Transparency
In short: we collect as little as we can. Without your permission we only keep what's needed to run and protect the site. With your permission we also count which tabs and communities get pressed (never your name, never what you type) and our ad partners may show ads. We don't sell your data. You can change your cookie choices at any time.
Community Handler ("we", "us") is an independent directory of fan communities, run by PinkSalt LLC, doing business as Community Handler. For privacy questions or to use your rights, write to [email protected]. We are the controller of the data described here.
| Data | Why | Basis | Kept |
|---|---|---|---|
| A scrambled (hashed) form of your network address, and a security cookie only if you are restricted | Keep the site safe: stop spam and bots, apply warnings and bans, even for visitors without accounts | Legitimate interest (security) | Restrictions: up to 24 months after they end |
| Account details: display name, email, password (stored hashed), role, sign-in token | Let community owners and staff sign in and manage their listings | Contract | While the account exists |
| Community listings you submit | Show them in the directory | Contract | While listed |
| Record that you agreed to the Terms and this Policy: date, version, scrambled network address | Show the rules were accepted | Legitimate interest / legal obligation | 3 years |
| Your cookie choices and a random consent ID | Respect and prove your choices | Legal obligation | 6 months, then we ask again |
| Statistics: a random anonymous ID for your browser, which tab or community was pressed, which category filter was used, whether search was used, the time, and your device type (phone/tablet/computer). Never what you type in search. | Understand what people use and improve the site and the order of the directory | Your consent (Statistics category) | 12 months |
| Ad-related data handled by Google AdSense (and Microsoft Advertising if enabled) | Show and measure ads that fund the site | Your consent (Marketing category) | Set by those companies, see section 5 |
| Failed sign-in attempts: scrambled network address and scrambled email, with the time | Slow down password guessing | Legitimate interest (security) | Up to 24 hours |
| Standard server logs (network address, time, page, browser) | Run and secure the server | Legitimate interest | As set by our hosting provider |
The "scrambled" network address is a one-way keyed hash (IPv6 addresses are first cut to their network part). We can recognise the same address again, but we can't turn it back into the address. We store your real address only if a moderator, while applying a restriction, chooses to record it to make the restriction effective.
Open Cookie settings at any time to see, change or withdraw your choices. There are four categories: Necessary (always on), Preferences, Statistics and Marketing. Optional ones don't run until you allow them. If your browser sends the Global Privacy Control signal, we treat Statistics and Marketing as off.
| Name | Category | Purpose | Keeps for |
|---|---|---|---|
| ch_token | Necessary | Keeps you signed in | Until you sign out |
| ch_agree | Necessary | Remembers you accepted the Terms and this Policy | Until they change |
| ch_consent | Necessary | Stores your cookie choices and consent ID | 6 months |
| ch_sx | Necessary | Security cookie, only set if you were restricted | Length of the restriction |
| ch_adnote | Preferences | Remembers you closed the note about ads | 7 days |
| ch_vid | Statistics | Random anonymous browser ID | Until you withdraw consent |
| _ga, _ga_* | Statistics | Google Analytics (only if we enable it) | Up to 2 years |
| __gads, __gpi, DSID, IDE and similar | Marketing | Google AdSense ads | Up to 13 months |
| _uetsid, _uetvid, MUID | Marketing | Microsoft Advertising (only if we enable it) | Up to 13 months |
Ads help pay for the site. We only use simple banner ads: no popups, no autoplay, nothing in your way. Ads load only if you allow the Marketing category. Google and its partners may use cookies and similar technologies to show and measure ads; you can learn more and manage ad personalisation at Google's partner-sites page and adssettings.google.com. We use Google Consent Mode and Microsoft's UET consent mode, so those services are told whether you agreed.
We don't sell your personal data. Some of these providers are outside your country, including the United States; where that happens we rely on the protections they offer for international transfers, such as standard contractual clauses or an adequacy framework.
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR/UK GDPR, or US state laws) you can ask us to access, correct, delete or export your data, to restrict or object to some uses, and to withdraw consent at any time (withdrawing doesn't affect what was done before). To use a right, email [email protected]. We may ask you to prove it's you. If you think we handled your data wrongly, you can complain to your local data protection authority.
Because we don't know who you are unless you have an account, to find data tied only to your browser we may need the consent ID or restriction number shown to you.
Warnings and bans are applied by people (moderators), not automatically. We may restrict access when someone breaks the Terms or abuses the site, and we keep a record of why. You can appeal using the address shown on the restriction screen.
Community Handler is not for children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect their data. If you believe a child gave us data, contact us and we'll delete it.
We protect data with measures such as hashing, access controls and limited retention. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a strong, unique password.
If we change this Policy in a way that matters, we update the version above and may ask you to accept it again. Previous versions are available on request.