Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

We collect information you provide directly to us, such as when you create an account, participate in our community, or contact us for support.

Personal Information

• Account Information: Username, display name, email address, password, country or region where we collect it for compliance, and date of birth when you create an account (used only to verify you meet our minimum age requirement and for account security; we do not publish your date of birth on the public site)
• Profile Information: Discord username, profile pictures, and other information you choose to provide
• Communication Data: Messages sent through our contact form or messaging system
• Usage Data: Information about how you use our website and services

Automatically Collected Information

• Log Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on pages
• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see our Cookie Policy below)
• Device Information: Device type, operating system, and browser version

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Process transactions and send related information
• Send technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages
• Respond to your comments, questions, and requests
• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities
• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process your personal data based on the following legal grounds:

• Consent: When you have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for specific purposes
• Contract: When processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with you
• Legitimate Interest: When we have a legitimate interest in processing your data (e.g., improving our services)
• Legal Obligation: When processing is necessary to comply with a legal obligation

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your personal information to third parties without your consent, except in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We may share information with trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law or to protect our rights, property, or safety
• Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, user information may be transferred
• Consent: We may share information with your explicit consent

Date of birth and age: Your date of birth is not shown on public or member-facing pages. It may be used internally to derive age for eligibility checks. A very limited set of authorised staff may view date of birth or age in our admin tools only when their role explicitly includes the relevant permission (for example account support, safety, or legal compliance). Those accesses are subject to organisational access controls.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication mechanisms
• Staff training on data protection

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

7. Your Rights (GDPR)

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right of Access: Request copies of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of processing of your data
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in the "Contact Us" section below.

8. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience on our website. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help us:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
• Provide personalized content and advertisements
• Improve website functionality and performance

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences or our cookie consent banner. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Website analytics

We use analytics to understand how the site is used and to improve our services. Analytics are hosted internally by Rawhost UK Ltd (our hosting provider) for the sole purpose of site analytics. Data is held by Rawhost UK Ltd in that capacity. Participation is on an opt-out basis: analytics are enabled by default, and you may disable them at any time via the “Analytics Cookies” setting in our cookie preferences.

9. Third-Party Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites or services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any personal information.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and implement appropriate safeguards to protect your information.

11. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for children under 16 years of age. At registration we collect date of birth so we can apply this rule: we do not knowingly allow accounts for users under 16. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

• Through our contact form
• On Discord
• By email at: privacy@1stcavalry.org