Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how Zafronix LLC, which operates Next-Gen Chess (ngchess.com) (the "Service"), collects, uses, discloses, and protects your information. It should be read together with our Terms & Conditions and License. For the purposes of applicable data-protection law, Zafronix LLC is the controller of personal data processed through the Service.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide. Account information (username, email address, and an optional password); profile details you choose to add (such as name, country, or avatar); classroom information created by teachers; content you submit, such as feedback or support requests.

Information collected automatically. Game history, moves, ratings, and statistics; device and browser information; IP address and approximate location (derived from IP) used for security, abuse-prevention, and login history; and usage data such as pages viewed and features used.

Information from cookies and similar technologies. We use strictly necessary cookies to keep you signed in and to secure the Service, and analytics/measurement technologies to understand usage (see Section 5).

2. How We Use Your Information

• Provide, operate, maintain, and improve the Service and its features;
• Authenticate you and send one-time sign-in links, verification, and password-reset messages;
• Provide AI coaching, ratings, game review, and personalized learning features;
• Process transactions and manage subscriptions through our payment processor;
• Communicate with you about your account, security, and service-related matters;
• Monitor, analyze, and improve trends, usage, and performance;
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraud, abuse, and security incidents;
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms.

3. Legal Bases for Processing

Where required by law (for example, under the GDPR/UK GDPR), we process personal data on the bases of: performance of our contract with you (to provide the Service); our legitimate interests (to secure, analyze, and improve the Service) balanced against your rights; your consent (for example, for certain analytics or marketing, where required); and compliance with legal obligations.

4. Email Communications & Unsubscribe

Transactional email — sign-in links, verification, password reset, and important account or security notices — is necessary to operate your account and is not optional while your account is active. Any marketing or outreach email includes a one-click unsubscribe link and a postal address, and we honor opt-outs across all Zafronix products through a shared suppression list. You can unsubscribe from any such message or contact us through the feedback form.

5. Cookies, Analytics & Bot Protection

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and secure the Service and to measure usage. This may include Google Analytics for aggregate usage measurement and Cloudflare Turnstile to distinguish humans from bots during registration and sign-in. These providers process limited technical data (such as IP address and device/browser information) on our behalf or as independent controllers under their own policies. Analytics is suppressed on pages designed for children.

6. Payments

Paid plans are processed by Stripe, Inc. We do not collect or store your full payment card number; that information is handled directly by Stripe under its own privacy policy. We receive limited transaction and subscription information needed to manage your plan.

7. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share it only: (a) with service providers who process data on our behalf under contract (for example, hosting, email delivery, payment processing, analytics, and bot-protection providers); (b) to comply with law, legal process, or lawful requests, or to protect the rights, safety, and property of Next-Gen Chess, our users, or the public; (c) in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, subject to this Policy; and (d) with your consent or at your direction.

8. Children's Privacy (COPPA & FERPA)

The Service is not directed to children under 13 for independent account creation, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 outside of a school-managed context. In classrooms, students join with an alias using a classroom code — no email address, password, or personal profile is required for a student to play — and we design classroom features to minimize the personal information collected from students. Where a school or teacher uses the Service with students, the school acts as our authority and is responsible for providing required notices and obtaining any parental consents under COPPA, FERPA, and similar laws; we process student information only to provide the educational service and at the school's direction. If you believe a child has provided us personal information without proper authorization, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service, and thereafter as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. Security-related records such as login history are retained on a limited schedule. When information is no longer needed, we delete or de-identify it.

10. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Passwords, when set, are stored only as salted bcrypt hashes and are never stored in plain text. Sign-in links are single-use and time-limited. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. International Transfers

We operate in the United States, and your information may be processed in the U.S. and other countries that may have different data-protection laws than your jurisdiction. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

12. Your Rights & Choices

Depending on your location, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, port, or restrict processing of your personal information, to object to certain processing, and to withdraw consent. You can access and update much of your information in your account, request deletion of your account, and unsubscribe from marketing email at any time. To exercise your rights, use the feedback form or the contact details below. We will respond as required by applicable law and will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

13. Third-Party Links

The Service may link to third-party websites or services that we do not control. This Policy does not apply to those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date below and, where appropriate, provide additional notice. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

15. Contact Us

If you have questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal information, contact Zafronix LLC, 30 N Gould St, Ste R, Sheridan, WY 82801, USA, or use the feedback form on the Service.