Privacy Policy

GamerForge ("we", "us", or "our") operates the website gamerforge.net. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have. By using GamerForge, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Who We Are

GamerForge is an independent gaming news and reviews publication. For data-related enquiries, please use our Contact page.

2. What Data We Collect

2.1 Account Registration

When you create a reader account, we collect and store:

• Username - your chosen display name, shown publicly on comments you post.
• Email address - used for account authentication, password reset emails, and transactional notifications. Not shown publicly.
• Password - stored as a one-way bcrypt hash. We never store your password in plain text and cannot read it.
• Account creation date and time.

2.2 Comments

When you post a comment, we store:

• Your username (as displayed publicly)
• The text content of your comment
• A GIF attachment, if you chose to include one (stored as a Giphy URL)
• The article the comment is associated with
• The date and time the comment was posted

Comments are public and visible to all visitors. Do not include personal or sensitive information in comments.

2.3 Session Data

When you sign in, we create a server-side session and store a session cookie in your browser. This cookie keeps you logged in between page loads. Sessions expire when you sign out or close your browser. No personally identifiable information is stored in the cookie itself - only a session identifier that references your server-side session.

2.4 Contact Form

If you submit our contact form, we collect your name and email address in order to respond to your message.

2.5 Usage Data

We automatically collect standard server log data including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and timestamps. This data is used for security monitoring, error diagnosis, and site improvement.

3. How We Use Your Data

• To operate your account - authentication, keeping you signed in, and allowing you to post comments.
• To send password reset emails - when you request a reset link via the "Forgot password?" feature.
• To display comments - your username and comments are shown publicly on article pages.
• To respond to contact enquiries - we use your name and email solely to reply to your message.
• To monitor and improve the site - usage data helps us understand how the site is used and fix problems.
• To comply with legal obligations - we may retain certain data if required by law.

We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We do not use your data for advertising profiling or behavioural targeting.

4. Third-Party Services

4.1 Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics (GA4) to understand how visitors use GamerForge. This service collects anonymised data about page views, session duration, device type, and general location (country/city level). Google Analytics sets cookies in your browser. You can opt out by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on, or by using a browser extension that blocks analytics scripts.

4.2 Giphy

When you use the GIF picker in the comment form, your search query is sent to the Giphy API via our server (your request never goes directly to Giphy from your browser). Giphy GIFs are loaded from Giphy's CDN (media.giphy.com) when displayed in comments. Giphy may set its own cookies or collect usage data. See Giphy's Privacy Policy for details.

4.3 Resend (Email)

We use Resend to send transactional emails (password reset links). When a reset email is sent, your email address is transmitted to Resend's servers for delivery. Resend does not use your email address for marketing purposes. See Resend's Privacy Policy for details.

4.4 Google Fonts

We load fonts from Google Fonts. This causes your browser to make a request to Google's servers, which may log your IP address. See Google's Privacy Policy for details.

5. Cookies

GamerForge uses the following types of cookies:

• Session cookie - set when you sign in. Required for authentication. Expires on sign-out or browser close.
• Theme preference - stores your light/dark mode preference in localStorage (not a cookie, no personal data).
• Google Analytics cookies - set by Google Analytics to distinguish users and sessions. These are persistent cookies with a lifespan of up to 2 years.
• Giphy CDN cookies - may be set when GIF content is loaded in comments.

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling session cookies will prevent you from signing in.

6. Data Retention

• User accounts: Retained indefinitely while your account is active. Deleted upon account deletion request.
• Comments: Retained indefinitely. Deleted upon request or if your account is deleted.
• Password reset tokens: Expire automatically after 1 hour and are deleted when used.
• Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months, then permanently deleted.
• Server logs: Retained for a maximum of 30 days.

7. Data Security

We take reasonable technical measures to protect your data, including:

• Passwords stored as bcrypt hashes (never in plain text)
• HTTPS enforced across all pages via Cloudflare SSL
• Session tokens stored server-side, not in cookies directly
• Rate limiting on login, registration, and password reset endpoints to prevent abuse

No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we do our best to protect your information.

8. Third-Party Links

Articles on GamerForge may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

9. Children's Privacy

GamerForge is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

10. Your Rights

Depending on your location (including under GDPR for EU/EEA residents), you may have the following rights:

• Right of access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data.
• Right to erasure: Request deletion of your account and associated data.
• Right to restriction: Request that we limit processing of your data.
• Right to data portability: Request your data in a portable format.
• Right to object: Object to processing of your data in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of GamerForge after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us. We take privacy seriously and will respond as quickly as possible.