Privacy Policy

Effective date: July 2, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what information PastReply (“we”, “the Site”) collects, how we use it, and your rights. Questions at: hello@pastreply.com.

1. Information We Collect

a) Account information

If you create an account we collect your chosen username, email address, and - if you upload one - an avatar image (resized and stored on our server). We use passwordless sign-in, so we never collect or store a password.

b) Digest subscription

If you subscribe to the digest we collect your email address, your frequency preference (daily or weekly), and any topics you select. Subscriptions are confirmed via double opt-in.

c) Content you post

Answers and replies you submit are stored and displayed publicly alongside your username and avatar.

d) Server logs & IP addresses

Our server logs standard HTTP request data including your IP address, browser user-agent, and the pages you visit. Logs are retained for a short operational period and used only for debugging and abuse prevention. Vote de-duplication and rate-limiting use IP addresses transiently.

e) Email engagement

Transactional emails (email confirmation, sign-in links) and notification/digest emails contain per-recipient unsubscribe tokens. We use these to process unsubscribe requests and, in aggregate, to understand engagement. We do not share individual data with third parties.

f) Browser storage

The Site stores the following in your browser - no sensitive personal data is involved:

• Cookie pr_session - a signed identifier that keeps you signed in (set only after you log in).
• localStorage tgt-theme - dark/light theme preference.
• localStorage tgt-layout - grid or list layout preference.
• localStorage tgt-votes - remembers which items you voted on so the UI reflects your vote.

These are purely functional. Analytics cookies may also be set by Google Analytics (see below).

2. How We Use Your Information

• To operate your account and let you post answers and replies.
• To send transactional email (email confirmation, passwordless sign-in links).
• To send the digest and activity notifications you opted into, and to process unsubscribe requests.
• To monitor aggregate site health and detect and prevent abuse.
• We do not sell, rent, or trade your information with any third party.

3. Third-Party Services

DeepSeek

Trending question text is sent to DeepSeek’s API to generate the factual answer and the persona answers. No account or personal user data is transmitted to DeepSeek.

OpenAI

The question text is sent to OpenAI’s image API to generate each question’s featured image. No personal user data is transmitted.

Wikimedia Commons

Persona portraits are fetched from Wikimedia Commons under their original licenses. No user data is shared.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics (gtag.js) to measure aggregate, anonymized site usage. Analytics may set its own cookies. You can block these with your browser or an extension.

4. Data Retention

Account and subscriber records are retained until you delete your account or unsubscribe. Vote records for content older than 60 days may be purged. Server logs are cycled on a short operational schedule.

5. Your Rights

You may:

• Unsubscribe at any time via the link in any digest or notification email.
• Request deletion of your account and email address by emailing hello@pastreply.com.
• Clear browser data - signing out and clearing localStorage removes all locally stored preferences.

6. Security

Session, confirmation, and sign-in tokens are cryptographically generated, and sign-in is passwordless. The Site is served over HTTPS. No payment data is collected or processed.

7. Children

The Site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

8. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. The effective date above will be updated when changes are made. Continued use of the Site constitutes acceptance.

9. Contact

Privacy questions or data requests: hello@pastreply.com.