Privacy Policy
Effective date: May 10, 2026
This policy explains what information Cold Creek Gas Plant Simulator collects, why it collects it, and what it does with it. Cold Creek is a free, browser-based training simulator for gas plant operators. If you have questions, the contact information is at the bottom of this page.
1. Who We Are
Cold Creek Gas Plant Simulator is operated by Josh Winter, a sole proprietor doing business as Winter Howlers. For privacy purposes, Josh Winter / Winter Howlers is the data controller for personal information collected through this site.
- Website: https://gasplantsim.com
- Contact: hello@winterhowlers.com
- Location: North Dakota, United States
2. What Data We Collect
The table below describes every category of data collected, why it is collected, and where it is stored.
No account required, no data leaves your device. The simulator runs entirely in your browser. Your game progress is stored only in your browser's localStorage and is never sent to our servers. The only personal data that reaches us is what you voluntarily type into the enterprise contact form on the /teams page.
| Data Category | Specific Fields | How It Is Collected | Why | Storage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Game progress and settings | Shift results, simulator settings, scenario state | Automatically saved as you play | Preserves your progress between visits without requiring an account | Your browser's localStorage only. Never transmitted to any server. |
| Enterprise contact form data | Name, work email, company name, role, industry, team size, message | You submit it through the contact form on the /teams page | To respond to inquiries about team or training program licenses | Forwarded to us by email via FormSubmit.co. Not stored in any database we control. |
| Page view and performance data | Pages visited, load times, Web Vitals scores | Collected automatically by Vercel Analytics when you visit the site | To understand how the site performs and where visitors spend time | Vercel (US CDN) |
| Crash logs | Error messages, stack traces | Stored in your browser's localStorage when the simulator encounters an error | To help diagnose problems if you report a bug | Your browser only. Never transmitted to any server. |
Cold Creek does not assign you an account, generate any identifier linked to your device, or transmit your game data to any server. All simulator state lives in your own browser and stays there. We do not collect your real name, physical address, payment information, government ID, or biometric data. We do not run advertising, and no ad networks have access to your data through this site.
3. How We Use Your Data
- Saving your game progress. Simulator state is saved only to your own browser's localStorage. Nothing is transmitted to our servers or any third party.
- Responding to enterprise inquiries. Contact form submissions on the /teams page are used only to reply to your message. They are not shared with third parties for marketing purposes and are not added to any mailing list.
- Improving site performance. Aggregate, anonymized analytics data from Vercel Analytics is used to identify slow pages or broken flows. We do not use analytics data to profile individual users.
We do not sell your data. We do not use your data for targeted advertising. We do not use automated decision-making that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you.
4. Lawful Basis for Processing (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, the following legal bases apply to our processing activities.
| Processing Activity | Lawful Basis |
|---|---|
| Saving game progress in your browser's localStorage | No personal data is processed remotely. Game state is stored locally on your device and is not transmitted to us. No lawful basis is required for local browser storage under GDPR. |
| Collecting and responding to enterprise contact form submissions | Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)), or pre-contractual steps at your request (Article 6(1)(b)) where the inquiry concerns a potential commercial arrangement. |
| Collecting page view and performance analytics | Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)). Vercel Analytics is configured to collect anonymized, aggregated data and does not use cookies or fingerprinting techniques that require consent under ePrivacy rules. |
5. Third-Party Processors
| Processor | Purpose | Data Shared | Privacy Information |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vercel Inc. | Website hosting and performance analytics | IP address (anonymized), pages visited, Web Vitals metrics | Vercel Privacy Policy |
| FormSubmit.co | Email forwarding for enterprise contact form submissions | Name, email, company, role, industry, team size, message | FormSubmit Privacy Policy |
We do not share your data with any other third parties. We do not use any ad networks, retargeting platforms, or data brokers.
6. International Data Transfers
Cold Creek is operated from the United States. Your game data never leaves your own browser, so no cross-border transfer occurs for simulator activity.
If you submit the enterprise contact form on the /teams page, your submission is processed by FormSubmit.co and delivered to us by email. FormSubmit.co is a US-based service. Vercel, which hosts this site, processes anonymized analytics data in the US and participates in applicable data transfer frameworks. Neither transfer involves sensitive personal data. If you have concerns about cross-border processing before submitting the contact form, email hello@winterhowlers.com.
7. Data Retention
| Data Category | How Long We Keep It |
|---|---|
| Game progress and settings | Stored in your browser's localStorage. Persists until you clear your browser data or uninstall the browser. We have no copy of this data and cannot delete it on your behalf. |
| Enterprise contact form submissions | Up to 2 years from the date of submission, or until the inquiry is resolved and you request deletion |
| Vercel Analytics data | Governed by Vercel's retention policy. We do not control this separately. |
| Crash logs | Stored in your own browser's localStorage. Cleared when you clear your browser data. |
8. Your Rights
- Access. You can ask us what data we hold about you. Because your game progress is stored only in your own browser and never transmitted to us, we hold no game data about you. If you submitted the enterprise contact form, we can provide a copy of that submission on request.
- Correction. If any information is inaccurate, you can ask us to correct it.
- Deletion. You can ask us to delete your data. Some data may be retained briefly in backups before it is fully purged.
- Portability. You can ask for a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Restriction of processing. You can ask us to stop processing while a complaint or correction request is resolved.
- Objection. You can object to processing based on legitimate interests. We will stop unless we have compelling legitimate grounds that override your interests.
- Withdraw consent. We do not currently rely on consent as a lawful basis for any ongoing processing. If that changes, we will update this policy and provide a clear withdrawal mechanism.
To exercise any of these rights, email hello@winterhowlers.com with subject "Privacy Request." We respond within 30 days (GDPR) or 45 days (CCPA), as applicable.
9. Children (COPPA)
Cold Creek is intended for adults and those 13 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use this site, do not submit your email address, and do not fill out any contact forms.
If you are the parent or guardian of a child under 13 and believe they have provided personal information through this site, contact us at hello@winterhowlers.com and we will delete that information promptly.
Students between 13 and 17 may use the simulator for educational purposes. If your school or training program is deploying this simulator to minors in that age range, contact us at hello@winterhowlers.com to discuss appropriate data handling arrangements before deployment.
10. California Residents (CCPA / CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under CCPA as amended by CPRA.
Your California Rights
- Right to Know. What categories of personal information we collect, the purposes, and disclosure to third parties.
- Right to Delete. Subject to certain exceptions.
- Right to Correct. Inaccurate personal information.
- Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing. We do not sell or share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. There is nothing to opt out of, but you may contact us to confirm.
- Right to Non-Discrimination. We will not discriminate against you for exercising California privacy rights.
Categories of Personal Information Collected
- Identifiers (name and work email address, submitted voluntarily through the enterprise contact form only).
- Internet or other electronic network activity (page views, Web Vitals, aggregated site performance data via Vercel Analytics).
- Professional or employment-related information (role, company, industry, team size from the enterprise contact form).
We do not collect sensitive personal information as defined by CPRA. To submit a California privacy request, email hello@winterhowlers.com with subject "California Privacy Request."
11. Cookies and Tracking
Vercel Analytics
We use Vercel Analytics for page view counts and Web Vitals. Vercel Analytics is privacy-first: no cookies, no fingerprinting, no cross-site tracking. Aggregated and anonymized.
No Advertising Cookies
Cold Creek does not run advertising. There are no ad network scripts, retargeting pixels, or third-party tracking cookies on this site.
Browser localStorage
The simulator stores all game progress, settings, and crash logs in your browser's localStorage. None of this data is transmitted to any server. You can clear it at any time through your browser's settings or developer tools.
12. Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as the simulator adds features or as legal requirements change. When we make a meaningful change, we update the effective date at the top of this page. Continued use after a policy update means you accept the revised terms.
13. Contact
- Email: hello@winterhowlers.com
- Subject line for privacy requests: "Privacy Request"
- Response time: Within 30 days (GDPR) or 45 days (CCPA)
We do not have a formal EU/UK representative or DPO at this time, as the volume of EU/UK user data and processing activities do not trigger DPO obligation under GDPR Article 37. If you are in the EU or UK with an unresolved complaint, you may contact your national data protection authority.