Privacy policy

ZooBerry is a fan-run archive of Zoo Tycoon mods. This page explains what we keep about you, why, who helps us run the site, and what you can do about it.

What we keep

• Your account: username, email address, password if you set one (stored scrambled, never readable), profile picture and “about you” text if you add them, and your settings.
• Sign-in with another account (Discord, Google or Patreon, if you use it): that account’s ID number, and its email address if the provider has confirmed it and you haven’t given us one. Never its name, password or anything else.
• What you post: mods, files, pictures, articles, comments, private messages, reports and screenshots you suggest for other people’s mods, with when you posted them. A screenshot that’s added to a mod is shown with your username.
• Sign-up checks: we ask for the month and year you were born, only to check you meet the minimum age in the “Children” section below. We keep only the fact that you passed and accepted the terms, and when. We don’t keep your birth date.
• Patreon supporters: your Patreon ID, whether your pledge is active and which tier, so we can unlock your perks. We never see payment details.
• Cookie choices: what you chose and when, without your IP address.
• Security records: your IP address and browser appear in server and security logs for up to 30 days, to stop abuse.

Why

To run your account and show what you post (our agreement with you); to keep the site safe, check uploads and deal with reports (our legitimate interest, and legal duties); to email you about your account, like confirming your address, resetting your password and security notices (our agreement with you); and, only if you say yes, to personalise ads and count visits (your consent).

Who helps us run the site

These companies handle data for us, only to provide their service:

• DigitalOcean hosts the site and its database.
• Cloudflare protects the site from attacks and spam, and checks that sign-ups come from people.
• Bunny.net stores and delivers files and pictures, and keeps our encrypted backups.
• Amazon Web Services (SES) sends our emails.
• Google AdSense shows ads. With your permission they’re personalised; without it, Google shows ads that aren’t based on your interests, but it still receives your IP address and browser details to deliver them and fight fraud.
• Discord, Google or Patreon, only when you choose to sign in with them.

Some of them are outside the UK and EU; they’re bound by data protection agreements with safeguards for your data. We also share information with authorities when the law requires it. We don’t sell your personal information.

How long we keep it

Your account and what you post stay until you delete them. Deleting your account removes your personal details; posts that are part of other people’s conversations stay, shown as from “a deleted member”. Backups are kept for up to 30 days and then removed.

Your rights

You can download a copy of your data and delete your account at any time from Control Panel > Account. You can also ask us to correct something, or object to how we use it, by writing to the address below. If you’re in the UK or the EU you can complain to your data protection authority. If you’re in California you have the right to know, delete, correct and opt out of sale or sharing, and we won’t treat you differently for using them.

Children

ZooBerry isn’t for children under 13 (or the minimum age in your country, if higher). If we learn a child under that age has an account, we delete it.

Changes

If this policy changes in a way that matters, we’ll say so on the site before it takes effect.