Privacy Policy

Effective September 21, 2026 · Version 2026-09-21

This policy explains how DeltaVDevs, the independent developer publishing as DeltaVortex, handles information on this journal, its public API, and its media service. For privacy questions or requests, contact contact@deltavdevs.com.

What we collect

Account information includes your display name, email address when supplied, bio, account creation date, and linked sign-in provider identifiers. Passwords and recovery codes are stored as hashes. We record whether a provider verified your email, plus the versions and time of your signup agreement. Email registration does not require email verification.

We store your comments, replies, selected GIFs, and votes. Technical information can include IP addresses, request times, browser information, and error or security logs used to operate and protect the service. Do not put passwords, private contact details, or other sensitive information in comments.

What is public

Comments, replies, display names, comment times, and GIFs are public. Vote totals are public; individual votes are associated with accounts internally. Published projects, posts, attachments, and logged development hours can be accessed through this website, RSS feeds, and the public API. Other people and services may copy, cache, or redistribute public content.

Google, GitHub, and DeltaTime

When you choose Google or GitHub, we request the profile and email information needed for sign-in and email verification. Their access tokens are used during sign-in and are not retained as account credentials. Before a new account is created, a temporary signup record holds your provider identity, name, and available verified email for up to ten minutes. You must accept the terms to finish signup.

Matching email addresses do not automatically merge accounts. Link or unlink sign-in providers from Account settings while signed in. Each provider also processes information under its own privacy policy.

The author can optionally connect DeltaTime to import development time. That connection stores an encrypted access token, provider identity, project mappings, and timing checkpoints until disconnected or the account is deleted. Published time totals and devlog history may remain as part of the journal; raw tracking activity is not published by this integration.

Why we use information

We use information to provide accounts and sign-in, display contributions, record votes, maintain the journal, respond to requests, moderate abuse, and protect the service. Where data protection law requires a legal basis, these uses rely on providing the service you request, legitimate interests in running and securing it, applicable legal obligations, or consent where required. Acknowledging this policy is not blanket consent to unrelated processing.

Storage, service providers, and external media

The service runs on Railway. PostgreSQL stores accounts and content; Redis holds sessions, temporary signup and authorization state, rate limits, and caches. Uploaded files are kept on the media service's persistent storage. Infrastructure providers process information to host and maintain these services. Information may be processed outside your country, subject to protections required by applicable law.

GIF searches are sent through our backend to the configured GIF source, Wikimedia Commons or KLIPY. Viewing external GIFs, images, videos, or linked websites can disclose your IP address and browser request information to their hosts. These services have their own policies. We do not sell personal information or use advertising trackers or marketing email in this journal.

Cookies and local storage

Essential cookies support sign-in and authorization. Sign-in sessions expire after 14 days; temporary OAuth and signup state expires after ten minutes. Signing out removes the current session. Rate limits and caches expire automatically. Your light or dark theme preference is saved in your browser's local storage. The journal does not use an advertising or analytics cookie system.

Retention and deletion

Account information is kept while your account exists or as needed to provide the service. You can edit your profile, remove your own comments, disconnect providers, or delete your account in Account settings. Account deletion removes linked sign-in identities and votes and clears your comment text and GIFs; placeholder comments and other people's replies may remain to preserve conversations.

Published journal posts, media, and historical development totals may remain as editorial content after an author account is deleted. Copies already obtained through feeds, APIs, or other websites are outside our control. Operational logs and any infrastructure backups have separate retention based on their purpose and hosting configuration; copies may remain until rotation. Limited information may be retained when necessary for legal obligations or resolving security incidents, with access restricted to that purpose.

Your choices and rights

You can read public posts without an account. Contact contact@deltavdevs.com to request access, correction, an export, or deletion of your personal information. Depending on your location, you may also have rights to restrict or object to processing, withdraw consent where processing relies on it, and complain to your local data protection authority. We may need to verify that a request belongs to you; we will not ask for your password or recovery code.

Security and younger users

We use access controls, hashed account credentials, encrypted integration tokens, and other safeguards, but no internet service can promise perfect security. Accounts are not intended for children under 13 or anyone below the minimum age required by their local law. Contact us if you believe a child has provided personal information so we can investigate and remove it where appropriate.

Changes and contact

We date policy changes on this page and will provide additional notice when required for material changes. Questions about this policy or your data can be sent to contact@deltavdevs.com.