Metacomments ("we", "us", or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our website and browser extension.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you register for an account, we collect:

• Email address
• Username
• Password (encrypted)
• Authentication credentials (if using third-party login)

Usage Information

We automatically collect certain information when you use our service:

• URLs of pages you browse (only when the extension is active)
• Comments and other content you submit
• Browser type and version
• IP address and general location information
• Request logs and timestamps
• Interaction with our website and extension

Browser Extension Data

The Metacomments browser extension only sends data to our servers when it is actively open. Specifically:

• The URL of the page you are currently viewing (to retrieve relevant comments)
• Your authentication status
• Comments you submit

When the extension is closed, no data is transmitted to our servers.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our services
• To authenticate your account and manage user access
• To display comments relevant to the pages you visit
• To send administrative information and updates
• To monitor and analyze usage patterns and trends
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and abuse
• To comply with legal obligations

3. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share your information only in the following circumstances:

• With Your Consent: We may share information when you explicitly consent
• Service Providers: We use Google App Engine for hosting and may use other trusted third-party services
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights
• Public Content: Comments you post are publicly visible (see User Generated Content section below)

4. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encrypted password storage
• Secure HTTPS connections
• Regular security assessments
• Access controls and authentication

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of your data.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services. You may request deletion of your account and associated data by contacting us.

6. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: You can request access to your personal data
• Correction: You can update or correct your account information
• Deletion: You can request deletion of your account and data
• Opt-Out: You can uninstall the browser extension at any time
• Data Portability: You can request a copy of your data

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to maintain your session and improve user experience. You can control cookies through your browser settings.

8. Third-Party Services

Our service may contain links to third-party websites or integrate with third-party services (such as social media login). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties.

9. Children's Privacy

Our service is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for such transfers.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us through our feedback page.

By submitting comments or other content to Metacomments, you grant us and other users a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display your content. All user-generated content is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.

This means your comments will be publicly visible and may be used by others under the terms of the Creative Commons license. Please do not post content you wish to keep private.