4. Third-Party Services

TrueElo uses the following third-party services:

5. Chess Engine Processing

Chess engine analysis runs entirely in your web browser. All position analysis happens locally on your device:

• No chess positions are sent to any server for engine analysis
• No move recommendations are transmitted externally
• Engine processing uses only your device's resources

6. Data Retention

• Shared cache: Expires periodically
• Local data (anonymous): Stored until you clear browser data
• Cloud data (authenticated): Retained while your account is active

Anonymous users: Data is stored locally in your browser. You can delete everything at any time through browser settings.

Authenticated users: Your cloud data persists across devices. You can delete your account and all associated data through account settings.

7. Hosting and Server Logs

TrueElo is hosted as a static website. When you visit the site, our hosting provider may generate standard web server logs, which could include:

• IP address
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and timestamps
• Referring URL

These logs are controlled by the hosting infrastructure, not by TrueElo. We do not access, analyze, or process these logs. Contact the hosting provider for their data practices.

8. Data Security

TrueElo stores only non-personal data:

• Cloud cache: Contains only chess positions and analysis—no personal information
• Local storage: Your preferences and saved content stay on your device, protected by browser security
• We cannot be compelled to produce personal data we don't collect

We use HTTPS for all connections to encrypt data in transit.

9. Your Rights and Data Portability

Anonymous Users

Your data stays on your device, giving you full control:

• Access: View your data through browser developer tools
• Export: Use in-app export features where available
• Delete: Clear site data in browser settings to remove everything

Authenticated Users

You have additional rights for your cloud-stored data:

• Access: Download all your data through account settings
• Portability: Export data in standard formats
• Correction: Update or correct your information
• Deletion: Delete your account and all associated data

To exercise these rights, use the account settings or contact us.

10. Children's Privacy

TrueElo does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, including children under 13 (COPPA) or under 16 (GDPR). Since we collect no personal data, there is no children's data to protect. The Service is suitable for users of all ages.

11. International Users

TrueElo uses cloud services that may store data across multiple regions globally. Your local data remains in your browser. See the Firebase Privacy Policy, Lichess Privacy Policy, and Formspree Privacy Policy for their international data handling practices.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be indicated by updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Material changes will be reflected in the date; continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.

13. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us.