Privacy Policy

Last updated: 7 November 2026

This policy explains what information Price Time Machine (pricetimemachine.com) collects when you play, why we collect it, and the choices you have. We keep it as short and plain as we can.

Who we are

Price Time Machine is a free online price-guessing game. We are the “controller” of the personal information described here, which means we decide how it is used. If you have any questions about your privacy, or want to use any of your rights, email us at ashberyjk@gmail.com.

If you just play

You can play without an account. We do not ask for your name or email to play. To make the game work, your browser stores a small note on your own device saying whether you have already played today’s challenge (and your score), and your scores for the current visit. This stays on your device; you can clear it at any time in your browser settings.

If you create an account

Accounts are optional and let you save your scores, see your stats and join the leaderboard. When you sign up we collect:

• Your display name and email address.
• A password. It is stored scrambled (hashed), so we cannot read it.
• Your agreement to this policy when you sign up.

If you choose Sign in with Google, Google shares your name and email address with us so we can create or find your account. We do not get your Google password. Google’s own privacy policy applies to your Google account.

While you are signed in, WordPress (the software our site runs on) sets login cookies so you stay signed in. These are needed for accounts to work.

Your scores and the leaderboard

If you have an account, we save the games you finish: the date, which challenge it was, your points and accuracy. We use this to show your stats, streaks and best games.

The leaderboard is opt-in. You are only listed if you choose to join, and only under a leaderboard name you pick, alongside your scores. Anyone visiting the site can see the leaderboard. You can leave it at any time.

Daily reminders

Daily reminders are optional and only for players with an account. If you turn them on, your browser gives us a notification address for your device, and we store it with your time zone. We use these only to send you one reminder a day when a new challenge is ready, at a sensible local time, and only if you haven’t played yet. The reminder is delivered by your browser’s own notification service (for example Google for Chrome, Mozilla for Firefox, or Apple for Safari). You can switch reminders off at any time from your account screen or in your browser’s settings, and we then delete the address for that device.

Security

To stop spam and automated attacks (for example, repeated sign-up or login attempts), we briefly check the IP address that requests come from. It is kept in a scrambled form for a short time (up to an hour) and then deleted. Our web host also keeps standard server logs for security and to keep the site running.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics to understand how people find and use the site, such as which pages are visited, roughly where visitors are in the world, what device and browser they use, and how they arrived. This helps us improve the game. Google Analytics uses cookies (named _ga and similar) to tell visits apart. It does not tell us who you are. You can block these cookies in your browser settings, or install Google’s Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

Why we use your information

• To provide your account and save your scores, because you asked us to (this is necessary to run the service you signed up for).
• To send daily reminders, only if you turn them on (your consent, which you can withdraw at any time).
• To keep the site secure and working, because we have a legitimate interest in protecting the site and its players.
• To understand how the site is used through analytics, so we can improve the game.

We do not sell your information, and we do not use it for advertising.

Who we share it with

We only share information with services that help us run the site:

• Hostinger, our web host, which stores the site and its data and provides site tools, caching and content delivery.
• Google, for Google Analytics and, if you use it, Sign in with Google.
• Your browser’s notification service (such as Google, Mozilla, Apple or Microsoft), only if you turn on daily reminders, to deliver them to your device.

Some of these companies may process data outside the UK, including in the United States. Where that happens, they use legal safeguards such as standard contractual clauses. We may also share information if the law requires us to.

How long we keep it

• Account details and scores are kept until you delete your account.
• Security checks on IP addresses are kept for up to an hour.
• Reminder details (your device’s notification address and time zone) are kept until you switch reminders off, the address stops working, or you delete your account.
• Analytics data is kept by Google for a limited period set in our Analytics settings, then deleted automatically.
• Information stored in your browser stays there until you clear it.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• ask for a copy of the information we hold about you
• ask us to correct anything that is wrong
• ask us to delete your information
• object to, or ask us to limit, how we use it
• take your information to another service

You can delete your account yourself from your account screen on the site. This removes your account and all of your saved scores. For anything else, email ashberyjk@gmail.com. We will reply within one month.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your information, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. We would appreciate the chance to sort it out first, though.

Children

Anyone can play the game without an account. Accounts are intended for people aged 13 and over. If you think a child under 13 has created an account, email us and we will delete it.

Changes to this policy

If we change how we use your information, we will update this page and the “last updated” date at the top.