Privacy policy

1. Who we are

ValidateHunt is a product-validation platform where makers submit products, review other launches, and compete in weekly rankings. For privacy questions or requests, email gabriel@validatehunt.com.

2. Information we collect

We may collect the following information:

• Account information such as your name, email address, profile image, and authentication-provider identifiers.
• Optional profile information, including an X account and public maker name.
• Product information you submit, including URLs, descriptions, logos, location, start date, niche, and differentiators.
• Reviews, scores, written justifications, assignments, and weekly competition results.
• Technical and usage information such as IP address, browser and device information, pages visited, referral source, and cookie or session identifiers.
• Messages you send when requesting support, reporting content, or exercising a privacy right.

3. What becomes public

ValidateHunt is built around accountable, public feedback. Product listings, public maker profiles, optional social links, locations, review scores, written justifications, rankings, and badges may be visible to anyone and indexed by search engines. Your email address is not displayed publicly by default.

Scores and reviews are intended to remain part of the competition record. If an account is removed, we may retain or de-identify those records where necessary to preserve the integrity of past rankings.

4. How we use information

• Provide authentication, submissions, reviews, and rankings.
• Assign reviews fairly and prevent self-review or manipulation.
• Pre-fill product information, geocode locations, verify badge embeds, and publish listing links.
• Send sign-in, verification, service, and feedback-notification emails.
• Measure usage, diagnose problems, secure the service, moderate content, and improve ValidateHunt.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

5. Service providers and sharing

We use service providers to operate ValidateHunt. Depending on the feature you use, information may be processed by hosting and database providers, Google or X for authentication, SendGrid for email, Google Analytics for usage measurement, OpenRouter for optional product autofill, and OpenStreetMap/Nominatim services for location search and geocoding.

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose information when required by law, to protect users or the service, during a business reorganization, or with your direction.

6. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and similar storage for authentication, security, preferences, and analytics. Google Analytics helps us understand aggregate traffic and product usage. Browser controls can limit cookies, but blocking necessary cookies may prevent sign-in or other features from working.

7. Legal grounds

Where applicable, we process information to perform our agreement with you, pursue legitimate interests such as operating and securing the service, comply with legal obligations, and rely on consent when required. You may withdraw consent for future processing where consent is the applicable basis.

8. Retention and security

We retain information for as long as needed to provide the service, maintain trustworthy competition records, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, and meet legal requirements. We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards, but no online service can guarantee absolute security.

9. Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, object to, or receive a copy of personal information. You may disconnect optional social profiles and use the unsubscribe link in feedback emails.

To make a request, email gabriel@validatehunt.com from the address associated with your account. We may need to verify your identity before completing the request.

10. International processing and children

Our providers may process information in countries other than your own, subject to appropriate safeguards where required. ValidateHunt is not directed to children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their personal information.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as ValidateHunt evolves. We will revise the effective date above and provide additional notice when a change is material.