1. Who we are

SnowstormBot is built and operated by Carpo IT, a company based in the Netherlands, registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK) under number 42069312. In this policy, "we", "us", and "our" refer to Carpo IT, and "the service" refers to the SnowstormBot website (snowstormbot.net) and the SnowstormBot Discord bot.

Our roles under data protection law depend on the type of data:

• For your account and website data (for example, the information we receive when you sign in with Discord), we are the data controller. We decide how and why that data is used.
• For data the bot handles inside a Discord server (for example, saved messages, member information, or moderation notes), and for data a connected game server sends us through the vMenu Enhanced integration (for example, player names and live positions), the owner of that Discord server or game server decides what is collected and why. In that situation we act as a data processor, handling that data on the owner's behalf and following the settings they choose.

For any privacy question or request, contact us at [email protected].

2. What this policy covers

This policy applies to the SnowstormBot website and dashboard, and to the SnowstormBot Discord bot. It does not cover Discord itself; your use of Discord is governed by Discord's Privacy Policy. It also does not cover how individual Discord servers choose to use the bot's features. Each Discord server is run by its own administrators, who are responsible for how they configure SnowstormBot.

The word "server" means three different things

To avoid confusion, we always say which kind of server we mean.

• A Discord server is a community on Discord that people join, with its own channels, members, and roles. Discord itself sometimes calls this a "guild". The Discord server owner and the Discord server administrators are the people who run that community and decide how SnowstormBot is set up in it.
• Our servers are the computers we rent from our hosting provider. They run the SnowstormBot website, the bot software, and our database. When we say "our servers" we are talking about those machines, never about a Discord community.
• A game server is a server you run for a game, such as a FiveM server connected through the vMenu Enhanced integration. When a game server is connected, the bot receives information about the people playing on it (see section 3).

3. Information we collect, and why

For every kind of information below we also say how long we keep it. Section 6 repeats those periods in a single table if you prefer the short overview.

Discord account information

When you sign in with Discord, we ask for the identify, guilds, and email permissions. From these we receive and store your Discord user ID, username, display (global) name, avatar reference, email address, and the list of Discord servers you can manage. We use this to sign you in, show you the right Discord servers in your dashboard, and contact you about your account where needed. How long: for as long as you have an account with us. Deleting your account deletes this information with it.

Sign-in tokens

We store the access and refresh tokens that Discord issues when you sign in, so the dashboard can act on your behalf (for example, to read which Discord servers you manage). These tokens are encrypted before they are saved. How long: while you have an account. They are replaced each time you sign in again, and they are deleted when you delete your account.

Your preferences

We store settings you choose, such as your time zone and whether you want to receive update announcements, so the service behaves the way you expect. How long: until you change them, or until you delete your account.

Subscription and payment data

If you subscribe to a paid plan, your payment is handled by Creem, which acts as our merchant of record. That means Creem, not us, is the party that sells the plan to you and collects the money. We do not receive or store your card or payment details. We store identifiers that link your Discord account to your Creem customer and subscription, together with your plan and its status, so we can enable and manage your paid features.

Because Creem handles the payment itself, Creem's own privacy notice also applies to the details you give them during checkout and to their billing records, alongside this policy. How long: we keep the plan and subscription identifiers for as long as you have an account with us. Creem keeps its own payment and invoice records for the period set out in its privacy notice and required by tax law, which we cannot shorten.

Server data the bot manages

For each Discord server the bot is in, we store basic information needed to run its features: that Discord server's ID, name, and icon reference; its channels and categories; and a cache of member information (such as user IDs, usernames, nicknames, avatar references, join dates, and roles) so features like welcome messages and member logging work. We also store content you create through the bot, such as scheduled messages and automations. When you tag a member, role, or channel in a message you save on the dashboard, we also keep the last known name of that tag. That way the dashboard can still show the tag by name after the member leaves that Discord server, or after the role or channel is deleted. We only keep the latest name, never a history of name changes. How long: while the bot is a member of that Discord server. If the bot is removed, this information is deleted automatically about 48 hours later. That short delay exists so an accidental kick, or a quick re-invite, does not throw away all of the Discord server's settings.

Saved messages for moderation tools

We do not save any messages unless a Discord server owner switches message logging on for their own Discord server. The saving of messages itself is what is off by default. We never turn it on for you, and in a Discord server where it was never switched on, no message is ever written to our database.

When a Discord server owner does switch it on, the bot stores a copy of new messages posted in the channels they picked. For each message we store the text of the message, the author's Discord user ID, their username and display name as they were at that moment, the message and channel IDs, and the time the message was posted or last edited. We do not store attachments, images, or voice messages.

We store these copies for one reason, which is to make the Discord server's own moderation and logging tools work. When someone edits or deletes a message, Discord only tells the bot that a message changed, without saying what it used to contain. Without a saved copy, the bot could not show the Discord server's staff what was written, so the "message edited" and "message deleted" log entries would be empty.

How long: every saved message is deleted automatically 48 hours after it was saved, whether anyone looked at it or not. Saving is limited to the channels the owner selects, and messages from bots and from roles the owner excluded are skipped. If the owner switches message logging back off, the bot stops saving new messages straight away, and the copies already stored disappear on the same 48 hour schedule.

Moderation records

If a Discord server uses the moderation features, we store the warnings and notes that moderators create, including the text they write and the user the record relates to, so the moderation history is available to that Discord server's staff. How long: while the bot is a member of that Discord server, unless the server's staff delete a record sooner. These records are removed together with the rest of the Discord server's data about 48 hours after the bot is removed.

Tickets

If a Discord server uses the ticket system and someone opens a ticket, we store the messages sent in that ticket (the text, the author's Discord user ID, their username and display name, and the time), the subject and any intake answers the opener gives, and a record of who took part and what happened to the ticket. This is so that Discord server's staff can handle the ticket and look back at it. How long: the ticket's content is deleted automatically 6 months after the ticket is closed. After that we keep only a small stub of the ticket, its number and status, so counts and history still add up. If the bot is removed from the Discord server first, the ticket's content goes with the rest of that server's data about 48 hours later.

Game server data (vMenu Enhanced integration)

If you connect a FiveM game server that runs vMenu Enhanced, that game server sends us information about the people playing on it, so features like the online player list, the live map, moderation actions, whitelisting, reports, and stats work. Your game server always starts the connection to us and we never open a connection back to it, so we never receive or store its address. Everything below is in-game character information about your players, not their real-world location or real-world details.

Live players and the live map. For each player on a connected game server we receive their in-game name, the session slot number the game gives them, and their network ping. If a player has linked their Discord account to their FiveM game, the game server also knows their Discord user ID and sends it to us. That Discord ID is what lets features like whitelisting and permission checks recognise a player, so those features only work for players who have linked their account. While someone is watching that game server's live map, we also receive live in-game details: the character's position (whole-metre coordinates, heading, and the street they are on), whether they are in a vehicle and details of that vehicle, their in-game health and armour, and which game instance they are in.

Player heatmap. Once a minute, whether or not anyone is watching the map, a linked game server also sends us a count of how often players stood in each 50 metre square of the game map during that minute. These counts carry no names, Discord IDs, slot numbers, or anything else that says who stood there. Your staff can lay them over the live map to see where players spent their time.

Player identifiers. We never receive a player's real-world IP address. vMenu Enhanced strips it out on your game server before anything is sent to us, so it never reaches SnowstormBot. For moderation, your staff can look up the identifiers a player's game account exposes, such as a Steam ID or a Rockstar or FiveM licence. Which identifiers exist depends on how your game server is set up, and we show them to your staff on request rather than keeping our own copy.

Whitelist, access passes, and join rules. You can decide who may play using Discord roles. When a player connects, if they have linked their Discord account to their FiveM game, your game server sends us their Discord ID, and we ask Discord whether that person is a member of your Discord server and whether they hold the role or roles you require. We do this each time, live, so for role-based whitelisting we do not keep a list of your players. If you instead use application-based whitelisting, where a player applies through Discord and a staff member approves them, we store that approved entry (their Discord account or game identifier) and the application, so the player stays allowed in. We also store any temporary access pass and when it expires, and the join requirements you set, such as how long the player's Discord account has existed since it was created (which is not the player's real-life age) or whether they are a member of your Discord server.

Reports and tickets. An in-game report can open a ticket in your Discord server, handled by the same ticket system described elsewhere in this policy. A report can include who reported whom and what was written.

Player statistics. If you use the stats or leaderboard features, we keep counts tied to a player over time, such as playtime and in-game actions like kills or vehicles spawned, so the bot can post the leaderboards you asked for.

Console output. If you forward your game server's console to a Discord channel, whatever your server prints there is sent to that channel, which can include player names or identifiers your server chooses to log.

How long: two things can end a game server's data with us, and they are not the same. A game server can go offline, meaning its live link to us drops (for example you turn off the game server or the vMenu resource), and it can be reconnected later. You can also unlink it, meaning you remove the game server from SnowstormBot completely. We keep only the most recent player list for a linked game server, overwritten as it changes and cleared automatically once the game server goes offline (about 20 minutes after its last check-in), when you unlink it, or when the bot loses access. Live positions, health, and vehicle details are never written to our database at all. They live only in memory while the map is open, and are gone the moment the game server goes offline. The anonymous heatmap counts are kept for 72 hours and then deleted automatically, within the hour after they pass that age, or straight away when you unlink the game server. Player identifiers are shown to your staff on request and are not stored by us on their own. Whitelist entries, access passes, and join rules are records that stay in place while a game server is only offline, and are kept until you delete them or unlink the game server. Player statistics are kept while the game server stays linked, so weekly leaderboards can be produced across restarts, and are removed when you unlink it. Reports follow the retention of the ticket they belong to.

The live map, and any read-only share link you create for it, are covered in section 13, because they are about who gets to see this data.

Support requests

When you use the contact form on our Help page, we collect the name, email address, subject, and message you provide, and your IP address (used briefly to prevent spam and abuse). Your message is sent to our support inbox by email so we can reply. We do not keep a separate copy of contact-form submissions in our database. How long: we keep support emails, including our own replies, for up to 1 year after the conversation ends, so we can look back at what was asked if you contact us again. After that they are deleted.

Technical logs and error reports

Like most online services, the computers we run the service on (our own servers, not your Discord server) keep short-lived technical logs to keep the service running securely and to diagnose problems. We may also use an error-tracking service to be alerted to faults. Before any error report leaves our systems, Discord IDs and email addresses are automatically removed from it. How long: technical logs on our servers are kept for around 7 days, and error reports are kept by our error-tracking provider for up to 90 days before they are deleted automatically.

4. Legal bases for processing (GDPR)

Under the EU and UK General Data Protection Regulation, we rely on the following legal bases:

• Performance of a contract: to provide the service you signed in to use, including running the dashboard and the bot's features.
• Legitimate interests: to keep the service secure, prevent spam and abuse, monitor for errors, and operate the service reliably.
• Consent: where a Discord server owner enables optional features such as message logging, and where you opt in to optional communications. Consent can be withdrawn at any time.
• Legal obligation: where we must process data to comply with the law.

For data a connected game server sends us through the vMenu Enhanced integration, we act as a processor on the game server owner's instructions, and the owner is responsible for the lawful basis for that data (see sections 1 and 13).

5. Cookies

We use only strictly necessary cookies, the ones required for the site to function and to keep you signed in securely. We do not use advertising, tracking, or analytics cookies, so we do not show a cookie consent banner.

On our Help page, our spam-protection provider (see below) may set a short-lived technical token while you complete the challenge on the contact form.

6. How long we keep your data

7. Who we share data with

We do not sell your data or your Discord server's messages, and we do not share data for advertising. We use a small number of trusted service providers ("sub-processors") to run the service. Each receives only the data needed for its task:

If a game server owner creates a share link for their live map, that link discloses their players' live in-game location to anyone who has the link, which may include the public. The owner controls this and decides who receives a link (see section 13).

We may also disclose information where we are legally required to do so, or to protect the rights, safety, and security of our users and the service.

8. Who can access your data

Access to stored data is restricted. We only access it where necessary to operate and maintain the service, to provide support, to keep the service secure and prevent abuse, or to meet a legal obligation. We do not read, browse, or export your Discord server's messages or other content for any other purpose. As technical safeguards, sign-in tokens are encrypted before storage, and identifying details are stripped from error reports before they leave our systems.

9. International data transfers

Some of our providers may process data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards recognised under data protection law, such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses or an adequacy decision, so your data remains protected.

10. Your rights

Depending on your location, you have rights over your personal data, including the right to access it, correct it, delete it, restrict or object to its processing, receive a copy in a portable format, and withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

You can delete your account and the data tied to it at any time from your profile page, which removes your user record and the Discord servers you own from the bot. For any other request, email [email protected] and we will respond within the time allowed by law (normally within one month).

If your personal data is on a connected game server (for example your in-game name, your Discord ID, or a whitelist entry), the owner of that game server is the controller for it, so please send your request to them first. We only process that data on their behalf, and we have no way to reach you in-game. If the owner does not act on your request, or you cannot reach them, contact us at [email protected] with the Discord server's ID and, if you know it, the name of the FiveM server. We will remove any such data we still hold and take it up with the owner. If an owner really will not cooperate, we will act to get it resolved: not only ending their game server integration, but also blocking their entire Discord server and their Discord account from using SnowstormBot.

If you are in the EU and believe we have not handled your data properly, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the Netherlands this is the Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens.

11. How we protect your data

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your data. These include encrypting sign-in tokens at rest, serving the website over HTTPS, restricting access to stored data, and removing identifying details from error reports. No online service can be completely secure, but we work to keep your data safe and to respond quickly if a problem arises.

12. Children

SnowstormBot is not directed at children. You must meet the minimum age required to use Discord in your country (at least 13, and higher in some regions). We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone below that age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us and we will remove it.

13. Information for Discord server and game server administrators

If you add SnowstormBot to your Discord server and switch on features such as message logging or automations, you decide what is collected from your members. You are responsible for having a lawful basis to do so and for informing your members where required. We provide the controls, including the message logging switch that stays off until you turn it on and the automatic deletion of saved messages after 48 hours, so you can use these features responsibly.

If you connect a game server and use the live map, you decide who may see it. The live map shows your players' live in-game location, and a share link makes that map viewable by anyone who has the link, without signing in, which can include the public if you post the link somewhere open. Your in-game players are not told by us that their location is being shown. You are responsible for having a lawful basis to display this data, for telling your players where required, and for who you give share links to. You can delete a share link at any time, and you control which players (by role) a link is allowed to show.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top of this page, and for significant changes we will provide a notice in the dashboard. Please review this page periodically.

15. Contact us

For any privacy question or request, email [email protected], or reach our general support through the Help page.

Carpo IT, Netherlands. Registered with the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KvK) under number 42069312.