Privacy
In short
- Without an account, your lists never leave your device and I know nothing about you.
- With Sync, I store your email, your lists and the things needed to sign you in. Your lists are stored on my server in Germany.
- No ads, no tracking, no analytics. I don't sell anything about you.
- Delete your account any time from your Account page. Email [email protected] to see or fix your data.
Who I am
Moderalist is made by one person, through my company Big North Company Ltd, registered in England and Wales (no. 10220839), which is the data controller ("I", "me"). Contact me at [email protected].
Using Moderalist without an account
Your lists are saved in your browser (in its local storage and IndexedDB) or, in the Mac app, in a file on your computer. They are not sent to me. I don't use analytics or tracking, and this website sets no cookies.
Like every website, these pages are delivered by a hosting company (Cloudflare), which sees your IP address to send you the page.
What I collect when you use Sync
| What | Why |
|---|---|
| Your email address, and a name if you give one | To sign you in, reset your password, send receipts and service notices, and show you to people you share a workspace with |
| Your password, scrambled (hashed) so I can't read it | To check it's you when you sign in |
| Your workspaces, document titles and document content | To sync them to your devices and to the people you share with |
| Email addresses of people you invite | To send them the invite |
| Your devices: the computer's name and type (for example "Sam's MacBook", macOS), and when each was last used | So you can see and sign out devices on your account |
| Sign-in sessions | To keep you signed in |
| Your plan, the date it runs until, and a customer number from Paddle | To know whether you have paid |
Your lists are not end-to-end encrypted. That means I could technically read them. I don't, unless you ask me to help with a problem or the law requires it.
The server keeps short technical logs of each request (which page, the result and how long it took). They don't include your IP address or what you wrote. I hold IP addresses briefly in memory to stop people guessing passwords.
Payments
Paddle.com sells Sync on my behalf and handles your payment. Paddle collects your card details, billing address and email under its own privacy policy. Your card details never reach me. Paddle tells me your customer number and whether your subscription is active.
Who else handles your data
| Company | What for | Where |
|---|---|---|
| Hetzner | Runs the Sync server and its backups | Germany |
| Cloudflare | Delivers the websites and protects the server from attacks | Worldwide |
| Resend | Sends sign-in, password and invite emails | USA |
| Paddle | Takes payments and handles tax | UK |
| GitHub | The Mac app checks it for updates when it opens (no personal data is sent) | USA |
Where data goes outside the UK or EU, it is protected by the UK and EU's standard contract terms or adequacy rules. I never sell your data or share it for advertising.
My legal reasons
- To run the service you asked for (contract): your account, sync, sharing and payments.
- To keep it safe (legitimate interests): logs, blocking password guessing, backups.
- Because the law says so: keeping payment records.
How long I keep it
- Your account and lists: until you delete your account. Deleting it removes your account, your devices and sign-ins, your invites, and any workspace where you are the only member, with its documents, straight away. Documents in workspaces shared with others stay with them.
- Documents you delete: kept in Trash for 30 days, then the content is removed.
- Backups: up to 30 days, then overwritten.
- Sign-in sessions end after 30 days, or 7 days without use.
Cookies and storage
When you sign in to Sync I set one cookie, __Host-moderalist_session, which keeps you signed in. It is needed for the service to work, so I don't ask first. The app also saves your lists and settings (like light or dark mode) in your browser's storage. I use no advertising or analytics cookies.
Your rights
You can change your name and email, sign out devices, and delete your account yourself on your Account page. If you have Sync, cancel it first; you can delete once the paid period ends. You can also ask me to show you, correct, delete or send you a copy of your data, or to stop using it. Email [email protected] and I will reply within one month. If you're unhappy with how I handle your data, you can complain to the UK's Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
Children
Moderalist accounts are not for anyone under 18.
Changes
If I change this policy in a way that matters, I'll email account holders before it applies. The date at the top shows the latest version.