Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to Hytale Servers ("we," "us," or "our"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, safeguard, and protect your information when you visit hytale-servers.com (the "Service").

By using the Service, you consent to the data practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not access or use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when using the Service, including:

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your username, email address, and password (stored in encrypted form).
• Server Listing Information: When you submit a server listing, we collect server details including IP address, port, server name, description, tags, website URL, Discord invite link, and any other information you provide in your listing.
• Profile Information: Optional profile information such as display name, bio, and avatar image.
• Communications: Information you provide when contacting us for support, feedback, or inquiries.
• User Content: Comments, reviews, ratings, and other content you post on the Service.

2.2 Information Automatically Collected

When you access the Service, we automatically collect certain information about your device and usage:

• Log Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, and browser language settings.
• Usage Data: Pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked, search queries, referring URLs, and interaction with features.
• Voting Data: Records of server votes, including timestamps and associated accounts, to enforce voting limits and prevent fraud.
• Device Information: Device type, screen resolution, and unique device identifiers.

2.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities:

• Essential Cookies: Required for authentication, security, and basic site functionality.
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings, language preferences, and customization choices.
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use the Service, which pages are most popular, and how to improve user experience.
• Security Cookies: Detect and prevent fraudulent activity, vote manipulation, and abuse.

You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling certain cookies may limit your ability to use some features of the Service.

2.4 Third-Party Analytics

We may use third-party analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to help us understand how users interact with the Service. These services may collect information about your use of the Service and other websites using cookies and similar technologies.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Account Management: Create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and provide access to features.
• Service Delivery: Display server listings, process votes, facilitate Votifier notifications, and provide core functionality.
• Communication: Send account-related emails, security alerts, password reset instructions, and respond to support inquiries.
• Fraud Prevention: Detect and prevent vote manipulation, spam, abuse, and unauthorized access.
• Service Improvement: Analyze usage patterns, identify bugs, and improve features and user experience.
• Moderation: Review server listings and user content for compliance with our Terms of Service.
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations, enforce our Terms of Service, and protect our rights and property.
• Rankings and Statistics: Calculate server rankings, display vote counts, and generate platform statistics.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Public Information

The following information is publicly visible on the Service:

• Server listings and associated details (server name, description, IP, tags, etc.)
• Your username and public profile information
• Server vote counts and rankings
• Comments, reviews, and ratings you post

4.2 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as hosting, database management, analytics, email delivery, and security monitoring. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required by law or in response to:

• Valid legal processes (subpoenas, court orders, or government requests)
• Enforcement of our Terms of Service or other agreements
• Protection of our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public
• Investigation of fraud, security issues, or technical problems

4.4 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, reorganization, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email or prominent notice on the Service of any change in ownership or use of your information.

4.5 With Your Consent

We may share your information with third parties when we have your explicit consent to do so.

5. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law.

• Account Data: Retained while your account is active and for a reasonable period after account deletion to prevent abuse.
• Server Listings: Retained for the duration of the listing and may be archived after removal.
• Voting Records: Retained for at least one year to detect patterns of fraud and manipulation.
• Log Data: Typically retained for 90 days for security and debugging purposes.

6. Security of Your Information

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

• Encryption of passwords using industry-standard hashing algorithms
• SSL/TLS encryption for data transmitted between your browser and our servers
• Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments
• Access controls limiting employee access to personal information
• Secure server infrastructure and database protections
• Monitoring for suspicious activity and unauthorized access attempts

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of your account credentials.

7. Your Privacy Rights

7.1 Access and Correction

You have the right to access, update, or correct your personal information. You can do this by logging into your account and editing your profile and server listings, or by contacting us directly.

7.2 Account Deletion

You may request deletion of your account at any time through your account dashboard or by contacting us. Upon deletion, we will remove your account information, though some data may be retained in backups for a limited period or as required by law.

7.3 Data Portability

You may request a copy of your personal information in a structured, machine-readable format by contacting us.

7.4 Marketing Communications

If we send promotional emails (which we currently do not), you may opt out by following the unsubscribe instructions in those emails or by adjusting your account settings.

7.5 Do Not Track

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature that lets you tell websites you do not want to have your online activities tracked. We do not currently respond to Do Not Track signals.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is intended for users aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will take steps to delete that information as quickly as possible.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws than your jurisdiction. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to our facilities and to the third parties with whom we share it as described in this Privacy Policy.

10. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Service may contain links to third-party websites, including server websites and Discord servers. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

When you connect to a Hytale server listed on our Service, you are subject to that server's privacy practices and data collection, which are beyond our control.

11. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• Right to request deletion of your personal information
• Right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us at the information provided below.

12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data
• Right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

To exercise these rights or if you have concerns about how we process your data, please contact us. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date.

Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

Email: support@hytale-servers.com

We will respond to your inquiry within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.