Privacy policy

This policy explains what information Downdetector App Guide ("we", "us") handles when you visit downdetectorapp.com, and the choices you have. The short version: we do not ask for personal information, we do not set cookies, and we do not track you.

The site is run by Shen Cha, who is responsible for any personal information handled through it (the "data controller" under the GDPR). You can reach us at hello@downdetectorapp.com.

Summary

• No accounts or sign-ups. You can use the whole site without telling us who you are.
• No cookies, no analytics, no ads, no tracking scripts.
• The website checker runs in your own browser. We never receive or store the sites you check.
• We do not sell or share personal information, and never have.
• Our hosting provider keeps basic server logs for security, like any website.

Information we collect

Information you give us

The only time we receive personal information is if you email us. Then we receive your email address, your name if you include it, and whatever you write. We use it only to reply to you.

Information collected automatically

When you load any page, your browser sends a standard request to our hosting provider. Like almost every website host, it may record technical details in server logs: your IP address, the page you asked for, the date and time, your browser type, and the page that sent you here. We use these logs only to keep the site secure and working, for example to block attacks or fix errors. We do not use them to build a profile of you or to identify you.

The website down checker

The checker is built so that the sites you check stay private.

• When you press Check now, your browser tries to reach the website you typed, directly, the same way it would if you visited it.
• To test your own connection, your browser also makes two small requests: one to Google's connectivity address (www.google.com/generate_204), and one for a small image file on our own site.
• These requests are sent without a referrer, so the site you check is not told which page you came from.
• The address you type is not sent to us, not logged by us, and not stored anywhere by us.
• If you use a link like /website-down-checker/?site=example.com, the site name is part of the page address in your browser. Our host may see that address in its logs, the same as any page you load.

The website you check, and Google, receive a normal request from your browser, including your IP address. Their own privacy policies apply to those requests.

Cookies and similar technology

We do not set cookies. We do not use local storage, tracking pixels, fingerprinting, or any other way to recognize you across visits. Our fonts and brand logos are served from our own site, so loading a page does not contact Google Fonts or any other third party.

Analytics and advertising

We do not currently use analytics or advertising. If we add either in the future, we will update this policy before we do, explain what is collected, and ask for your consent where the law requires it.

How we use information

• To run the site and keep it secure, using server logs.
• To reply to your emails.
• To comply with the law, if we are ever legally required to.

Where privacy laws like the GDPR apply, our legal basis is our legitimate interest in running a secure website (for server logs), and your request or consent (for replying to emails).

Sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share personal information for advertising. Our hosting provider processes server logs on our behalf. We may also disclose information if the law requires it, or to protect the safety of our users or the site.

How long we keep information

• Server logs: kept by our hosting provider for a short period under its own retention rules, then deleted.
• Emails: kept for as long as needed to answer you, and then for a reasonable time in case you write again.
• Websites you check: never kept, because we never receive them.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, to get a copy, to correct it, to delete it, or to object to how we use it. This includes rights under the GDPR and UK GDPR in Europe, and under US state laws such as the California Consumer Privacy Act.

Because we do not collect personal information beyond emails and basic logs, there is usually little or nothing to report. To make a request, email hello@downdetectorapp.com. We will answer within the time the law requires, and we will not treat you differently for asking. We do not sell or share personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of, and we respect Global Privacy Control signals.

Children

This site is for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has emailed us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Links to other websites

We link to Downdetector, official status pages, app stores, and other sites so you can check outages at the source. When you follow a link, you leave our site, and that site's privacy policy applies. We are not responsible for how other sites handle your information.

Security

The site is served over an encrypted HTTPS connection. Because we hold almost no personal information, there is very little that could be exposed. Still, no website can promise perfect security.

Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle information, we will update this page and the date at the top. For a change that affects you significantly, such as adding analytics, we will make it clear on the site before it takes effect.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email hello@downdetectorapp.com. See also our terms of use and disclaimer.