Privacy Policy

Operator

The Philosophy Forum is operated by James Alistair Robinson, United Kingdom.
If you have questions about this policy or your personal data, contact: [email protected]

What information we collect

We collect information when you:

  • register for an account
  • post or interact with content
  • subscribe or make payments

This may include:

  • your email address and username
  • any profile information you choose to provide
  • posts and other content you submit
  • IP addresses associated with account activity and posts
  • technical logs generated when you access the forum

If you make payments, payment processing is handled by Stripe, which receives the payment information you provide directly. We do not store your card details.

How we use your information

We use personal data:

  • to operate and maintain the forum
  • to provide account access and notifications
  • to moderate content and maintain site safety
  • to respond to support requests or reports
  • to process subscriptions or payments
  • to improve the reliability and performance of the forum

Legal basis for processing

We process personal data:

  • to provide the forum service you request (contract)
  • to maintain security, prevent fraud, support moderation, and administer the forum (legitimate interests)
  • to comply with legal obligations where required

Cookies

The forum uses cookies to:

  • keep you logged in
  • remember your preferences
  • enable essential site functionality

You can control cookies through your browser settings.

Data retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary to operate the forum and comply with legal obligations.

We will make a good faith effort to:

  • retain server logs containing IP addresses for no more than 90 days, unless needed for security or legal purposes
  • retain account data and posts while your account remains active

If you request account deletion, we will remove or anonymise personal data where reasonably possible. Posts you have made may remain visible after account deletion but will normally be anonymised.

Third-party services

We use trusted third-party providers to operate the forum, including:

  • Discourse hosting provider — forum infrastructure, storage, and logs
  • Stripe — payment processing for subscriptions and donations
  • Email delivery services used by the forum software

These providers process data only as necessary to deliver their services.

Disclosure of information

We do not sell your personal data.

We may share information:

  • with service providers necessary to run the forum
  • if required by law or legal process
  • to protect the rights, safety, or integrity of the forum or its users

Third-party links

Posts on this forum may link to external websites.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites.

Children

This forum is intended for users aged 13 or older.
We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under this age.
If you believe a child has provided personal information, please contact us and we will remove it.

Your rights

Depending on applicable law, you may have the right to:

  • request access to your personal data
  • request correction of inaccurate data
  • request deletion of your data
  • object to certain processing

To make a request, contact [email protected].

Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time.
Updates will be posted on this page.

Last updated: 16 February 2026