Privacy Policy

1. Overview & Data Ownership

Welcome to ProfileCrest (accessible via https://profile-crest.vercel.app), a developer tool created by CodeCrest Studio. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. ProfileCrest operates primarily as a client-side Markdown generator. Your GitHub bio entries, social media handles, and technical proficiencies are stored locally in your browser session and are never sold or misused.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights under applicable data protection laws including the European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). By using ProfileCrest, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect minimal data necessary to provide and maintain our services:

• Local Form Inputs: Data you enter into the generator (such as GitHub usernames, social handles, and bio details) is stored locally in your web browser via localStorage for state persistence across visits. This data never leaves your device during the editing process and is not transmitted to our servers.
• Support & Donation Records: If you voluntarily support us via Razorpay, transaction data (supporter name, coffee count, optional message, transaction ID) is securely stored to render our public supporters board. No credit card information is stored on our servers — payment processing is handled entirely by Razorpay.
• Server Logs & Analytics: Standard technical log data (IP address, browser type, referral URL, request timestamps) is processed for system security, rate limiting, and aggregate analytics. We use Microsoft Clarity for anonymous session analytics to understand how users interact with our product.
• Contact Form Submissions: If you submit a contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message content for the purpose of responding to your inquiry. This data is processed on our servers and is not shared with third parties.

3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

ProfileCrest and its third-party partners use the following types of cookies and tracking technologies:

• Essential Cookies: Required for basic site functionality such as remembering form state via localStorage. These are first-party, session-based, and do not track users across websites.
• Analytics Cookies: Microsoft Clarity uses cookies to collect anonymous session replay and heatmap data. These cookies help us understand how users navigate ProfileCrest so we can improve the user experience. You can opt out via your browser's cookie settings.
• Advertising Cookies (Google AdSense): Google and its certified ad-serving partners use cookies to serve advertisements based on your browsing history. These cookies may track your visits to ProfileCrest and other websites to serve relevant ads. See Section 4 for detailed disclosure.

4. Advertising & Google AdSense Disclosure

We partner with Google AdSense to serve non-intrusive advertisements on our website. To comply with Google AdSense Policies and global privacy regulations (GDPR & CCPA), please be aware of the following disclosures:

• Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to ProfileCrest or other websites on the Internet.
• Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.
• Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings or aboutads.info.
• For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), Google serves non-personalized ads that do not use cookies for ad targeting but may still use cookies for frequency capping and aggregated ad reporting.

5. Data Retention & Deletion

Local data:Your generator form data is stored in your browser's localStorage indefinitely until you clear your browser data or click the "Reset" button within ProfileCrest. We have no access to this data and cannot delete it remotely.

Server data: Contact form submissions are retained for up to 12 months and then permanently deleted. Supporter/donation records are retained indefinitely to maintain the public supporters board unless a deletion request is received. Server access logs are retained for a maximum of 90 days for security purposes.

Analytics data:Microsoft Clarity session data is retained according to Microsoft's data retention policies. We do not have direct control over the retention period of analytics data processed by third-party services.

6. Your Rights Under GDPR & CCPA

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request a copy of any personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate personal data.
• Right to Erasure (Right to Be Forgotten): You have the right to request deletion of your personal data. To exercise this right, contact us at the email address below.
• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
• Right to Opt-Out of Sale (CCPA): We do not sell personal information. If you are a California resident, you have the right to know what categories of personal information are collected and for what purposes.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at codecreststudio@gmail.com. We will respond to valid requests within 30 days.

7. Third-Party Web Services

ProfileCrest compiles badges and widgets that link to open-source public APIs (including shields.io, github-readme-stats, github-readme-activity-graph, and demolab.com). When your GitHub profile is rendered on GitHub, your browser connects directly to those providers. We recommend reviewing their respective privacy guidelines. ProfileCrest is not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party services.

8. Children's Privacy

ProfileCrest is not directed at individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information promptly. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

10. Contacting Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, your data privacy rights, or our data handling practices, please contact the CodeCrest Studio team at codecreststudio@gmail.com. We are committed to addressing your privacy concerns promptly and thoroughly.