Chesseon
Chesseon

Privacy Policy

Last Updated: September 1, 2025

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Chesseon LLC ("we," "us," "our," or "Company") collects, uses, and protects your information when you use the Chesseon platform and services (the "Platform").

By using our Platform, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, do not use our Platform.

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date.

2. Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

When you create an account or use our Platform, we may collect:

  • Account Information: Name, username, email address, password
  • Profile Information: Avatar/profile picture, biography, social links, chess-related preferences
  • Payment Information: Processed securely through Stripe (we do not store payment details)
  • Content: Articles, courses, comments, posts, messages, and other content you create
  • Communication: Messages you send through our Platform or to customer support

Information We Collect Automatically

When you use our Platform, we automatically collect:

  • Usage Information: Pages visited, content viewed, time spent on Platform, session duration
  • Engagement Data: Likes, shares, follows, content interactions
  • Chess-Specific Data: Analysis tool usage, content preferences, viewing patterns
  • Device Information: Browser type, operating system, IP address, device identifiers
  • Analytics Data: Collected through our self-hosted analytics platform

Information from Third Parties

  • Stripe: Payment processing information
  • Email Service Provider: Delivery status for transactional emails
  • Content Delivery Network: File upload and storage metadata

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

Platform Operations

  • Provide and maintain our chess-focused publishing platform
  • Process account registration and authentication
  • Enable content creation, publishing, and monetization
  • Facilitate social features (comments, messaging, follows)
  • Process payments through Stripe

Content Personalization

  • Recommend courses, articles, and creators based on your viewing history and engagement
  • Customize your Platform experience
  • Provide chess analysis tools and features

Communications

  • Send transactional emails (account verification, password resets, email change confirmations, security alerts, course publication notifications, subscription confirmations)
  • Respond to customer support inquiries
  • Send critical platform updates and policy changes (rare, essential notifications only)

Analytics and Improvement

  • Analyze Platform usage patterns and performance
  • Improve our services and develop new features
  • Monitor Platform security and prevent fraud
  • Conduct research and analytics about chess content preferences

Legal and Safety

  • Comply with legal obligations and law enforcement requests
  • Protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
  • Enforce our Terms of Service and community guidelines

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Public Information

  • Your profile information (username, avatar, bio) may be publicly visible
  • Content you publish (articles, courses, posts, comments) may be publicly available
  • Your engagement with public content (likes, follows) may be visible to other users

Service Providers

We share information with trusted service providers who assist in operating our Platform:

  • Stripe: Payment processing for creator monetization and subscriptions
  • Email Service Providers: Transactional email delivery only (account security, notifications)
  • Content Delivery Network: Content storage and delivery
  • Web Host: Platform hosting and infrastructure

All service providers are contractually required to protect your information and use it only for specified purposes. We maintain a suppression list to prevent emails from being sent to addresses that have bounced or requested removal.

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law or to:

  • Comply with legal process or government requests
  • Protect our rights, property, or safety
  • Protect the rights, property, or safety of our users
  • Investigate fraud or security issues

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

  • Encryption of data in transit
  • Secure hosting infrastructure
  • Regular security assessments and updates
  • Access controls limiting employee access to personal data
  • Secure payment processing through Stripe

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Data Retention

Active Accounts

We retain your information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide services.

Inactive Accounts

Accounts are considered inactive after 6 months of no login activity. We may retain inactive account data for up to 5 years for business purposes, after which it will be deleted.

Deleted Accounts

When you delete your account, we retain your data for 90 days to allow for account recovery, then permanently delete it except as required by law.

Content Retention

Published content may remain available after account deletion to preserve the integrity of discussions and creator communities, with personal identifiers removed.

7. Your Privacy Rights

General Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access your personal information
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Delete your account and associated data
  • Opt out of non-essential communications

California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights including:

  • Right to know what personal information we collect and how it's used
  • Right to delete personal information
  • Right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
  • Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

European Users (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area, you have additional rights including:

  • Right to data portability
  • Right to object to processing
  • Right to restrict processing
  • Right to withdraw consent

Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at support@chesseon.com. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

8. Children's Privacy

Our Platform is designed for users 13 years and older. We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA):

  • We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13
  • Users aged 13-15 may use our Platform with verifiable parental consent
  • We do not collect different information from younger users
  • If we learn we have collected information from a child under 13 without consent, we will delete it immediately

Parents can contact us at support@chesseon.com to review, modify, or delete their child's information.

9. International Data Transfers

As we serve users globally, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries outside your residence, including the United States. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place for international transfers:

  • Adequate protection measures for data transferred outside your country
  • Compliance with applicable data protection laws
  • Contractual protections with service providers

10. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies We Use

  • Essential Cookies: Required for Platform functionality (login, security)
  • Analytics Cookies: Self-hosted analytics for usage statistics
  • Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

Your Cookie Choices

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect Platform functionality.

We do not currently use advertising cookies or third-party tracking pixels.

11. Third-Party Links

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites and services. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

12. Email Communications

We do NOT send marketing emails, newsletters, or promotional communications. We ONLY send transactional emails triggered by your specific actions on the Platform:

Transactional Emails You Will Receive:

  • Account verification (when you register)
  • Password reset requests (when you request password change)
  • Email change confirmations (when you update your email address)
  • Security alerts (suspicious login attempts, account changes)
  • Course publication notifications (when you publish content as a creator)
  • Subscription and payment confirmations (Stripe receipts)
  • Critical platform updates (rare, essential security or service notifications only)

What We Do NOT Send:

  • Marketing emails or promotions
  • Newsletters or digests
  • Bulk promotional campaigns
  • Third-party advertisements
  • Unsolicited communications

All transactional emails include unsubscribe options where applicable. You can manage your notification preferences in your account settings.

13. Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will:

  • Post the updated policy on our Platform
  • Update the "Last Updated" date
  • Notify users of material changes via email or platform notice
  • Provide 30 days notice for significant changes affecting your rights

Your continued use of the Platform after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

14. Contact Information

Privacy Questions

For questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices:

15. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For European users, we process your personal information based on:

  • Contract: To provide Platform services and fulfill our Terms of Service
  • Legitimate Interest: For analytics, security, fraud prevention, and service improvement
  • Consent: For optional features like personalized recommendations
  • Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

You have the right to withdraw consent at any time for processing based on consent.