Privacy policy
Draft for review. This page isn’t in effect yet. Highlighted gaps still need details, and it should be checked by a qualified adviser before Pro opens.
This policy explains what personal data StackKinetic collects, why, how long we keep it and the rights you have. We collect as little as we can: there are no advertising or analytics trackers on this site.
1. Who is responsible
The data controller is StackKinetic, [postal address], the Netherlands. Contact: [contact email].
2. What we collect
When you visit. Like any website, our hosting receives your IP address, browser details and the pages you request so it can deliver them. We use this to serve the site and to block abuse, such as too many requests from one address. We don’t keep website access logs, and we don’t build profiles of visitors.
When you create an account. Your email address, your password and an account ID. Your password is handled by our sign-in service (Amazon Cognito) and we never see it. The sign-in service also records when your account was created and last used, and sends the email that confirms your address or resets your password.
Your plan. For each account we store one record: the account ID, your plan (free, Pro monthly or Pro annual), its status, the date it renews or ends, and how it was set up.
Pro licence details. Pro diagrams and the videos you download show “Licensed to” with a masked version of your email (for example j•••@g•••.com) and a licence ID made from your account ID. This lets us trace copies that are shared without permission. The full email address is never shown.
Server logs. When you use sign-in or Pro features, our server records the time, the feature used, whether it worked and a scrambled (hashed) form of your account ID. Logs never contain your email address, password or session tokens.
Payments (when Pro opens). Payments are handled by Stripe. Stripe collects your card details and billing address; we never see your full card number. We receive a customer ID, your subscription status and renewal dates, and Stripe’s receipts and invoices.
Newsletter (when it opens). If you subscribe, your email address is held by our newsletter provider so we can send it to you. Every email has an unsubscribe link.
3. Why we use it (legal basis)
- To provide your account and Pro subscription: needed to perform our contract with you.
- To keep the site secure and prevent abuse, including tracing leaked Pro content: our legitimate interest in protecting the service.
- To keep billing and tax records: a legal obligation.
- To send the newsletter: your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.
4. Cookies and browser storage
We only use cookies that are strictly necessary. When you sign in we set three secure, HttpOnly cookies on stackkinetic.com: a short-lived one that protects the sign-in step (10 minutes) and two that keep you signed in (up to 30 days). The sign-in pages at auth.stackkinetic.com set their own necessary cookies for the same purpose. The explainer player saves your chosen caption level in your browser’s local storage so it’s remembered next time; it never leaves your device. We use no advertising or analytics cookies, so there is no cookie banner.
5. Who processes your data
- Amazon Web Services hosts the site, the sign-in service, our database and server logs. Account data and records are stored in the EU (Frankfurt). Pages are delivered through AWS’s worldwide network, so requests may be handled at a location near you.
- Stripe processes payments once Pro opens.
- Our newsletter provider once the newsletter opens.
Where a provider handles data outside the EU or UK, it does so under safeguards approved for that purpose, such as the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses or the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
6. How long we keep it
- Account and plan record: until you delete your account.
- Server logs: 14 days.
- Billing records: as long as tax law requires, which can be several years after a payment.
- Newsletter: until you unsubscribe.
7. Your rights
You can ask us to give you a copy of your data, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to how we use it, or send it to you in a portable format. To delete your account or use any of these rights, email [contact email] from the address on your account. We’ll reply within one month. If you’re unhappy with our answer, you can complain to your local data protection authority, or to ours: Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens (Dutch Data Protection Authority), autoriteitpersoonsgegevens.nl.
8. Children
The site isn’t aimed at children. Please don’t create an account if you’re under 16.
9. Changes
If we change this policy, we’ll update the date at the top. If a change affects how we use data you’ve already given us, we’ll email account holders first.