Privacy Notice
How ExampleNet handles connection metadata
Disclaimer: This is a plain-language template, not legal advice. The appointed data controller should have it reviewed by counsel before going live.
What we collect
We log connection metadata only. We do not log the content of channel or private messages. Specifically, we may record:
- Nickname and username (ident)
- Your IP address, and a one-way cryptographic hash of it
- Real name (GECOS) field and services account name, if any
- Webchat profile fields placed into realname/GECOS: age, gender selection, and bio
- Connection and disconnection times, and which server you used
The webchat formats optional profile fields as [age/gender/bio]. Missing non-final fields are represented with *; the final bio field is omitted when blank.
Why we collect it
We use this data to operate the network, diagnose connection problems, moderate abuse, investigate spam or ban evasion, protect the service from attacks, and administer registered nicknames and channels.
Age, gender, and bio are optional webchat-provided profile fields. They are visible through normal IRC realname/whois behavior and are used to support the requested chat presentation, including realname display and message tinting in the webchat.
How long we keep it
- Your raw IP address is deleted after 30 days.
- The remaining metadata, including the hashed IP and realname/GECOS fields, is kept for up to 1 year, then permanently deleted.
After 30 days, IP addresses are retained only as keyed hashes for abuse-pattern correlation. After 1 year, the entire metadata row is removed.
Who can see it
Raw metadata is limited to authorized network operators and systems that need it for operations or abuse handling. Realname/GECOS is part of IRC protocol behavior and may be visible to other users through client features such as WHOIS, depending on server and client behavior.
What we do not collect
- Channel message content
- Private message content
- Payment data
- Browser analytics or advertising identifiers
Your rights & contact
Depending on your jurisdiction you may have rights to access or request erasure of your data. To exercise them, contact the data controller:
- Controller
- __DATA_CONTROLLER__
- Contact
- __DATA_CONTROLLER_CONTACT__