Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

When you create an account and use the Service, we collect information you provide directly, including:

• Account information: username, display name, email address, and password (stored as a cryptographic hash)
• Profile information: avatar, bio, and any other details you choose to add to your profile
• User Content: code, files, project configurations, and other content you create or upload through the Service
• Communications: messages sent through in-app collaboration features, and any correspondence you send to us for support

Information Collected Automatically

When you access or use the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Usage data: pages visited, features used, actions taken, time spent on pages, and interaction patterns
• Device information: browser type and version, operating system, screen resolution, and device identifiers
• Network information: IP address, approximate geographic location (city/country level), and referring URLs
• Performance data: page load times, errors encountered, and other diagnostic data

Information from Third Parties

If you choose to register or sign in using a third-party OAuth provider, we receive certain information from that provider as described in Section 4.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Providing the Service: to operate, maintain, and deliver the features and functionality of Patchwork, including real-time collaboration, project management, and code execution
• Account management: to create and manage your account, authenticate your identity, and provide account-related notifications
• Communication: to send you service-related announcements, security alerts, and support messages
• Improvement: to understand how users interact with the Service, identify issues, and develop new features and improvements
• Safety and security: to detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, security risks, and technical issues
• Legal compliance: to comply with applicable laws, regulations, legal processes, or enforceable governmental requests

We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We do not use your User Content (code and files) for training machine learning models or for any purpose other than providing the Service to you.

3. Data Storage & Security

We take the security of your data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption in transit: all data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted using TLS (Transport Layer Security)
• Encryption at rest: sensitive data, including passwords and authentication tokens, is encrypted at rest using industry-standard encryption algorithms
• Access controls: access to user data is restricted to authorized personnel on a need-to-know basis
• Infrastructure security: our servers are hosted in secure data centers with physical and network security controls
• Regular audits: we regularly review and update our security practices to address emerging threats

While we strive to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, and you use the Service at your own risk.

Your data may be stored and processed in any country where we or our service providers maintain facilities. By using the Service, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside of your country of residence, which may have different data protection rules.

4. Third-Party Services

Patchwork allows you to authenticate using third-party OAuth providers. When you connect a third-party account, we receive the following information:

GitHub

• Your GitHub user ID, username, display name, and email address
• Your public profile information and avatar
• We do not access your private repositories unless you explicitly grant permission for specific integrations

Discord

• Your Discord user ID, username, and discriminator
• Your email address and avatar
• We do not access your server memberships or message history

Google

• Your Google account ID, name, and email address
• Your profile picture
• We do not access your Google Drive, Gmail, or other Google services

We use the information received from these providers solely for authentication and to populate your Patchwork profile. You can disconnect third-party accounts at any time through your account settings.

We may also use third-party service providers for analytics, error tracking, and infrastructure. These providers process data on our behalf and are contractually bound to use your information only as necessary to provide their services to us.

5. Cookies and Local Storage

We use cookies and similar technologies to operate and improve the Service:

• Essential cookies: required for authentication, session management, and security. These cannot be disabled without breaking core functionality
• Preference cookies: store your settings and preferences, such as editor theme, font size, and layout choices
• Analytics cookies: help us understand how users interact with the Service so we can improve it

We also use browser Local Storage and IndexedDB to store editor state, unsaved changes, and cached project data locally on your device. This data remains on your device and is not transmitted to our servers unless you explicitly save or sync your work.

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Blocking essential cookies may prevent you from using the Service.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: you can request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: you can update or correct inaccurate personal information through your account settings or by contacting us
• Deletion: you can request deletion of your account and associated personal data
• Export: you can request an export of your data in a machine-readable format
• Objection: you can object to certain processing of your personal data
• Restriction: you can request that we restrict the processing of your personal information under certain circumstances

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@patchwork.wtf. We will respond to your request within 30 days. We may ask you to verify your identity before processing your request.

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we have not complied with applicable data protection laws.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Service. Specifically:

• Account data: retained for the lifetime of your account and deleted within 30 days of account deletion
• User Content: retained for the lifetime of your account. Deleted projects are purged within 30 days unless they are part of a shared workspace where other collaborators still have access
• Usage and analytics data: retained in aggregate, anonymized form indefinitely. Identifiable usage data is retained for up to 12 months
• Server logs: retained for up to 90 days for security and debugging purposes
• Communication records: support correspondence is retained for up to 24 months after resolution

We may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes, such as resolving disputes, enforcing our agreements, and complying with legal obligations.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information without your consent, please contact us at privacy@patchwork.wtf.

If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

Users between the ages of 13 and 18 may use the Service with the consent of a parent or legal guardian who agrees to be bound by our Terms of Service.

9. Changes to This Policy

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

For material changes that significantly affect how we collect, use, or share your personal information, we will provide additional notice through email or an in-app notification before the changes take effect.

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

10. Contact Us

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

Email: privacy@patchwork.wtf

We will do our best to respond to your inquiry within 30 days.