Privacy policy
Last updated 8 November 2026
Short version: You can play Row Hero offline without giving us any personal data. If you choose to log in with Google for the leaderboards, we keep your display name, picture and best scores so other players can see them, and your email address so we know which account is yours. We don't sell your data, show ads or track you, and you can have it all deleted whenever you like.
Who we are
Row Hero is a free, non-commercial game for Windows, made by two brothers in the United Kingdom ("we", "us"). We decide how the personal data described here is used, which makes us its "controller" under UK data protection law. You can contact us at rowherogame@gmail.com.
This policy covers the Row Hero game, its launcher, and this website (rowhero.uk).
Playing without an account
You can play the whole game without logging in. Your saves and settings stay on your own computer and are never sent to us.
Logging in with Google
Logging in is optional and is only used for the leaderboards. When you press "Log in with Google", Google asks you to share basic profile information with Row Hero. We only ask for the standard openid, email and profile permissions.
| Data | Where it comes from | Why we use it |
|---|---|---|
| Your Google account ID and email address | Google sign-in | To create your Row Hero account and recognise you when you log in. Your email address is held by our sign-in provider (Firebase Authentication) and is never shown to other players. |
| Your display name | Your Google name, or a name you set in the game | Shown next to your scores on the leaderboards. You can change it in the game, and you don't have to use your real name. |
| Your profile picture | A link to your Google photo, or a small picture you choose in the game | Shown on your account button and on the leaderboards. |
| Your best scores | The game, when you win a race | Best score and accuracy for each song, best points for each regatta, and when they were set. Shown on the leaderboards. |
We don't collect your contacts, location, payment details or any other Google data.
Who can see it
Other logged-in players can see your display name, picture and scores on the leaderboards. They can't see your email address. Only the two of us can access the account records behind the leaderboards.
Where it's stored
- Google Firebase: account and leaderboard data is stored using Google Firebase (Authentication and Realtime Database). Google handles it for us under its data processing terms and security measures. Google may store it in the United States or other countries outside the UK. When it does, the transfer is protected by safeguards recognised under UK law, such as the UK–US data bridge or standard contractual clauses.
- Your computer: to keep you logged in, the game saves a sign-in token in the Windows registry with the game's other settings. Pressing Log out in account settings removes it.
- GitHub: the installer and game updates are downloaded from GitHub. When the launcher checks for or downloads updates, GitHub receives your IP address, as any website would. We don't see it.
Use of Google user data
Row Hero's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We only use Google user data to sign you in and to show your name and picture on the leaderboards. We don't sell it, share it with anyone else, or use it for advertising.
This website
- rowhero.uk is hosted by GitHub Pages. GitHub records visitors' IP addresses to keep its service secure. We don't have access to them.
- Our pages load their fonts from Google Fonts, so your browser sends your IP address to Google when you visit. Google says it doesn't use Google Fonts requests to build profiles or target ads.
- The home page asks GitHub for the latest version number, so GitHub also receives your IP address then.
- The site doesn't use cookies, analytics or ads. The Song Converter runs entirely in your browser, and nothing you put into it is uploaded.
Emailing us
If you email us, we'll see your email address and whatever you write. We only use it to reply to you, and we don't keep it for longer than we need to.
People in the game
Some of the rowers in Row Hero are named after real rowers from the club the game is based on, and have pixel-art pictures. They also appear in the wiki on this website. If you're one of them, or their parent or guardian, and you'd like your name or picture changed or removed, email us. We'll take it off the website straight away and out of the game in the next update.
Our legal basis
UK data protection law says we need a legal reason, called a "lawful basis", to use personal data. Ours is legitimate interests: running the leaderboards you've chosen to join and keeping them fair and secure, replying to your emails, and including members of the club in a game made for the club. We keep what we collect to a minimum, and you can object or ask us to delete your data at any time.
How long we keep it
We keep your account and scores until you ask us to delete them. If we shut down the online features, we'll delete the leaderboard data. We may delete accounts or scores sooner, for example test scores, accounts that haven't been used for a long time, or anything that breaks the terms of service.
Your rights
Under UK data protection law you can ask us to:
- give you a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
- correct it if it's wrong;
- delete it;
- stop using it, or limit how we use it.
To delete your account and all of your scores, email rowherogame@gmail.com from the Google account you log in with. Email us for any other request too. We'll respond within one month.
You can also remove Row Hero's access to your Google account at any time at myaccount.google.com/permissions. That stops Row Hero signing you in, but it doesn't delete your scores, so email us if you want them gone too.
If you're unhappy with how we handle your data, please tell us first so we can put it right. You can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children and young people
Row Hero is made for rowers at a club, so many players will be teenagers. The online features aren't meant for children under 13, and they need a Google account, which has its own age rules. If you're under 18, we suggest you use a nickname and an in-game picture on the leaderboards rather than your real name and photo. If you believe a child under 13 has given us their data, email us and we'll delete it.
Changes
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. If a change affects how we use your data, we'll mention it in the launcher's changelog, and we'll tell you before we start using your data in a new way.