Privacy Policy
Last updated: September 24, 2026
What data we collect
- Your email address (used to sign in and identify your account)
- A username and full name you choose
- A password (stored as a secure hash — we never store your password in plain text), unless you sign up via GitHub or Google, in which case we store a linked account ID instead
- Optional profile info you add: avatar image, banner image, bio/description, country and city, and date of birth
- Content you create while using the app: collections, items, comments, likes, follows, messages, and notifications
Why we collect it
Your data is used to create and manage your account, authenticate you when you log in, keep you signed in between visits (session management), and to provide the core features of the app — collections, following other users, comments, likes, and messaging.
Location and date of birth
- Country and city are shown on your public profile and are used to suggest people you may know who live in the same city. We do not collect your precise location or IP-based location.
- Date of birth is private: it is never shown to other users. It is used only to confirm that you meet the minimum age.
Recommendations
To build your “For you” feed, board suggestions and “People you may know”, we use the categories you pick as interests, the collections you like, save, put on boards or open while signed in, the tags and categories of those collections, the people you follow and who follow you, and the city in your profile. We remember which collections you have liked or saved even after you undo it, so they are not suggested to you again. This happens inside Collectify only; boards and your viewing history are never shown to other users.
Minimum age
Collectify is intended for people who are 18 or older. A date of birth that makes you younger than 18 cannot be saved. If we learn that an account belongs to someone under 18, we may suspend it and delete its data.
Cookies
We use a functional session cookie to keep you signed in, and a short-lived security cookie (about 10 minutes) while you sign in with GitHub or Google. Your light/dark theme choice is saved in your browser's local storage. We do not use analytics, tracking, or marketing cookies.
Where your data is stored
The app is hosted on Vercel. Account and content data is stored in our database. Uploaded images (avatars, banners, item images) are stored with our media hosting provider, Uploadcare.
Reports and moderation
When you report content, we keep a copy of the reported comment or collection so moderators can review it even if it is later deleted. Moderators and administrators may review reported content and an account's public activity when handling a report. Direct messages cannot be reported, and moderators and administrators cannot read your conversations. Moderation actions are recorded in an internal audit log. When an account is deleted, its content is deleted too; the audit log keeps only the account ID and username.
Third parties
We do not sell or share your data with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes. If you choose to sign up or log in with GitHub or Google, those providers share basic profile information (such as your email) with us to create your account.