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Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 2026.

This policy explains what BugRater collects, how we use it, and the choices you have. We try to collect as little as possible: enough to run accounts, publish reviews, and keep the platform from being abused — and nothing more.

What we collect

Cookies

We set a single session cookie so you can stay logged in. That's it — no third-party advertising cookies, no cross-site ad tracking, and no analytics that follow you around the web.

First-party analytics

To understand how the site is used and what to build next, we keep our own basic analytics. We record the pages you visit, the site or link that referred you, a coarse read of your device type and browser, and a hashed version of your IP address — we store the hash to tell visits apart, never the raw IP itself. This is first-party only: the data stays with us, and there are no third-party ad networks or cross-site tracking scripts. If your browser sends a Do Not Track signal, we honour it and don't record analytics for that visit. We use this only in aggregate — to see which programs and pages are in demand, fix rough spots, and prioritise what to add — not to profile you individually.

What we deliberately don't collect

Some things we choose never to ask for. We do not collect government-issued identification — no passport, driver's licence, or national ID. We do not collect payment or banking details, and we do not collect social-security, tax, or other national identifiers. Verification of a researcher's standing uses public platform profiles only — the handles and URLs you choose to link — not identity documents. This is a founding commitment, not just a current setting; you can read the reasoning on our principles page.

How we use your data

We use your information to operate your account, publish and moderate reviews, compute program grades, keep the service secure, and contact you about your account when necessary. Your reviews are public, and — unless you post a review anonymously — they're shown alongside your username. Your linked handles are shown only if you add them to your public profile.

Researcher pseudonymity

We respect that many researchers work under a handle. Your email address is used for login and account matters and is never shown publicly. You can participate under a pseudonymous username, and anonymous reviews are not attributed to your public profile.

We don't sell your data

We do not sell or rent your personal data, and we don't share it with third parties for their own marketing. We may share data only with service providers that help us run the site, or where required by law.

Retention

We keep account data while your account is active. Published reviews may remain on the site after an account closes, but we'll disassociate them from your identity on request. Abuse-prevention logs such as IP records are kept only as long as needed for that purpose.

Your rights

You can access and update most of your information anytime from your account settings. To request deletion of your account or data, email hello@bugrater.com and we'll take care of it.

Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your data, including hashed passwords and access controls. No system is perfectly secure, though — please use a strong, unique password and let us know if you spot a problem.

Children

BugRater is not intended for anyone under 16, and we don't knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has given us information, contact us and we'll remove it.

Changes and contact

We may update this policy; material changes will be reflected in the "last updated" date above. Questions about privacy? Email hello@bugrater.com.

This document is a plain-language template for a review platform and is not a substitute for legal advice. Consult a qualified lawyer before relying on it.