Privacy Policy

1. Information we collect

• Account data: email address, password hash, date of birth, username, display name, biography, status, preferences, badges, policy acceptance and account dates.
• Content and community data: messages, replies, reactions, friends, blocks, memberships, roles, moderation records, reports, tickets and server/channel information.
• Images: optional profile and server artwork for eligible accounts and servers. Chat image and file uploads are disabled.
• Security and technical data: hashed session identifiers, authentication and moderation events, rate-limit records and request information available to the hosting provider. Ellchat uses network addresses transiently for abuse limits; the in-app limiter stores a keyed hash rather than the raw address.

2. Why we use it and our lawful bases

• To create accounts, deliver messages and apply settings: necessary to provide the service you request and perform our agreement with you.
• To prevent abuse, secure accounts, moderate content and operate reports: Ellchat's legitimate interests in a safe and reliable service, balanced against users' rights and especially children's rights.
• To meet safeguarding, regulatory, court and law-enforcement duties: compliance with legal obligations and, where applicable, protection of vital interests.
• Where an optional feature genuinely relies on consent: consent, which may be withdrawn without affecting earlier lawful use.

3. Children and privacy defaults

Ellchat is limited to users aged 14+. Date of birth is used for age eligibility and safety and must be accurate. New accounts start with unsolicited direct messages, message requests and group invitations disabled. Ellchat does not use advertising, profiling or geolocation. We aim to collect only what is needed and apply the same high-privacy approach to every account.

4. Who can see information

Profile information is visible to people connected through a shared server, accepted friendship or conversation. Messages are visible to the members of the relevant channel or conversation. Authorised server moderators can see information required for their server duties. Authorised Ellchat staff can access reports, tickets and account information only for support, safety, security or legal work. Hosting and infrastructure providers process data only as needed to run the deployed service. Information may be disclosed where law requires it or where necessary to protect someone. The operator must keep the actual provider list, contracts and any international-transfer safeguards current.

5. Retention and deletion

Sessions normally expire after 7 days and expired or excess sessions are pruned. In-memory abuse-limit entries expire after their configured window, normally no more than one hour. Account data, messages, friendships and memberships remain while the account or relevant community exists unless deleted earlier. Deleted messages are removed from the active database. Tickets, audit records, safety evidence and backups may remain where needed to resolve a dispute, prevent abuse, protect users or meet a legal duty. The operator must set and follow documented log and backup deletion periods for the actual host.

6. Security

Ellchat uses Argon2id password hashing, hashed session tokens, encrypted authenticator secrets, single-use backup codes, server-side access controls, input validation, request limits, authenticated artwork delivery and restricted staff actions. No service can promise absolute security. Never place passwords, authenticator secrets, backup codes or unnecessary sensitive information in a message or ticket.

7. Your rights

Depending on the processing and where you live, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction or portability, or object to processing. Where consent is used, you may withdraw it. Submit a Privacy ticket. You may complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

8. Automated decisions, advertising and sale

Ellchat does not sell personal information, serve behavioural advertising or make solely automated decisions with legal or similarly significant effects. Reports and moderation decisions are intended to receive human review.

9. Cookies and device storage

Ellchat uses an essential sign-in cookie and local storage for interface preferences. See the Cookie Notice. This build contains no non-essential advertising or analytics cookies.

10. Personal-data incidents

Ellchat records and assesses suspected personal-data breaches. Where legally required, the operator will notify the appropriate regulator and affected people within the applicable timescale. Notices will explain the known impact and practical protective steps without compromising an active investigation.

11. Changes

Material changes will be communicated in-app or at sign-in. The effective date above identifies this version. New users must accept the current Terms, Privacy Policy and Community Guidelines during registration.