Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This policy explains what personal information Hoidesigner ("we", "us") collects through hoidesigner.com, why we collect it, and the choices you have. Hoidesigner is a browser-based planning and community platform for Hearts of Iron IV players.

By using the site, you agree to the practices described here. If you do not agree, please do not use the site. Questions can be sent to support@hoidesigner.com.

2. Information we collect

We collect the following categories of information.

• Account information. Your email address and password (stored in hashed form), username, and profile details you choose to add.
• Sign-in provider information. If you sign in with Discord or Steam, we receive basic profile details from that provider, such as your username, avatar, and a unique account ID. Discord also shares your email address; Steam does not. We do not receive your provider password.
• Content you create. Private saved designs and plans, designs you choose to share publicly, battle simulator history, comments or community posts, votes and ratings, and an avatar image if you upload one.
• Payment information. If you make a purchase, payment is handled by Stripe. We receive limited information about the transaction, such as its status, but we do not store your full card number.
• Technical and log data. Your IP address, browser and device type, pages requested, and timestamps. Our server logs capture this to apply rate limits on heavy usage and protect server capacity.
• Analytics data. Usage information collected by Google Analytics, such as pages viewed, approximate location, and how you interact with the site.
• Communications. Messages you send to support@hoidesigner.com and your email preferences.

3. How we use your information

We use your information to run the site, keep it secure, and communicate with you. For users in the EU and UK, the table shows the legal basis for each purpose.

4. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies to keep you signed in, remember your settings, and understand how the site is used.

• Essential cookies and storage keep you logged in, secure your session, and keep drafts and preferences in your browser's local storage. The site cannot work without them, so they do not need consent.
• Analytics cookies are set by Google Analytics, which collects information about how visitors use the site and reports it to us in aggregate. Google may process this data on its own servers. Learn more in Google's privacy policy. We also use Google Analytics' demographics and interests reports, which estimate visitors' age range and interests in aggregate using Google's advertising cookies and, for visitors signed in to Google, their Google account settings. You can control this in your Google Ad Settings.
• Embedded videos. Some pages include YouTube videos. These load from YouTube's privacy-enhanced domain (youtube-nocookie.com) only when you press play; nothing is loaded from YouTube before then.

You can opt out of Google Analytics at any time by installing Google's opt-out browser add-on, by using a content blocker, or by blocking or deleting cookies in your browser settings. Blocking essential cookies may stop parts of the site from working.

5. Advertising

We may display ads on the site in the future. If we do, we will not give advertisers access to your account data or any raw user data. Ad networks can, however, set their own cookies and collect information directly from your browser, such as your IP address and the pages you visit, to show relevant ads and measure performance. Those companies handle that data under their own privacy policies.

If we introduce ads, we will update this policy beforehand and offer any choices required by law, such as a consent prompt for visitors in the EU and UK.

6. Payments

Payments are processed by Stripe. When you pay, your card and billing details go directly to Stripe and are handled under Stripe's privacy policy. We receive only limited information needed to confirm and record your purchase, and we do not store your full card number.

7. How we share information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it with third parties for their own marketing. We share information only in these cases:

• Service providers that help us run the site: Render (hosting and database), Cloudinary (avatar image storage), Resend (sending email), Stripe (payments), and Google (analytics). They may use your information only to provide services to us.
• Sign-in providers (Discord, Steam) when you choose to log in with them.
• Public content. Designs you share publicly and comments you post can be seen by anyone, including people without an account. Please do not include personal information in public content.
• Legal and safety reasons, if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or security of our users or the site.
• Business changes, such as a merger or sale, in which case we will tell you before your information is transferred under a different policy.

8. Storage, security, and international transfers

Your data is stored with our hosting provider, Render, and avatar images are stored with Cloudinary. We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect it, including hashed passwords and encrypted connections. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Because our users are worldwide, your information may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States, which may have different data protection laws. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for these transfers, such as standard contractual clauses.

9. Retention and account deletion

You can delete your account yourself in your account settings. When you do, we remove the details that identify you, such as your email address, password, and linked sign-in accounts. We also delete your private saved designs and army compositions, your avatar image, your battle simulator history, and your votes and ratings. Designs you published and your comments are kept but reassigned to a generic "Deleted User" account, so they are no longer linked to you.

We keep server logs, including IP addresses, only as long as needed for rate limiting, security, and troubleshooting. We may keep certain records longer when the law requires it, such as payment records, or when needed to resolve disputes and enforce our terms.

If you would like specific content removed, email support@hoidesigner.com.

10. Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal information we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate information
• Delete your information (you can start this in your account settings)
• Receive a copy of your information in a portable format
• Object to or restrict certain processing
• Withdraw consent at any time, for example by unsubscribing from emails
• Opt out of analytics, as described in section 4

EU and UK users can also lodge a complaint with their local data protection authority. California and other US state residents have similar rights under state privacy laws, including the right to know what we collect and to request deletion. We do not sell personal information, and we will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

To make a request, email support@hoidesigner.com. We may need to verify your identity first, and we will respond within the time required by applicable law.

11. Children

Hoidesigner is intended for people aged 13 and over. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you live in a country that sets a higher minimum age for consenting to online services (in some EU countries it is up to 16), you must meet that age or have a parent or guardian's permission. If you believe a child has given us personal information, email support@hoidesigner.com and we will delete it.

12. Changes and contact

We may update this policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date above and, where appropriate, notify you by email or on the site.

Questions or requests about your privacy can be sent to Hoidesigner at support@hoidesigner.com.