Legal
Privacy policy
This policy explains what personal data Blockline collects when you visit this website or play the game, why, and what you can do about it.
Who we are
Blockline (the website at blockline.city and the game at build.blockline.city) is run by Phil Lavender, an individual based in the United Kingdom, who is the data controller for the personal data described here. Contact: hello@blockline.city.
What we collect and why
Your account
To play, you create an account. We store your email address, a display name or username, and (if you sign in with Google, Facebook or Apple) an identifier from that provider. Passwords are handled by our sign-in service and are stored only as secure hashes; we never see them. We use this data to let you sign in, keep your cities private to you, and send emails you ask for, such as address verification and password resets. The legal basis is the contract between us: we cannot provide the game without it.
Your cities
Your cities, their save history and your in-game choices are stored on our servers against your account so you can continue on any device. We also record which in-game announcements you have seen.
Technical data
When you sign in we record the time, the type of device (desktop, tablet or phone) and your browser's user-agent string, so we can see which devices players use and prioritise fixes. Our servers keep standard access logs (IP address, time, page requested) for security and troubleshooting. The legal basis is our legitimate interest in running a secure, working service.
Data stored in your browser
The game keeps a sign-in session cookie (strictly necessary) and stores preferences and small pieces of game state, such as which tips you have dismissed, in your browser's local storage. These never leave your device except as part of your saved city.
Advertising and cookies
This website and the game show ads provided by Google AdSense. Google and its partners use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads, to measure them and, where you consent, to personalise them based on your visits to this and other websites.
Where the law requires it (including for visitors in the UK, the European Economic Area and Switzerland) we ask for your consent before personalised advertising cookies are used, and you can change your choice at any time with the Cookie settings link at the foot of every page. You can also opt out of personalised advertising through Google's ad settings, and learn how Google uses data at How Google uses information from sites that use its services. Third-party vendors' use of cookies can also be managed at aboutads.info.
We do not use any other analytics or tracking cookies.
Who processes your data
- Hostinger provides the server on which the website, the game, the sign-in service and the database run.
- Resend delivers our account emails (verification and password reset).
- Google provides advertising (AdSense), and Google sign-in if you choose it.
- Facebook (Meta) and Apple provide sign-in if you choose them.
Some of these providers process data outside the UK. Where they do, they rely on the safeguards UK law requires, such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum or adequacy regulations. We do not sell your personal data.
How long we keep it
We keep your account and cities for as long as your account exists. If you ask us to delete your account, we delete your account, your cities and their history, normally within 30 days; backups that contain them expire within a further 30 days. Server logs are kept for no more than 90 days.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to restrict or object to how we use it, and to receive it in a portable form. Where we rely on consent (personalised ads), you can withdraw it at any time. To use any of these rights, email hello@blockline.city from the address on your account. If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children
Blockline is a general-audience game and is not directed at children under 13. If you are under 13, please do not create an account. If you believe a child under 13 has given us personal data, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy we will update the date at the top of this page, and for significant changes we will tell players in the game or on the Blockline Discord server.