Privacy Policy

Last updated: January 21, 2026 | Effective Date: January 21, 2026

MissingTools ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring you have a positive experience on our platform. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit and use our website and services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you disagree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the platform. By accessing and using MissingTools, you acknowledge that you have read and agree to this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Voluntarily Provide:

  • Problem Submissions: When you submit a problem, we collect the title, description, and up to 5 tags you provide. These submissions are publicly displayed and attributed anonymously.
  • Votes & Interactions: We record your upvotes on problems to maintain score accuracy and prevent duplicate voting.
  • Reports & Feedback: If you report inappropriate content, we collect your reason and description to help us moderate the platform.

Information Collected Automatically:

  • Anonymous User ID: A unique identifier (UUID) stored in a cookie to prevent duplicate votes and track your voting activity.
  • IP Address: Your IP address is collected for rate limiting, security, and fraud prevention purposes.
  • Device & Browser Information: Browser type, operating system, and device type for platform optimization and security.
  • Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, interaction patterns, and referral sources.
  • Cookies & Similar Technologies: We use cookies for session management, user preferences, and voting authentication.

What We Don't Collect:

  • Email addresses, phone numbers, or real names
  • Payment or financial information
  • Precise geolocation data
  • Social media profiles or accounts

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

  • Platform Operations: To enable problem submissions, voting, and all core platform features
  • Duplicate Vote Prevention: To enforce the one-vote-per-user rule and maintain voting integrity
  • Spam & Abuse Prevention: Rate limiting prevents spam submissions and excessive voting
  • Security & Fraud Detection: Monitoring suspicious activities and protecting against malicious use
  • Content Moderation: Processing reports and removing policy-violating submissions
  • Analytics & Improvement: Understanding how users interact with the platform to enhance user experience
  • Legal Compliance: Complying with legal obligations and protecting our legal rights

What We Do NOT Do:

  • Sell, rent, lease, or share your data with third parties for marketing
  • Use cookies for cross-site tracking or behavioral advertising
  • Display personalized advertisements
  • Build personal profiles for targeting or discrimination
  • Share data with data brokers or ad networks

3. Third-Party Service Providers

We may use third-party service providers to help us operate our platform and provide necessary services. All service providers are contractually obligated to maintain confidentiality and use your information only for providing services to us.

We do not share your data with advertisers, marketers, or data brokers for commercial purposes. We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our legal rights and the safety of our platform.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the platform and enhance your experience. These include functional cookies necessary for core platform features.

What we don't use: We do not use cookies for tracking you across other websites, serving advertisements, or building personal profiles about you.

You can manage or disable cookies through your browser settings. Some features may not work properly if you disable cookies, but you can still use the platform in anonymous mode.

5. Anonymous-First Design & Your Rights

Our Anonymous Approach: MissingTools is designed with privacy as a core principle. We don't require user accounts, email addresses, or any identifying information to participate.

Submission Ownership:

Because we cannot identify users, we cannot verify who created specific submissions. This means:

  • We cannot process deletion requests for specific problems (no way to verify ownership)
  • Once submitted, content becomes part of our public community archive
  • Users should not submit sensitive, confidential, or private information

Harmful Content Removal:

If you believe content violates our policies, contains illegal material, or poses a safety risk, please contact us with details. We will review and respond within 5 business days.

Your Control:

  • Delete your anon_id cookie anytime via browser settings
  • You are never tracked across other websites
  • You can use the platform without any personal data

6. How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your data for a minimum of 1 year to ensure platform functionality and maintain service quality. Problem submissions are retained indefinitely as part of our permanent public archive to preserve community value and historical record.

After the retention period, data may be automatically deleted unless required for legal compliance or ongoing platform operations.

7. Security & Data Protection

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your information, including encryption, secure access controls, and regular security updates.

⚠️ Security Limitations:

While we take security seriously, no online system is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute protection against sophisticated attacks. We will notify you of any material security breaches affecting your data within 30 days of discovery.

8. International Data Transfers & Compliance

Your data may be processed, stored, and accessed in various countries where our service providers operate.

Regulatory Compliance:

  • GDPR (European Union): For EU residents, most of the data we collect is anonymous and not linked to an identifiable individual, so it's not considered "personal data" under GDPR. Anonymous vote tracking does not require consent. Problem submissions are voluntary and you provide informed consent by submitting.
  • CCPA (California, USA): California residents have rights to know what data we collect and to request deletion. Since we are anonymous-by-design, CCPA rights are limited.

By using MissingTools, you acknowledge and consent to the international transfer of your data as described.

9. Children's Privacy

MissingTools is not directed to, and we do not knowingly collect information from, children under 13 years of age. If we become aware that a child under 13 has submitted content or information to our platform, we will take appropriate steps to investigate and remove such content promptly. If you believe a child's data has been collected, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. We will notify you of material changes by updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page and, if the changes are significant, by posting a prominent notice on the platform.

Your continued use of MissingTools following the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact Us & Data Rights Requests

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us:

Email: [email protected]

Website: missingtools.app

Response Time: We will respond to data rights requests and privacy inquiries within 30 days. For GDPR requests from EU residents, we will respond within the legally required timeframe.

Quick Reference: Your Privacy at a Glance

  • ✓We collect: Problem submissions, votes, one anonymous cookie, and IP for security
  • ✓Why: To run the platform, prevent abuse, and improve your experience
  • ✓We do NOT: Sell data, track across websites, show ads, or build personal profiles
  • ✓Your rights: Delete cookies anytime, control your submissions, request data deletion
  • ✓Questions? Email us at [email protected] within 30 days
  • ✓GDPR/CCPA: We comply with international privacy regulations