Privacy Policy

Overview

Last updated: April 26, 2026

PopulationGuessr is an anonymous map guessing game. It does not require an account to play, but users may create a free account. Some technical data is processed to deliver the game, prevent abuse, remember preferences, operate maps and analytics, and support account features.

Information processed by the game

When you start or play a game, the service may process an anonymous browser identifier, approximate technical request data, IP-derived anti-abuse signals, selected game mode, guesses submitted, round scores, and the shapes used in each anonymous game session.

The true population for a round is not sent to the browser until after a guess is submitted. Completed game summaries are available through a session URL generated by the game.

Account data

If you create an account, authentication is handled by Supabase. The service may process your email address, Supabase user identifier, login provider, account timestamps, display name, and avatar placeholder. Games started while signed in are saved to your account history, including game mode, score, round guesses, true populations, score version, timestamps, and aggregate statistics.

Signed-in games may appear on public leaderboards using your display name, score, game mode, rank, and completion time. Anonymous games are not shown on public leaderboards.

Supabase acts as an authentication and database infrastructure provider for account features.

Maps, tiles, and data providers

The game loads map styles, labels, tiles, and satellite imagery from third-party map providers including OpenFreeMap, OpenStreetMap-based services, and Esri/ArcGIS Location Platform. Those providers can receive normal web request data such as IP address, user agent, requested map resources, and referrer information.

Population estimates and answers are based on WorldPop population raster data processed by the PopulationCircle backend.

Analytics

The site may use Google Analytics to understand aggregate traffic, gameplay flow, device/browser information, approximate geography, and performance. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers. You can decline non-essential analytics in the privacy notice shown on the site before the Google Analytics tag is loaded.

Advertising and Google AdSense

PopulationGuessr may display advertising through Google AdSense. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on visits to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.

Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings. Users may also opt out of some third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting aboutads.info/choices.

More information about how Google uses data from sites that use Google services is available at Google's partner sites policy.

Cookies and local storage

The game uses browser localStorage for lightweight preferences such as map theme, basemap choice, the hidden tutorial state, last selected game mode, local personal bests, and privacy notice choice. See the Cookie Policy for more details.

Consent for visitors in Europe

For users in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and Switzerland, Google requires publishers serving personalized ads to use a Google-certified consent management platform integrated with the IAB Transparency and Consent Framework. PopulationGuessr should use Google's AdSense Privacy & messaging tools or another certified CMP before serving personalized ads in those regions.

Your choices

You can use browser controls to clear cookies, localStorage, and site data. You can decline non-essential analytics in the site notice. You can also manage Google ad personalization through Google Ad Settings.

Signed-in users can download a JSON export of their PopulationGuessr profile, aggregate stats, saved signed-in sessions, round results, and related quota rows from the account page.

Signed-in users can also delete PopulationGuessr app data from the account page. This removes the PopulationGuessr profile, signed-in game history, round results, stats, and related quota rows from this app. It does not delete the underlying Supabase Auth login account. Until full auth-account deletion is automated, requests to delete the login account itself can be sent by email.

Contact

For privacy questions, contact populationcircle@gmail.com.