Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The protection of your personal data is a priority for ChessFlare.com.
This Privacy Policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, on what legal basis we process it, and what your rights are.
By using ChessFlare.com, you agree to the processing of your data in accordance with this policy.

2. Data Controller

Bastien Vanhove EI
78, Avenue des Champs-Élysées, Office 326, 75008 Paris, France
Email: contact@chessflare.com

3. Data Collected and Legal Bases

3.1 Account Creation and Management

  • Email
  • Password (hashed and secured)
  • Username
  • Elo rating and possible title (GM, IM, etc.)
  • Imported games and annotations
  • Optional third‑party authentication data when you choose it (Google, Apple Sign‑in): name and email (Apple may provide a private relay email).

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

3.2 Payments and Billing

  • Information required for payment processing (via Stripe)
  • Billing and transaction data

📌 Legal bases:

  • performance of a contract (Article 6(1)(b) GDPR)
  • compliance with legal obligations regarding billing and accounting (Article 6(1)(c) GDPR).

3.3 Emails

  • Transactional emails (account confirmation, invoices, security)

📌 Legal basis: performance of a contract.

  • Marketing emails / newsletters (offers, updates)

📌 Legal basis: explicit consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR).
You can withdraw your consent at any time via the unsubscribe link included in our emails.
Provider used: Brevo.

3.4 Browsing Statistics (Cookies)

On ChessFlare.com, we use cookies to measure traffic and improve our services, exclusively through PostHog. When you first visit the site, a banner allows you to accept or refuse statistical cookies. Your choice can be changed at any time through the same banner or via your browser settings.

Functional cookies necessary for authentication, security and preferences may also be used on ChessFlare.com to ensure the website works properly.

The retention period of analytics cookies is defined in accordance with our analytics configuration (up to 13 months, in line with CNIL recommendations).

Depending on the selected PostHog region, some data may be processed outside the European Union. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place when data is processed outside the EU.

📌 You can manage, disable, or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings (Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc.).

4. Hosting

ChessFlare is hosted by:
Hetzner Online GmbH (Germany)
All your data is stored on secure servers located within the European Union.

5. Purposes of Processing

Your data is used to:

  • Provide and improve our services,
  • Manage your accounts and subscriptions,
  • Ensure security and prevent abuse,
  • Send transactional or marketing communications (with consent),
  • Comply with our legal obligations (payment, billing).

6. Data Sharing

We only share your data with service providers essential to the operation of ChessFlare:

  • Stripe: payment and billing management
  • Sendy: email delivery : host on elastic email.
  • Hetzner: hosting
  • PostHog: audience analysis (with consent)
  • Apple: authentication via Sign in with Applewhen selected

As part of the affiliate program, certain personal data (name, email, and possibly IBAN) may be transmitted to Stripe in order to open a connected account and process commission payouts to creators.

Your data is never sold to third parties.

7. Data Retention

  • User account: retained as long as the account is active.
  • Billing data: retained in accordance with legal obligations (up to 10 years in France).
  • Marketing emails: retained until unsubscribe.
  • Analytics cookies (PostHog): retention period set by our configuration (up to 13 months, in line with CNIL recommendations).

8. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

You have the following rights:

  • Access: obtain a copy of your data,
  • Rectification: correct your information,
  • Erasure: request deletion of your account and data,
  • Portability: receive your data in a readable format,
  • Objection: object to certain processing (e.g., marketing),
  • Restriction: temporarily restrict certain processing.

📩 To exercise your rights: contact@chessflare.com

9. Security

We implement technical and organizational measures to protect your data (password hashing, SSL encryption, secure hosting).

10. Changes

This policy may be updated. Users will be informed of significant changes (by email or on-site notification).

11. Jurisdiction

This policy is governed by French law.
In the event of a dispute, exclusive jurisdiction is granted to the courts of Paris, France.