Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 4, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how certherverse.com (“we”, “us”, “the Site”) collects, uses, and protects your personal data. We are based in the European Union and comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is the operator of certherverse.com. For any privacy-related inquiries, contact us at: newsletter@certherverse.com

2. What Data We Collect

2.1 Browsing Without an Account

You can browse publicly available content on this Site without providing any personal data. When you visit, our server automatically collects:

– IP address
– Browser type and version
– Pages visited and timestamps
– Referring URL

This data is collected for security purposes and to maintain the functionality of the Site. Legal basis: legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

2.2 Account Registration

When you register an account, we collect:

– Username
– Email address

Legal basis: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) – your account is required to access certain features of the Site.

2.3 Patreon Integration

If you log in or register via Patreon, we receive limited profile information from Patreon (such as your Patreon user ID, name, and membership tier) through the Patreon Connect plugin. We use this data solely to verify your membership status and grant access to patron-only content. We do not receive or store your payment details – those are handled entirely by Patreon. For details on how Patreon processes your data, see Patreon’s Privacy Policy (https://privacy.patreon.com/policies).

Legal basis: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR).

2.4 Newsletter

If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address. We use it only to send updates about new chapters or site news. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in each email.

Legal basis: consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR).

2.5 Comments

If you post comments on the Site, we store the comment content along with your username, timestamp, and IP address (for anti-spam purposes).

Legal basis: legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).

3. Cookies

3.1 Strictly Necessary Cookies

These cookies are essential for the Site to function. They include:

– Session cookies (login state, age verification confirmation)
– Cookie consent preferences
– Site display settings (font, theme, formatting preferences via Fictioneer)

These cookies do not require consent as they are necessary for the Site to operate.

3.2 Non-Essential Cookies

We may use cookies for analytics or performance purposes. These are only set if you click “Accept” on the cookie banner. If you reject non-essential cookies, they will not be placed. You can change your preference at any time via the cookie settings on the Site.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use collected data for the following purposes only:

– Providing and maintaining the Site and its features
– Managing your account and verifying Patreon membership
– Sending newsletter emails (if subscribed)
– Preventing abuse and ensuring security
– Improving the Site based on aggregated, non-identifiable usage data

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal data with third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Third-Party Services

The Site integrates with or may link to the following third-party services, each with their own privacy policies:

– Patreon – membership and payment processing (https://privacy.patreon.com/policies)
– WordPress.org – content management system
– Hosting provider – our web host processes server logs containing IP addresses

We only share data with third parties when necessary to operate the Site or when required by law.

6. Data Retention

– Account data: Retained as long as your account exists. Deleted upon request or account deletion.
– Server logs: Retained for up to 90 days, then automatically deleted.
– Newsletter subscriptions: Retained until you unsubscribe.
– Comments: Retained as long as the associated content exists, unless you request deletion.
– Cookies: Expiration varies per cookie; session cookies are deleted when you close your browser.

7. Your Rights Under GDPR

As a resident of the EU/EEA, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

– Access – Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
– Rectification – Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Erasure – Request deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
– Restriction – Request that we limit the processing of your data.
– Data portability – Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
– Objection – Object to processing based on legitimate interest.
– Withdraw consent – Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at newsletter@certherverse.com. We will respond within 30 days.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including HTTPS encryption for all Site traffic and secure password storage. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure.

9. Age Restriction

This Site is intended for users aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 18. If we become aware that we have collected data from a minor, we will delete it promptly.

10. International Data Transfers

If any of our third-party service providers are located outside the EU/EEA (e.g., Patreon, which is based in the United States), data transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, as applicable.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Contact

For any questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, contact us at:

newsletter@certherverse.com