PHP Freaks, You, and GDPR

[requinix]

GDPR article 15 allows EU citizens to request an export of the personal data collected by this site ("right of access").
GDPR article 17 allows EU citizens to request that personal information collected by this site by removed ("right to be forgotten").

To request either action, post a new thread in this forum.

Pursuant to article 3 we are not required to perform these actions for individuals we can reasonably assert to not be EU citizens in an EU country during the time of the data collection.

Pursuant to articles 2 and 17 we also will not delete posted content - we are only required to remove personally identifiable information, and we have the means to accomplish that while keeping user submitted content (which is not covered by GDPR). This is in line with our long-standing policy of not deleting content.

How official is this?

I speak on behalf of the volunteers running this forum. PHP Freaks and related IP is legally owned by an entity based in Florida and I cannot speak for it. Everything written here is to the best of my knowledge and intentions.

What data does this site collect?

• Username and display name (required during registration)
• Email address (required during registration)
• IP address (collected automatically)
• Timezone (optionally provided by the user and/or determined automatically)
• Profile information such as gender, age, and instant messaging accounts (optionally provided by the user)

Does this site use cookies?

Of course it does. IP.Board's standard cookie disclaimer

What third parties is content and/or information shared with?

PHP Freaks does not share anything with any third-parties. We do include advertising on this site (currently via Google Ads) and Google Analytics, but that does not involve sending them any information about the visitor. They do collect information on their own, of course, but we are not responsible for it nor can we address any GDPR requests on their behalf.

What is our privacy policy?

Good question. As this forum is run by volunteers who do not also own it, it is difficult to come up with an official Privacy Policy. We do have Terms of Service that you agree to by using this site, which is currently the closest thing we have to a privacy policy.

Informally: we do not sell, give, share, etc. content or information to anyone. However, remember that content you post publicly is accessible to anyone who wants to harvest it, be they human or automated. Especially, remember that sites such as archive.org can and will archive publicly-viewable content.

As a citizen of the UK, how does Brexit affect my rights?

GDPR covers data collected from EU residents while members of the EU. The UK officially left the EU at midnight February 1st, 2020 (the "cutoff"). Data collected before the cutoff is subject to GDPR and will still be removed when requested. Data collected on or after the cutoff is not subject to GDPR.

In the case of an account that was created before the cutoff requesting data to be removed, it is up to the site administrators' discretion whether data collected after the cutoff (if any) will also be removed; accounts created after the cutoff will be treated the same way as non-EU accounts. Note that users are able to edit or remove all personal information that was entered into their accounts, including changing the email to a "one-time" or throwaway address, however posted content is subject to constraints that may prevent editing later.

What if I do not/have not lived in the EU?

PHP Freaks will respect laws similar to GDPR, but beyond that any requests to export data, delete accounts, remove personal information from content, etc. may or may not be performed at our discretion.

Edited April 9, 2022 by requinix