Privacy Policy

1. Information we collect

Without an account

• Data stored in your browser: watch history and progress, interface language, dark mode and color theme. This stays on your device (localStorage and a language cookie) and is not uploaded to our server.
• Server logs: like any website, our hosting server records access time, requested pages, IP address and browser type for security and troubleshooting.

With an account

• Account information: email, display name, and a salted hash of your password (we can never see your actual password).
• Google sign-in: your Google account ID, email, name and profile picture URL, used only to create and identify your account. We never receive your Google password and do not access your YouTube account, Gmail or any other Google data.
• Synced data: watch history, progress, Watch later and playlists, so they sync across your devices.
• Session cookie: a cookie named dt_session keeps you signed in for 30 days. It is HttpOnly, so page scripts cannot read it.

We do not collect payment details, contacts, precise location or other personal information.

2. How we use it

• To provide the service: sign-in, cross-device sync, resume playback, Watch later and playlists, and personalized "New for you" recommendations (ordered by the design disciplines you watch most).
• To keep the service secure: preventing brute-force sign-in attempts and registration abuse.
• To understand how the site is used and improve it (see the analytics service in section 3).

We do not sell or rent your personal information or use it for third-party advertising.

3. Third-party services

• YouTube API Services: DesignTube uses YouTube API Services to retrieve public video information (titles, channels, duration, view counts, thumbnails). By using DesignTube you agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service.
• YouTube embedded player: videos play in YouTube's official player (youtube-nocookie.com) and thumbnails load from i.ytimg.com. When you play a video, YouTube may set cookies or collect data under its own policies.
• Google Sign-In: if you choose to sign in with Google, Google handles authentication.
• Google Tag Manager / Google Analytics: used to measure traffic and page usage, and may set cookies.

These services are provided by Google and governed by the Google Privacy Policy. You can revoke DesignTube's access to your Google account at any time on the Google security settings page.

4. Storage and security

• Account and synced data are stored on our hosting server (Bluehost) and transmitted over HTTPS.
• Passwords are stored as salted PBKDF2-SHA256 hashes (600,000 iterations). All forms and sync endpoints are protected against cross-site request forgery (CSRF), and sign-in and registration are rate-limited.
• Changing your password signs out your other devices; you can also sign out everywhere from Account settings.

5. Your rights and data deletion

• Access and edit: view your email and change your name and password in Account settings.
• Delete history: remove individual videos, clear everything or pause history on the History page.
• Delete your account: at the bottom of Account settings. Your account and synced history and playlists are permanently deleted from our server immediately.
• Sign out: signing out also clears the history and playlists stored in that browser.
• Clear browser data: clearing site data in your browser removes everything stored on your device.

6. Data retention

Account data is kept until you delete your account. Security records such as failed sign-in attempts are kept for at most 24 hours, and server access logs are rotated according to our hosting provider's policy.

7. Children

DesignTube is intended for adults and students interested in design. It is not directed at children under 13, we do not knowingly collect their personal information, and we exclude videos YouTube marks as made for kids.

8. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the site evolves. The "Last updated" date at the top will change, and significant changes will be announced on the site.