Privacy Policy
Last updated: May 5, 2026
SoftServer (“we”, “us”, “our”) is an independent side project operated under the “hdblabs” name by an individual based in Pennsylvania, USA. hdblabs is not a registered company. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you use SoftServer, how we use it, and the choices you have. Contact: hello@hdblabs.com.
1. Information we collect
When you create an account or use SoftServer, we collect:
- Email address (provided by Apple Sign-In, Google Sign-In, or email and password sign-in)
- Display name, handle, avatar, optional bio
- Optional Instagram handle if you choose to add one
- Ratings, comments, and reactions you post on flavors
- Follow relationships between you and other users
- Push notification subscription details, only if you enable push notifications
- Authentication and theme preference cookies
- Basic technical logs (timestamps, error reports) to keep the service running
We do not collect precise location, contacts, payment information, or biometric data.
2. How we use your information
- To create and maintain your account
- To display your ratings, comments, and profile to people you have connected with
- To send notifications you have opted into (e.g. when a flavor unlocks, weekly recap)
- To respond to support questions you send us
- To detect, prevent, and respond to abuse or technical issues
3. What we don’t do
- We do not sell your personal information
- We do not run third-party advertising trackers or behavioral ad networks
- We do not share your private ratings or comments outside the app
- We do not use your data to train AI models
4. Service providers
We rely on the following processors to run SoftServer. They process data only as needed to provide the service:
- Supabase (PostgreSQL database, authentication, email delivery)
- Cloudflare (hosting, edge delivery, security)
- Web Push services (Apple, Google, Mozilla) for delivering push notifications you opted into
- Sentry (error monitoring)
- Apple and Google (sign-in providers, when you choose them)
5. Cookies and local storage
We use a small number of cookies and browser storage entries to keep you signed in (auth session), remember your theme preference (ss_theme), and store local UI preferences (e.g. dismissed banners, section ordering). We do not use advertising cookies.
6. Visibility of your content
By default, your profile is private. Ratings and comments you post are visible to people who follow you (or to anyone, if you set your profile to public). You can switch your profile between private and public at any time from Settings. Deleting a rating or comment removes it from the app.
7. Your rights and choices
You can:
- View and edit your profile information at any time
- Disable push notifications in Settings or in your browser
- Request a copy of the data we hold on you by emailing hello@hdblabs.com
- Delete your account and all associated data by emailing the address above
California residents have additional rights under the CCPA, including the right to know, delete, and opt out of sale of personal information (we do not sell your data). To exercise these rights, contact us at the address above.
8. Data retention
We retain your account data for as long as your account is active. When you delete your account, we delete your profile, ratings, comments, follows, and push subscriptions. We may retain limited operational logs (e.g. error reports, abuse records) for a reasonable period to maintain the service.
9. Children
SoftServer is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact hello@hdblabs.com and we will delete it.
10. Security
We use HTTPS for all traffic, store passwords via our authentication providers (Apple, Google) rather than directly, and rely on Supabase Row Level Security to enforce per-user access on the database. No system is perfectly secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security but we work to protect your data.
11. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy as the service evolves. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date above and, when appropriate, notify you in the app. Continued use of SoftServer after changes means you accept the updated policy.
12. Contact
Questions or requests? Email hello@hdblabs.com.