Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains how Iphos (“Iphos”, “we”, “us” or “our”) collects, uses, stores, shares and protects personal information when you visit or use iphos.app and any related services (together, the “Service”). Iphos is a free virtual catalogue for keeping track of the media you love.
By using the Service, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with it, please do not use the Service. This policy should be read together with any terms of use that apply to the Service.
The short version
- You can browse Iphos without an account. As a guest, we keep no account or profile for you. Your IP address is only used briefly to stop abuse.
- If you join, we keep your name, email address, password (scrambled so nobody can read it) and what you write: reviews, ratings, likes and titles you send in.
- Your name and reviews are public. Your email address is not.
- We don’t sell your data, show ads or use tracking or analytics tools.
- We use a few services to run Iphos: Fly.io for hosting, Resend for emails, and Google only if you choose to sign in with Google.
- You can ask us for a copy of your data, or to delete your account, at [email protected].
What we collect
When you join
- Your nameShown next to your reviews. Use any name you like; it doesn’t have to be your real one.
- Email addressTo sign you in, confirm your account and send password-reset links
- PasswordTo sign you in. We store it only in scrambled (hashed) form, never as you typed it.
- Google account details, if you sign in with GoogleYour name, email address and Google profile picture link, plus the sign-in tokens Google gives us
- Two-factor sign-in, if you turn it onThe secret for your authenticator app and your backup codes (stored hashed)
- Your agreement to this policyThe date and time you agreed when you joined
| What | Why we need it |
|---|---|
| Your name | Shown next to your reviews. Use any name you like; it doesn’t have to be your real one. |
| Email address | To sign you in, confirm your account and send password-reset links |
| Password | To sign you in. We store it only in scrambled (hashed) form, never as you typed it. |
| Google account details, if you sign in with Google | Your name, email address and Google profile picture link, plus the sign-in tokens Google gives us |
| Two-factor sign-in, if you turn it on | The secret for your authenticator app and your backup codes (stored hashed) |
| Your agreement to this policy | The date and time you agreed when you joined |
When you use Iphos
- ReviewsStar rating, status (finished, playing, dropped and so on), finish date, what you wrote, whether it has spoilers
- Game detailsHours played and platform, when you add them to a game review
- LikesWhich reviews you liked
- Titles you send inEvery field of the add-title form and the poster you upload. Posters are re-saved as a new image, which removes hidden details such as camera information and GPS location.
- Sign-in sessionsFor each device you’re signed in on: when the session started and ends, the IP address and the browser name (user agent)
- Abuse protectionYour IP address and a count of recent attempts, for sign-in, sign-up, password reset and similar actions
| What | Details |
|---|---|
| Reviews | Star rating, status (finished, playing, dropped and so on), finish date, what you wrote, whether it has spoilers |
| Game details | Hours played and platform, when you add them to a game review |
| Likes | Which reviews you liked |
| Titles you send in | Every field of the add-title form and the poster you upload. Posters are re-saved as a new image, which removes hidden details such as camera information and GPS location. |
| Sign-in sessions | For each device you’re signed in on: when the session started and ends, the IP address and the browser name (user agent) |
| Abuse protection | Your IP address and a count of recent attempts, for sign-in, sign-up, password reset and similar actions |
What we don’t collect: your location, contacts, payment details, or what you do on other websites. Iphos has no ads, analytics, tracking pixels or social-media plugins.
What other people can see
Iphos is a public library, so what you write is public: anyone can read it, with or without an account, and search engines can find it.
- Everyone, including people not signed inYour name, your reviews (rating, status, finish date, text, and hours and platform for games), how many likes each review has, and “Added by” with your name on titles you sent in that were approved
- Anyone you send a share link or image toThe review or title card: poster, your name, your rating and a short excerpt. Reviews marked as spoilers are shared without their text.
- Librarians (members who help look after the library)Titles you send in, with your name and email address, so they can approve or reject them
- AdminsEverything above. They can also edit or delete any review to remove abuse or spam.
| Who | What they can see |
|---|---|
| Everyone, including people not signed in | Your name, your reviews (rating, status, finish date, text, and hours and platform for games), how many likes each review has, and “Added by” with your name on titles you sent in that were approved |
| Anyone you send a share link or image to | The review or title card: poster, your name, your rating and a short excerpt. Reviews marked as spoilers are shared without their text. |
| Librarians (members who help look after the library) | Titles you send in, with your name and email address, so they can approve or reject them |
| Admins | Everything above. They can also edit or delete any review to remove abuse or spam. |
Your email address, password, sessions and two-factor details are never shown to other members. Only the people who run Iphos can see them, and only when needed to run the service or fix a problem.
Why we use it
We only use your data to run Iphos. Specifically, we use it to:
- Create your account, sign you in and keep it secure, including two-factor sign-in and limits on repeated attempts.
- Show your reviews, ratings and likes, and work out each title’s Iphos average.
- Handle the titles you send in for approval.
- Send emails you need: confirming your address, resetting your password. We don’t send newsletters or marketing.
- Stop spam, abuse and attacks, and keep backups so nothing is lost.
Where a law asks for a legal basis (for example GDPR in the EU and UK), ours is: providing the service you signed up for (contract), and our legitimate interest in keeping Iphos safe and working.
Services that handle your data
We don’t sell or rent your data to anyone. A few companies handle parts of it so Iphos can run, and only for that purpose:
- Fly.ioHosts the website and its database, in SingaporeEverything stored in Iphos, and the requests your browser makes
- ResendSends our emailsYour email address and the email’s content (for example a sign-in link)
- GoogleSign-in, only if you choose “Continue with Google”Google tells us your name, email address and profile picture link
- CloudflarePoints the iphos.app address at our server (DNS only)Not your browsing on Iphos: traffic goes straight to Fly.io
- AniList and Open LibraryServe a few cover imagesLike any image host, your IP address and browser details when the image loads
| Service | What it does | What it receives |
|---|---|---|
| Fly.io | Hosts the website and its database, in Singapore | Everything stored in Iphos, and the requests your browser makes |
| Resend | Sends our emails | Your email address and the email’s content (for example a sign-in link) |
| Sign-in, only if you choose “Continue with Google” | Google tells us your name, email address and profile picture link | |
| Cloudflare | Points the iphos.app address at our server (DNS only) | Not your browsing on Iphos: traffic goes straight to Fly.io |
| AniList and Open Library | Serve a few cover images | Like any image host, your IP address and browser details when the image loads |
These companies may store data outside your country, including in the United States and Singapore. We’d also share data if the law requires it, or to protect people from harm.
If Iphos is ever taken over by someone else, your data would move with it under this policy, and we’d tell you first.
Cookies and browser storage
Iphos uses one sign-in cookie, one preference cookie, and a few things saved in your browser. None of them track you on other sites, so we don’t show a cookie banner.
- Sign-in cookies (
better-auth.…)CookieKeeps you signed in, and remembers a half-finished two-factor sign-inUp to 30 days, renewed while you use Iphos iphos-guestbar-offCookieRemembers that you closed the “browsing as a guest” banner1 yeariphos-themeBrowser storageLight or dark themeUntil you clear itiphos-draft:…Browser storageReview drafts you started, so they survive a reloadUntil you post or discard themiphos-pendingBrowser storageWhat you were doing when asked to join (for example liking a review), so it can finish after you sign up1 houriphos-flashSession storageA one-off message such as “Review posted”Until the tab closes
| Name | Where | What it’s for | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
Sign-in cookies (better-auth.…) | Cookie | Keeps you signed in, and remembers a half-finished two-factor sign-in | Up to 30 days, renewed while you use Iphos |
iphos-guestbar-off | Cookie | Remembers that you closed the “browsing as a guest” banner | 1 year |
iphos-theme | Browser storage | Light or dark theme | Until you clear it |
iphos-draft:… | Browser storage | Review drafts you started, so they survive a reload | Until you post or discard them |
iphos-pending | Browser storage | What you were doing when asked to join (for example liking a review), so it can finish after you sign up | 1 hour |
iphos-flash | Session storage | A one-off message such as “Review posted” | Until the tab closes |
Browser storage stays on your device; we never see it unless a draft is posted. Clearing your browser data removes all of it.
How long we keep things
- Your account, reviews, likes and title requestsUntil you delete them or ask us to delete your account
- A review you deleteRemoved straight away
- Sign-in sessions30 days after you last used Iphos on that device, or until you sign out. A password reset signs out every device.
- Email confirmation link24 hours
- Password reset link1 hour, and it works only once
- Attempt counters (IP address)Minutes: they only cover the last 1–10 minutes of attempts
- Rejected title requestsThe poster is deleted right away. The request and the reason stay on your requests page until your account is deleted.
- BackupsWe keep a daily copy of the database for 7 days. Anything you delete is gone from backups within about a week.
| What | How long |
|---|---|
| Your account, reviews, likes and title requests | Until you delete them or ask us to delete your account |
| A review you delete | Removed straight away |
| Sign-in sessions | 30 days after you last used Iphos on that device, or until you sign out. A password reset signs out every device. |
| Email confirmation link | 24 hours |
| Password reset link | 1 hour, and it works only once |
| Attempt counters (IP address) | Minutes: they only cover the last 1–10 minutes of attempts |
| Rejected title requests | The poster is deleted right away. The request and the reason stay on your requests page until your account is deleted. |
| Backups | We keep a daily copy of the database for 7 days. Anything you delete is gone from backups within about a week. |
Your choices and rights
Wherever you live, you can:
- Edit or delete your reviews at any time from the title page.
- Unlike a review by tapping the heart again.
- Get a copy of the data we hold about you.
- Correct anything that’s wrong, such as your name.
- Delete your account. This removes your account, reviews, likes, sessions and title requests. Titles you sent in that were approved stay in the library without your name.
- Object to how we use your data, or ask us to limit it.
- Complain to your local data protection authority if you think we’ve got something wrong.
For anything that you can’t do in the app yourself, email [email protected] from the address on your account. We’ll reply within 30 days, and we may ask you to confirm it’s you before acting.
Keeping it safe
- Iphos only works over an encrypted connection (HTTPS).
- Passwords are at least 10 characters and stored only in hashed form.
- You can turn on two-factor sign-in with an authenticator app. Librarians and admins must use it.
- Repeated attempts to sign in, sign up or reset a password are slowed down.
- Uploaded posters are re-saved as new images, so hidden details in the original file are dropped.
No service is perfectly secure. If a breach ever affects your data, we’ll tell you and the authorities as the law requires.
Children
Iphos isn’t meant for children. You must be at least 13 to join, or the minimum age for consenting to data use where you live if that’s higher (up to 16 in some EU countries). If we learn that a child under that age has an account, we’ll delete it.
Changes to this policy
We’ll update this page when Iphos changes how it uses data, and change the date at the top. If a change matters, for example a new kind of data or a new service, we’ll tell members by email or on the site before it takes effect.
Contact
Questions, requests or complaints: [email protected].