Privacy Policy

1. Scope

This policy applies to the My Bracket Appwebsite and the bracket, round-robin, and pool tools offered on it (together, the "Service"). It does not apply to third-party websites or services that we link to or that serve content such as advertising through the Service. Those third parties have their own privacy policies.

2. Information we collect

Information you provide

• Account information. If you create an account, we collect your email address and a password. Passwords are handled by our authentication provider and stored only in hashed form.
• Content you create. Brackets, schedules, team names, scores, and similar content you build and choose to save.
• Messages. If you contact us, we keep your message and contact details so we can respond.

Information collected automatically

• Device and connection data. IP address, browser type, operating system, and similar technical data.
• Usage data. Pages viewed, links clicked, referring pages, and dates and times of access.
• Cookies and similar technologies. See our Cookie Policy for the categories of cookies we use and how to control them.

We do not ask for or intentionally collect sensitive information such as government identifiers, health data, or precise geolocation.

3. How we use information

We use the information described above to:

• provide, operate, and maintain the Service;
• create your account and keep you signed in;
• save and load the brackets and schedules you build;
• understand how the Service is used so we can improve it;
• display advertising and measure its performance, where you have not opted out;
• respond to your messages and support requests;
• detect, prevent, and address security incidents, fraud, and abuse; and
• comply with legal obligations.

4. Advertising and analytics

The Service is supported by advertising and is free to use. We work with third-party advertising partners (for example, advertising networks such as Google AdSense) that may use cookies and similar technologies to show and measure ads. Depending on your choices, these ads may be personalized based on your activity over time and across different websites. This is known as cross-context behavioral advertising or interest-based advertising.

We may also use analytics tools to understand traffic and usage patterns. Analytics and advertising cookies are not strictly necessary for the Service to work, and we only use them in line with the choices you make in our cookie consent banner.

You can control or opt out of personalized advertising:

• through our cookie banner, by selecting "Reject all" or by turning off the Advertising category in cookie preferences;
• through industry tools such as the Digital Advertising Alliance at optout.aboutads.info and the Network Advertising Initiative at optout.networkadvertising.org; and
• through your Google Ad Settings if you have a Google account.

5. How we share information

We do not sell your information for money. We share information:

• With service providers. Companies that host the Service, store data, provide authentication, and provide similar functions on our behalf, under contracts that limit their use of the information.
• With advertising and analytics partners. As described in Section 4, and subject to your cookie choices.
• For legal reasons. When required by law, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of My Bracket App, our users, or others.
• In a business transfer. In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with notice to you where required.

6. "Sharing" for advertising

Some US state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended (the CCPA/CPRA), use the terms "sell" and "share" broadly. Allowing advertising partners to set cookies for cross-context behavioral advertising may be considered "sharing" or a "sale" of personal information under those laws, even when no money changes hands.

You can opt out of this sharing at any time using the cookie banner or the Cookie preferences link in our footer. We also honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal where it is sent: if your browser sends a GPC signal, we treat it as a request to opt out of the sale and sharing of personal information for advertising.

7. Your privacy choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding personal information about you:

• Access and portability. Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction. Ask us to correct inaccurate information.
• Deletion. Ask us to delete personal information about you.
• Opt out. Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and of targeted or cross-context behavioral advertising.
• Non-discrimination. We will not deny you the Service or charge you a different price for exercising these rights.

These rights are provided by laws such as the CCPA/CPRA in California and comprehensive privacy laws in states including Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, and others. To exercise a right, email us at privacy@mybracketapp.com. We will verify your request, usually by confirming control of the email address on your account, and respond within the time required by applicable law. You may use an authorized agent where the law allows. If we decline a request, you may appeal by replying to our response.

To opt out of advertising cookies, you do not need to email us: open the cookie banner or the Cookie preferences link in the footer and turn off the Advertising category.

8. Data retention

We keep account information and saved content for as long as your account is active. If you delete your account or ask us to delete your data, we will delete or de-identify it within a reasonable period, except where we must keep it to meet a legal obligation, resolve a dispute, or enforce our agreements. Automatically collected logs are kept for a limited period and then deleted or aggregated.

9. Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures designed to protect your information, including encrypted connections and access controls. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children's privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact us and we will delete it. Users between 13 and 18 should review this policy with a parent or guardian.

11. Do Not Track

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" setting. There is no common industry standard for how to respond to it, so we do not respond to Do Not Track signals. We do honor the Global Privacy Control signal as described in Section 6.

12. Third-party links and content

The Service may link to or display content from third parties, including advertisements. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Review their privacy policies before providing them with information.

13. Where we operate

The Service is operated from the United States and is intended for users in the United States. If you access it from elsewhere, you do so on your own initiative and are responsible for compliance with local law.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date above and, for significant changes, provide a more prominent notice. Your continued use of the Service after an update means you accept the revised policy.

15. Contact us

For privacy questions or to exercise your rights, email privacy@mybracketapp.com.