Welcome to FootyRater. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you use our website.
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Automatically Collected Information
When you use FootyRater, we automatically collect:
- IP Address: Used for voting, commenting, and preventing abuse
- Browser Type and Version: To ensure compatibility
- Device Information: Screen size, operating system
- Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, interactions with features
1.2 Information You Provide
When you interact with our site, you may provide:
- Username: When posting comments (not linked to your identity)
- Comments: Text content you voluntarily share
- Match Ratings: Your thumbs up/down votes on matches
- Favorite Teams: Stored locally in your browser only
📍 Important: We do NOT collect your name, email, phone number, or any personally identifiable information unless you voluntarily include it in a comment.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use collected information for:
- Voting System: Tracking votes per IP to prevent duplicate voting
- Comment Moderation: Identifying and removing spam or inappropriate content
- Abuse Prevention: Rate limiting to prevent automated attacks
- Analytics: Understanding how users interact with the site
- Site Improvement: Fixing bugs and improving user experience
3. Data Storage and Security
3.1 Where We Store Data
- Database: Hosted on Supabase (PostgreSQL) with encryption at rest
- Server: Hosted on DigitalOcean with automatic backups
- Local Storage: Favorite teams stored in your browser only
3.2 Security Measures
- All connections use HTTPS encryption
- IP addresses are hashed for voting/commenting
- Passwords (admin only) are never stored in plain text
- Rate limiting prevents automated abuse
- Regular security updates and monitoring
4. Third-Party Services
We use the following third-party services:
4.1 API-Football
- Purpose: Fetching match data, statistics, lineups
- Data Shared: None (we only request public match data)
- Privacy Policy: api-football.com/terms
4.2 YouTube API
- Purpose: Finding and embedding match highlights
- Data Shared: Your IP address when you watch a video
- Privacy Policy: Google Privacy Policy
4.3 Supabase (Database Hosting)
- Purpose: Storing match data, votes, and comments
- Data Shared: IP addresses (hashed), comments, votes
- Privacy Policy: supabase.com/privacy
4.4 DigitalOcean (Hosting)
5. Cookies and Local Storage
5.1 What We Store Locally
We use browser localStorage to store:
- Favorite Teams: Your starred teams (never leaves your device)
- Preferences: Theme settings, filter preferences
5.2 What We Don't Use
- ❌ No tracking cookies
- ❌ No third-party advertising cookies
- ❌ No cross-site tracking
6. Your Rights
You have the right to:
- Access: Request a copy of your data (comments, votes)
- Delete: Request deletion of your comments or votes
- Correct: Update inaccurate information
- Object: Opt-out of certain data processing
- Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
To exercise these rights, contact us.
7. Data Retention
- Comments: Stored indefinitely unless deleted by you or an admin
- Votes: Stored indefinitely to maintain accurate ratings
- IP Addresses: Hashed and used only for voting/commenting
- Deleted Comments: Soft-deleted (marked as deleted, not removed)
8. Children's Privacy
FootyRater is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.
9. International Users
FootyRater is operated from and hosted in the United States and Europe. If you're accessing our site from outside these regions, your data may be transferred to and processed in countries with different data protection laws.
10. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify users of significant changes by:
- Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top
- Displaying a notice on the homepage
Continued use of FootyRater after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
11. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
For users in the EU/UK, we process your data based on:
- Legitimate Interest: Preventing abuse, improving the site
- Consent: When you post comments or vote on matches
- Contract Performance: Providing the services you request
12. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or want to exercise your rights, please contact us:
13. Compliance
This Privacy Policy complies with:
- General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - EU
- California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) - USA
- UK Data Protection Act 2018
By using FootyRater, you agree to this Privacy Policy.
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