Privacy Policy

Your privacy matters. This Privacy Policy explains what information Next Generation Gaming ("NGG", "we", "us") collects, how we use it, and the choices you have about it.

1. Information We Collect

Account information — When you sign up, we collect your email address, chosen username, and hashed password. Optional profile fields (display name, avatar) are also stored.

Usage data — We log pages visited, articles read, bookmarks, likes, comments, and reading progress so we can personalize your experience.

Anonymous analytics — For unauthenticated visitors we store a random session ID in your browser's localStorage to track A/B experiment exposure and reading progress. No personal data is attached.

Newsletter — If you subscribe, we store your email and platform preferences. You can unsubscribe or update preferences at any time via the link included in every email.

2. How We Use It

• Deliver, personalize, and improve the service
• Send account transactional emails (welcome, password reset, verification)
• Send the weekly newsletter — only if you opt in
• Detect and prevent abuse, fraud, and spam
• Comply with legal obligations

3. Third-Party Services

We rely on a small set of vetted third-party services:

• Resend — transactional & newsletter email delivery
• Google OAuth — optional social sign-in
• MongoDB Atlas — database hosting
• Pixabay — royalty-free article cover imagery
• CheapShark, CDNfonts — public read-only APIs

We do NOT sell your data. We do NOT run third-party ad-tracking pixels.

4. Cookies & Local Storage

We use a first-party JWT session token (stored in browser localStorage) for authentication, plus a small number of preference values (theme choice, anonymous session ID). We do not use third-party tracking cookies.

5. Data Retention

Account data is retained while your account is active. If you delete your account, we remove your personal information within 30 days; aggregated, anonymized analytics may be retained indefinitely.

6. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct inaccurate data
• Request deletion (right to be forgotten)
• Withdraw consent (e.g., newsletter opt-out)
• Object to certain processing
• Port your data to another service

To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@nextgengaming.gg.

7. Children's Privacy

The service is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from anyone under 13. If we learn we have collected such data, we will delete it.

8. Security

We take reasonable measures — encryption in transit (HTTPS), password hashing (bcrypt), JWT-based session tokens, and access controls — to protect your data. No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, but we work hard to protect you.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date. Material changes will be announced via email or a prominent site notice.

10. Contact

Questions about this Privacy Policy? Reach us at privacy@nextgengaming.gg.