Privacy Policy

1Information We Collect

We collect as little personal information as possible. What we do collect falls into two categories:

Information you provide directly

• When you use our Contact form, we collect your name, email address, subject, and message content.
• When you submit a community for listing, we collect the community URL, platform, category, and any description you provide.

Information collected automatically

• Usage data — pages visited, time spent on site, referring URLs, and links clicked.
• Device data — browser type, operating system, device type, and screen resolution.
• Approximate location — derived from IP address (city/country level only — we do not collect precise GPS location).
• Log data — IP address, access timestamps, and error logs, retained for security and abuse prevention.

2How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

1. To operate, maintain, and improve the VertaHub directory and search experience.
2. To respond to your inquiries, support requests, and community submissions.
3. To verify, review, and moderate submitted community links for safety and quality.
4. To analyze aggregate traffic patterns and understand which features and categories are most useful.
5. To detect, prevent, and address spam, fraud, security incidents, and abuse of our contact form.
6. To comply with applicable legal obligations.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal effects on you.

3Cookies & Tracking Technologies

VertaHub uses cookies and similar technologies (such as localStorage) for the following purposes:

You can disable cookies at any time through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect site functionality, such as remembering your preferences.

4Third-Party Services

We rely on trusted third-party providers to operate VertaHub. Each handles data under its own privacy policy:

5Outbound Links to Communities

VertaHub is a directory — we list and link to third-party communities on Telegram, Discord, WhatsApp, Reddit, and Facebook. When you click a listing and join a community:

• You leave VertaHub and become subject to that platform's own terms of service and privacy policy.
• We have no control over, and assume no responsibility for, the content, privacy practices, or policies of any linked community or platform.
• We do not receive any personal information about you from the platform after you join a listed group.

6Data Sharing & Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information. We only share data in these limited circumstances:

• Service providers — with vendors like Formspree, Google Analytics, and Cloudflare, strictly to operate the site (see Section 4).
• Legal compliance — if required by law, subpoena, or to protect the rights, safety, or property of VertaHub, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers — in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this policy.

7Data Retention

We retain different categories of data for different periods, only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this policy:

• Contact form messages — retained for up to 12 months to allow follow-up, then deleted.
• Community submissions — retained while the listing is active and for a reasonable period after removal for record-keeping.
• Analytics data — retained per Google Analytics' default retention settings (currently 14 months).
• Server logs — retained for a short period (typically 30–90 days) for security and troubleshooting.

8Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

• Encrypted transmission of data via HTTPS/TLS across the entire site.
• Secure third-party processors for form handling and hosting.
• Limited internal access to any personal data we do collect.

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.

9Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data (including rights under the GDPR and CCPA):

To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details in Section 13 below. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe, typically within 30 days.

10Children's Privacy

VertaHub is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or the applicable minimum age in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can promptly delete it.

11International Users

VertaHub is accessible globally. By using our site, you understand that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States and other jurisdictions where our service providers operate. We take steps to ensure your data receives an adequate level of protection wherever it is processed.

12Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, we'd love to hear from you.