Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 20, 2026

SovereignStream (“we”, “us”, “our”) operates the website and apps at sovereignstream.org. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. We collect only what we need to run the service and do not sell personal data.

1. Information we collect

Account information

• Username and password (stored as a one-way hash; we never store plain-text passwords)
• Email address (for verification and account recovery)
• Display name (optional), bio (required), profile type (Personal / Creator / Business), and profile picture (optional)
• Birthdate (required) and government ID / selfie images for identity verification (stored privately; visible only to moderators)
• Confirmation that you are 18 or older

Content you create

• Posts, replies, reposts, bookmarks, and likes
• Videos, podcasts, articles, product listings, and live streams you publish
• Direct messages you send to other users
• Reports you file about content or accounts

Payments

Tips, subscriptions, store purchases, and creator payouts are processed by Stripe. We do not store full card numbers. Stripe may collect payment details under its own privacy policy. We store records needed for the service (amounts, counterparties, product names, and Stripe payment identifiers).

Technical and usage data

• IP address and basic request metadata (for security and abuse prevention)
• Device/browser type when needed to deliver the web app
• Feed ranking signals such as impressions and muted categories (to personalize “For You”)
• Service-worker offline caches on your device (local only)

2. How we use information

• Provide, secure, and improve SovereignStream
• Authenticate you and protect accounts from abuse
• Send email verification messages
• Enable social features (follows, feed, DMs, live streaming)
• Process creator monetization (tips, tiers, store orders, ads)
• Moderate content and enforce our Terms of Service
• Comply with law and respond to valid legal requests

3. How we share information

We share data only as needed to run the product:

• Public content — posts, profiles, published videos/articles/podcasts, and store listings are visible to other users and visitors as designed by the product.
• Service providers — hosting (e.g. Render), database (e.g. Neon), video/object storage (e.g. Cloudflare R2), live streaming (LiveKit), email delivery (SendGrid), and payments (Stripe).
• Legal — when required by law or to protect rights, safety, and integrity of the service.

We do not sell your personal information.

4. Cookies and local storage

We use browser local storage for session tokens, theme preference, and onboarding state. The progressive web app may cache assets offline via a service worker. We do not use third-party advertising cookies on the core app.

5. Data retention

Account data is kept while your account is active. You may delete your account in Settings; that removes the login record. Content you published (for example videos) may remain if it is still hosted as creator content unless you delete it first. Backups and logs may persist for a limited operational period.

6. Security

We use HTTPS, hashed passwords, JWT session tokens, and access controls on administrative actions. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure; please use a strong unique password.

7. Children’s privacy

SovereignStream is for users 13 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Users ages 13–17 receive a restricted experience: adult and mature content is filtered (Safe feed only), and certain payments are limited to adults 18+. If you believe an under-13 person has created an account, contact us and we will take action.

8. Your choices

• Update profile details and email in Settings
• Mute categories and control feed preferences where available
• Delete individual posts, videos, and other content you own
• Delete your account in Settings → Account (or see delete-account.html)
• Contact us to request access or correction of personal data we hold

9. International users

The service may be hosted in the United States or other regions where our providers operate. By using SovereignStream you understand your information may be processed in those locations.

10. Changes

We may update this policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use after changes means you accept the updated policy.

11. Contact

Questions about privacy: privacy@sovereignstream.org or visit sovereignstream.org.

Also see our Terms of Service.