Privacy Policy for HephBot Translate

Last Updated: January 2025

Welcome to HephBot Translate ("we," "us," "our," or "the Bot"), a service provided by Frogstack Development, LLC. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency in how we handle your information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our Discord bot, HephBot Translate, and our related website (hbtranslate.com, collectively referred to as the "Service"). Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access or use the Service.

We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason. We will alert you about any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date of this Privacy Policy. You are encouraged to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed of updates.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect information about you in a variety of ways. The information we may collect via the Service includes:

A. Information Provided by Discord:

When you interact with our Bot on Discord or log in to our Website using Discord OAuth, we may access information that Discord provides to us, including but not limited to:

• User Information: Your Discord User ID, username, discriminator, avatar, and email address (if you grant the email scope).
• Guild Information: Server (Guild) ID, server name, server icon, and your permissions within a server when you use administrative features of the Bot or Dashboard.

B. Information You Provide to Us Voluntarily:

• Configuration Data: When you or a server administrator configures the Bot (e.g., setting preferred languages, auto-translate channels, conversation bridges, ignored channels, preferred translation engines), we store these settings linked to your User ID or Guild ID.
• API Keys (Bring Your Own Key - BYOK Tiers): If you subscribe to a BYOK premium tier and provide your API keys for third-party services (like Groq or OpenAI), we store these keys. These keys are stored in an encrypted format.
• Contact Information: If you contact us for support, we may collect your name, email address, Discord ID, and the contents of your communication.

C. Data Processed by the Bot:

• Message Content for Translation: When you use the Bot to translate messages (either manually, through auto-translation, or via conversation bridging), the text content of those messages is sent to the selected translation engine (our self-hosted engine or a third-party LLM like Groq or OpenAI if you are using a premium tier).
  • Temporary Caching: To support features like syncing message edits/deletions and reaction forwarding across translated messages, original message content and its translations are temporarily cached. This cache has a default Time-To-Live (TTL) of approximately 10-30 minutes for non-premium users/servers and up to 7 days for premium users/servers to support extended edit windows. We do not store full message content permanently beyond this temporary caching period required for operational functionality.
• Usage Data (Aggregated & Anonymous where possible):
  • Command Statistics: We collect aggregated statistics on command usage (e.g., which commands are used most frequently) to improve the Bot. This data includes command name, usage count, and timestamps of first/last use.
  • Feature Usage Statistics: For resource-intensive features like auto-translation and conversation bridging, we collect aggregated usage statistics per guild (e.g., number of auto-translations performed, number of conversation messages bridged). This helps us understand service load and identify popular features.
  • Global Bot Statistics: We collect aggregated statistics like total server count and approximate user count for overall service monitoring.

D. Website Usage Data (NextAuth.js & Cookies):

Our website (hbtranslate.com) uses next-auth for Discord authentication. next-auth uses cookies to manage your session when you log in to the dashboard. These are essential for site functionality and are classified as "necessary cookies" that cannot be disabled.

We may use optional analytics cookies (such as OpenPanel) to help us understand how visitors interact with our website. These cookies are optional and can be disabled through our cookie consent banner. You can change your cookie preferences at any time.

1.5. Cookie Policy

This section provides detailed information about the cookies we use on our website and how you can manage your cookie preferences.

What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently and provide information to website owners.

Types of Cookies We Use

We use two main categories of cookies on our website:

1. Necessary Cookies (Always Active)

These cookies are essential for the website to function properly and cannot be disabled. They are typically set in response to actions you take, such as logging in or setting privacy preferences.

• NextAuth Session Cookie (next-auth.session-token or next-auth.session-token-dev in development):
  • Purpose: Maintains your authentication session when you log in to the dashboard using Discord OAuth
  • Duration: Session-based (expires when you close your browser) or persistent (up to 30 days, depending on your session settings)
  • Type: HTTP-only cookie (cannot be accessed by JavaScript for security)
  • Required: Yes - without this cookie, you cannot remain logged in to the dashboard

2. Analytics Cookies (Optional)

These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our website by collecting and reporting information anonymously. You can opt out of these cookies through our cookie consent banner.

• OpenPanel Analytics Cookies (when enabled):
  • Purpose: Tracks website usage, page views, user interactions, and other analytics data to help us improve our website
  • Duration: Varies (typically 1-2 years, depending on the analytics service)
  • Type: First-party cookies (set by our domain)
  • Required: No - you can disable these cookies at any time
  • Privacy: OpenPanel is privacy-friendly and does not use cookies for tracking. If we implement OpenPanel, it will use cookieless tracking methods that respect your privacy preferences.

Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You can manage your cookie preferences at any time:

• Cookie Consent Banner: When you first visit our website, you will see a cookie consent banner at the bottom of the page. You can choose to:
  • Accept All: Enable all cookies (necessary and analytics)
  • Reject All: Only enable necessary cookies
  • Customize: Choose which optional cookies to enable
• Changing Preferences: To change your cookie preferences after your initial choice, you can clear your browser's localStorage for our website. The cookie banner will reappear on your next visit, allowing you to make a new choice.
• Browser Settings: You can also control cookies through your browser settings. However, please note that disabling necessary cookies may prevent certain features of our website from functioning properly.

Third-Party Cookies

Currently, we do not use third-party cookies. If we add third-party services in the future (such as analytics providers), we will update this policy and provide you with the option to opt out through our cookie consent banner.

Cookie Duration

Session Cookies: These cookies are temporary and are deleted when you close your browser. Our NextAuth session cookie may be session-based or persistent, depending on your session settings.

Persistent Cookies: These cookies remain on your device for a set period or until you delete them. Our cookie consent preferences are stored in your browser's localStorage for up to 1 year, after which you will be asked to review your preferences again.

Do Not Track Signals

Our website does not currently respond to "Do Not Track" signals from browsers. However, you can control cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner, which provides similar privacy controls.

2. How We Use Your Information

Having accurate information permits us to provide you with a smooth, efficient, and customized experience. Specifically, we may use information collected about you via the Service to:

• Operate and maintain the Bot and Website.
• Provide translation services as requested.
• Save and apply your personal and server-specific configurations.
• Manage your premium subscriptions, trials, and BYOK API key settings.
• Respond to your comments, questions, and provide user support.
• Monitor and analyze usage and trends to improve your experience with the Service.
• Prevent fraudulent transactions, monitor against theft, and protect against criminal activity.
• Notify you of updates to the Service.
• Compile anonymous statistical data and analysis for use internally or with third parties (only in aggregated, non-personally identifiable form).

3. Disclosure of Your Information

We do not sell, trade, rent, or otherwise transfer your personally identifiable information to outside parties unless we provide users with advance notice. This does not include:

• Third-Party Translation Services: When you use a translation feature, the text content is sent to the selected translation engine. If you use a premium BYOK tier, your provided API key will be used to authenticate with that third-party service (e.g., Groq, OpenAI). Their use of your data is governed by their respective privacy policies. For our "Managed Key" premium tiers, we use our own API keys with these services.
• Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work (e.g., database hosting, server hosting). These providers are obligated to protect your data.
• By Law or to Protect Rights: If release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others' rights, property, or safety.

4. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to help protect your personal information. User-provided API keys for BYOK tiers are stored in an encrypted format in our database. While we have taken reasonable steps to secure the personal information you provide to us, please be aware that despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and no method of data transmission can be guaranteed against any interception or other type of misuse.

5. Data Retention

We will retain your personal information and configuration data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, or as long as your account with HephBot Translate is active, or as needed to provide you services. Message content processed for translation is cached temporarily as described in Section 1.C. Aggregated usage statistics (which are largely anonymous or tied only to guild/command IDs) may be kept for longer periods for analytical purposes.

6. Your Data Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, such as the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. You can manage most of your user settings and guild settings (if you are an admin) directly through the Bot's commands or the website dashboard. If you wish to exercise other rights or delete your account data, please contact us using the contact information provided below.

7. Children's Privacy

Our Service is not intended for use by children under the age of 13 (or the relevant age of digital consent in your country). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will take steps to delete such information. Discord's Terms of Service also require users to be at least 13 years old.

8. Company Information

Frogstack Development, LLC
HephBot Translate is operated and maintained by Frogstack Development, LLC, a registered business entity committed to providing secure, reliable, and innovative translation services for Discord communities.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and that your information receives adequate protection through appropriate safeguards, including standard contractual clauses where applicable.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Service after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: [email protected] or join our Support Server.

Data Protection Officer:
For privacy-specific inquiries, you may also contact our data protection team at: [email protected]