Privacy at 5Row

Last updated 6 October 2026

5Row measures how the site is used so we can see which pages bring players in, where people get stuck before their first game, and which errors to fix. This page lists exactly what is collected, what is not, and how to switch it off.

Your choice

Checking this browser's analytics setting…

Turning analytics off stops event collection, the online heartbeat and PostHog in this browser, and deletes the analytics ids stored in it. It applies to this browser only. If your browser sends a Do Not Track or Global Privacy Control signal, analytics is off automatically. The game works the same either way.

What we collect

  • Random ids, not fingerprints. A visitor id stored in this browser (a first-party cookie named 5r_vid and local storage; it expires after 400 days without a visit) and a session id for each visit (a new visit starts after 30 minutes without activity). Both are random; nothing is derived from your device.
  • Pages you visit, as paths only (the part of an address after “?” is dropped), including the page you arrived on.
  • Where you came from: campaign parameters in the link you followed (utm_source, utm_medium, utm_campaign, utm_content, utm_term and an experiment code) and the domain of the website that referred you.
  • Coarse device facts: device type, browser and operating system, screen size, language, time zone, and the country our content delivery network reports for your connection. Never your precise location.
  • What you do in the product: buttons such as Play now, Practice or Rematch, when a game, room or matchmaking screen loads, practice games against the computer (difficulty, result, number of moves and duration), and signing out.
  • Errors: the first 200 characters of error messages from the page (with web addresses shortened and e-mail addresses removed), failed requests to our servers (which kind of request and the error code) and dropped game connections.
  • Who is online: while a tab is open and visible, it tells our server every 25 seconds that someone is there and whether they are browsing, matchmaking, playing, watching a match or chatting. That is the “online” number on the home page; it counts real browsers only.
  • Your account link: when you get an account (a guest account is created the first time you play, open a room or chat), the visitor id is linked to it so we know which visits led to an account.

Separately from analytics, the server records your online games (moves, results, ratings) because that is how matches work. Practice games against the computer run in your browser and are not stored.

Session replays

We use PostHog, a product analytics service, for funnels and session replays. A replay reconstructs what was on screen during a visit so we can see where people get stuck. In replays everything you type is masked, and chat messages and the chat box are hidden entirely. PostHog is loaded through 5Row's own address and stores its own cookie in your browser. If it is blocked, nothing else changes.

What analytics never collects

  • Passwords or login tokens.
  • E-mail addresses (an address you use to save your account stays with the account).
  • Chat messages, or anything else you type into a text box.
  • IP addresses: 5Row does not store them, and IP capture is disabled in our PostHog project.
  • Your precise location.

Questions about the game itself are answered on the about page and the rules page.