FAQ & Troubleshooting
Is Wheel of Names Safe to Use? Privacy & Security FAQ
Yes, for the core use case: if you don't save or share a wheel, nothing leaves your browser. Here's exactly what the privacy policy says once you do.
Key takeaways
- By default, wheels you build are stored only in your browser's local storage; nothing is sent to a server unless you create an account or share a wheel.
- If you do create an account or share a wheel, the site stores only what's needed for that feature (your email, and the shared wheel's content), and it states plainly that it does not sell personal information.
- The service says it isn't directed at children under 13 and doesn't knowingly collect their data, so treat classroom use with the same care you'd apply to any tool touching student information.
Short answer
Yes, Wheel of Names is safe for the core use case.
If you just open the site, type in some names, and spin the wheel without saving or sharing it, nothing leaves your browser.
The wheel lives in local storage on your device.
The moment you create an account or share a wheel, a small, specific set of data starts being stored server-side.
The site's privacy policy spells out exactly what that is.
What data is actually collected
Per the site's privacy policy, data collection breaks into three tiers:
- Wheels you don't save or share: stored only in your browser's local storage. Not sent to the server.
- If you create an account or share a wheel, the site stores what that feature needs: your email address, and the shared wheel's content (the entries in it).
- Standard technical data: IP address, browser type, device, and pages visited, collected automatically through cookies and analytics (Google Analytics), the same way most sites work.
How shared wheels work
When you generate a shareable link for a wheel, that's a specific, deliberate action. It doesn't happen automatically just because you saved a wheel to your account.
Treat the resulting link like any shared-document link: anyone who has it can open it.
Don't post it somewhere public if the entries (e.g., a class roster) shouldn't be public.
What the policy says about retention, security, and your rights
A few specifics worth knowing, straight from the privacy policy rather than general assumptions about "wheel tools":
- Retention: personal data is kept "only as long as needed for the purposes described," then deleted or anonymized.
- Selling data: the policy states plainly, "We do not sell your personal information."
- Your rights: depending on where you live, you can access, correct, or delete your data, object to or restrict processing, withdraw consent, and opt out of data sharing (CCPA/CPRA). The policy also gives a contact address (contact@wheelofnames.io) for exercising these.
- Legal basis (GDPR): for EEA/UK/Switzerland users, processing is based on consent (analytics/advertising cookies), legitimate interests (keeping the site secure and working), or contract (delivering features you request, like sharing or accounts).
Classroom and kid-safety notes
The privacy policy states the service "is not directed to children under 13 (or the minimum age required in your country)" and that it doesn't knowingly collect their personal data.
In practice, that means the product isn't designed as a children's service with COPPA-style protections built in. It's a general tool that happens to be popular in classrooms.
If you're a teacher entering a class roster:
- Prefer first names or initials over full names, especially for younger students: a wheel doesn't need a full legal name to work.
- Don't enter student IDs, grades, or anything beyond what the activity needs.
- If you're not signing in or sharing the wheel, it stays in your browser's local storage and isn't sent anywhere. That's the lowest-exposure way to use it for a class list.
- Check your school or district's policy on third-party web tools before adopting one for regular use; that policy will be more specific to your situation than any general guidance here. See how to use Wheel of Names in the classroom for a full setup walkthrough.
Frequently asked questions
- Does entering names create a permanent record somewhere?
- Only if you save or share the wheel. An unsaved wheel lives in your browser's local storage. Nothing is sent to the server unless you create an account or generate a share link.
- Does the site sell my data?
- No. The privacy policy states this directly: "We do not sell your personal information."
- Is it safe to use for a work team's names?
- Yes for typical team-use cases like standup order or task assignment. This is lower-sensitivity data, and by default it never leaves your browser unless you choose to save/share it. Follow your workplace's own data-handling policy for third-party tools if one applies.
- What should I check before trusting a wheel tool with names?
- Read its actual privacy policy (for wheelofnames.io, that's /privacy) and confirm whether unsaved data stays local to your browser or gets sent to a server by default. That's the biggest practical difference between tools in this category.