This Privacy Policy explains what information DpkDB ("we", "us") collects when you visit dpkdb.com (the "Site"), how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. By using the Site you agree to the practices described here. If you don't agree, please don't use the Site.
Who we are
DpkDB is an independent publication about databases, with articles, a database directory and free developer tools. For any privacy question or request, write to us through our contact page.
Information we collect
Information you give us
- Account (Google sign-in). When you sign in with Google, we receive your name, email address, profile photo and Google account ID. We use them to create your account. We never see your Google password.
- Profile. The username, name, bio and photo you choose. If you publish articles, your name, username, photo and bio appear publicly on your articles and on your profile page.
- Articles. Anything you write or publish through the Site, including drafts.
- Newsletter. Your email address and the time you confirmed it. Sign-up is double opt-in: we email you a short code, and you're only subscribed once you enter it.
- Contact form. Your name, email address, subject and message.
Information from the developer tools
Most tools (formatters, converters, generators and calculators) run entirely in your browser. What you type into them is never sent to us.
Some tools have to contact a service on your behalf: the database explorers, SSH/VM connectors, SMTP and email testers, cloud storage explorers, and API key testers. For these:
- The details you enter, such as hostnames, credentials and API keys, go to our server only to run the request you asked for. They aren't stored or logged.
- If you choose to save a connection, its details are encrypted (AES-256-GCM) and stored against your account so you can reuse them. You can delete a saved connection at any time.
- File Drop stores the files you upload until the expiry you choose (between 1 hour and 30 days). Then they're deleted. We never store your key itself, only a keyed hash of it. Anyone who knows the key can download the files until they expire.
- Gmail Sender Stats and Outlook Sender Stats ask for read-only access to your mailbox. They read only the sender ("From") of your messages, never the subject, body or recipients. The access token is kept in a cookie in your browser and is never stored on our servers. Gmail Sender Stats saves the connected address and the list of senders it found (address, display name and message count) so you can see them again. Disconnecting deletes them.
- Push Notification Tester keeps a history of your sends: the time, target type, platform and result. It never keeps message contents or full device tokens.
Information collected automatically
- Server logs. Like any website, our hosting receives technical data with each request, including your IP address, browser (user agent), the page requested, and the time. These logs are used to run and secure the Site and are kept for a limited time.
- Usage counts. We count article views and ad impressions and clicks. These counts are aggregate numbers per article or ad, per 15 minutes or day and device type. They are not tied to you. An IP address may be used briefly in memory to limit abuse, but it isn't stored with the counts.
- Cookies and similar technologies. Used by us and by our advertising and analytics partners. See Advertising, Analytics and our Cookie Policy.
Advertising
The Site is free because it shows ads. We work with the following advertising partners:
- Google AdSense. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this Site and/or other sites on the Internet.
- Ezoic. Ezoic and its partners serve and optimise ads on the Site and may use cookies and similar technologies to do so. See Ezoic's privacy policy. The partners Ezoic works with are listed at the end of this policy.
- Direct advertisers. We sometimes sell ad space directly to companies. Those ads are served from our own servers without third-party cookies. A click goes through a short redirect on our Site so we can count it, and then on to the advertiser.
Your choices about personalised ads:
- Opt out of personalised advertising from Google in Google's Ads Settings.
- Opt out of personalised ads from many third-party vendors at www.aboutads.info/choices (US) or www.youronlinechoices.eu (EU).
- Learn how Google uses information from sites that use its services.
If you opt out, you'll still see ads, but they won't be based on your browsing.
Analytics
We use Google Tag Manager to load analytics tools such as Google Analytics. They help us understand how the Site is used, for example which articles are read and how visitors find us. Ezoic also collects analytics about how pages and ads perform. These tools use cookies and collect information such as pages visited, time on page, device type and approximate location, derived from your IP address. You can opt out of Google Analytics with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
Consent (EEA, UK and Switzerland)
If you visit from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, a consent tool asks for your choices before non-essential cookies are used for advertising, personalisation or analytics. You can change or withdraw your consent at any time through that tool. If it doesn't appear, clear your cookies for dpkdb.com and reload the page.
How we use information
We use the information above to:
- provide the Site, your account, the tools and the features you ask for;
- publish the articles you submit, under your name;
- send the newsletter you subscribed to, and reply to your messages;
- show ads, and measure how the Site and its ads perform;
- keep the Site secure, and prevent spam, fraud and abuse;
- comply with legal obligations.
If you are in the EEA or UK, our legal bases are:
- performance of a contract, to provide your account and the features you use;
- consent, for the newsletter and for non-essential cookies (you can withdraw it at any time);
- legitimate interests, to run, secure and improve the Site;
- legal obligation, where the law requires it.
How we share information
We do not sell your personal information. We share it only with:
- Service providers that run parts of the Site for us, under contracts that limit how they can use it:
- our hosting and database providers;
- Twilio SendGrid, which sends email (newsletter confirmations);
- Cloudflare R2, which stores uploaded photos and File Drop files;
- Google, for sign-in.
- Advertising and analytics partners, as described above. They collect information directly through their cookies under their own privacy policies.
- The public, for what you choose to publish: your articles and public profile.
- Authorities, when the law requires it, or to protect the rights, property or safety of DpkDB, our users or others.
- A successor, if DpkDB is ever sold or merged. This policy would continue to apply to your information.
How long we keep it
| Information | Kept for |
|---|---|
| Account and profile | Until you ask us to delete your account |
| Published articles | Until you or we delete them |
| Newsletter email | Until you unsubscribe |
| Contact messages | As long as needed to handle your message |
| Saved tool connections | Until you delete them or your account |
| File Drop files | Until the expiry you chose (1 hour to 30 days) |
| Sign-in session cookie | 30 days, or until you sign out |
Your rights
Depending on where you live (for example under the GDPR, the UK GDPR, or California's CCPA/CPRA), you may have the right to:
- access the personal information we hold about you;
- correct it (most of your profile can be edited on your profile page);
- delete it, including your account;
- object to or restrict certain processing;
- receive a copy of it in a portable format;
- withdraw consent at any time;
- opt out of personalised advertising (see Advertising);
- complain to your local data protection authority.
To make a request, contact us from the email address on your account, and tell us what you'd like us to do. We'll reply within 30 days. We won't treat you differently for exercising your rights.
Security
The Site is served over HTTPS. Your session cookie is signed and can't be read by scripts on the page. Saved tool credentials are encrypted at rest, and access to our systems is restricted. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we can't guarantee absolute security.
International transfers
We and our providers may process information in countries other than yours, including the United States. Where the law requires it, we rely on appropriate safeguards, such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.
Children
The Site is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA and UK), and we don't knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has given us personal information, contact us and we'll delete it.
Links to other websites
Articles and ads link to other websites. We're not responsible for their content or privacy practices. Check their policies before giving them any information.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed. If the changes are significant, we'll highlight them on the Site.
Contact us
Questions or requests about this policy: use our contact page.