Privacy Policy

1. The Short Version

We collect only what we need to run ArtistSea. We don't sell your data. We don't show you ads. We use analytics to understand how the site is used, not to profile you. You can export or delete your data anytime.

2. Information You Give Us

When you use ArtistSea, you provide us with:

• Account basics: Username, email, and password
• Profile details: Bio, profile picture, location, and links you choose to share
• Your content: Artwork, articles, notes, calendar events, and anything else you create
• Messages: Feedback and support requests
• Payment info: Handled securely by Stripe—we never see your card number

3. Information We Collect Automatically

• Location (approximate): At signup, we use your IP address to determine your general location (city/country). Only the derived location is stored—we do not retain your IP address. This helps us understand where our users are from.
• Cookies: Essential cookies keep you logged in. Optional analytics cookies help us understand site usage. See our Cookie Policy for the full breakdown.
• Analytics (if you consent): We use Google Analytics to see aggregate data like which pages are popular. This data doesn't identify you personally.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to:

• Keep you logged in and your account secure
• Display your content to others (as you intend)
• Process Premium subscriptions
• Send important emails (verification, security alerts, subscription updates)
• Respond to your feedback and support requests
• Improve the platform based on aggregate usage patterns
• Prevent abuse and enforce our Terms of Service, including automated screening of uploaded images for prohibited material

What we don't do: We don't sell your data. We don't use algorithms to manipulate what you see. We don't build advertising profiles.

5. Who We Share Data With

We share data only with services that help us run ArtistSea:

• Amazon Web Services (AWS): Hosts the site, stores your images, and provides automated content safety screening (AWS Rekognition). Uploaded images are analyzed for prohibited content only — no facial recognition or personal identification is performed
• Stripe: Processes Premium subscription payments
• Google Analytics: Provides aggregate usage statistics (only if you consent)
• Google reCAPTCHA: Protects signup, login, and contact forms from spam and abuse
• ip-api.com: Looks up your approximate location from IP at signup
• Slack (internal notifications): We receive admin alerts when new users verify their accounts. This helps us monitor platform activity. Data includes: username and general location.

We may also share data if legally required (court order, law enforcement request) or to protect safety.

6. How Long We Keep Your Data

• Your account and content: Kept while your account is active
• Premium features data: Kept for 30 days after your subscription ends, then permanently deleted
• Unverified accounts: Deleted after 7 days if you don't verify your email
• Data exports: Download links expire after 48 hours
• Backups: May contain your data for up to 30 days after deletion

7. Your Rights and Controls

You're in control of your data:

• Access: See all your data in your account
• Export: Download everything via Account Settings
• Correct: Edit your profile and content anytime
• Delete: Delete your account in Settings—this removes your data from our servers (except backups, which clear within 30 days)
• Cookie choices: Manage analytics consent via the cookie banner or footer link

8. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your data:

• All connections use HTTPS encryption
• Passwords are hashed (we can't see them)
• Admin access requires two-factor authentication
• Premium features require two-factor authentication

That said, no system is 100% secure. If you discover a vulnerability, please let us know through the Feedback form.

9. Age Requirement

ArtistSea is for users 13 and older. If you're under 13, please don't use the platform. If we learn we've collected data from someone under 13, we'll delete it.

10. International Users

ArtistSea is hosted in the United States. If you're using the platform from elsewhere, your data will be transferred to and processed in the US. By using ArtistSea, you consent to this transfer.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy as the platform evolves. For significant changes, we'll notify you via email or a notice on the site. The "Last updated" date at the top tells you when we last made changes.

12. Questions?

If you have questions about this policy or how we handle your data, reach out through the Feedback form. We're happy to explain.