Privacy Policy

1. Information You Provide

We process information you choose to provide, including account information; your display name and handle; profile image, biography, location, and profile links; Artwork and Studio Updates; captions, statements, and other content metadata; comments; messages; and communications you send to Charcoal Arts.

2. Social and Activity Information

Charcoal records activity needed to provide social features, including follows and followers, Sparks, comments, Saved content, messaging participation, notifications, and content publication activity.

Charcoal also records recent activity timing to determine whether an artist is currently active. Online Presence appears only in limited product contexts and is subject to the artist's Online Status preference. Charcoal does not display a last-seen history.

3. Technical Information

Operating a web service may involve processing browser and device information, IP and network information, request and security logs, and cookies or similar browser storage needed for authentication, session state, preferences, security, and service operation.

4. How We Use Information

We use information to provide and operate Charcoal; display profiles and content; enable social interactions and messaging; maintain account and session state; provide notifications; determine Online Presence; protect security and prevent misuse; troubleshoot and improve the service; and communicate with users about Charcoal.

We do not use personal information for behavioral advertising.

5. Content Visibility

Active Artist Profiles, Published Artwork, and Published Studio Updates may be publicly viewable without a Charcoal account. Draft and unpublished work are not part of that public presentation. Member-only, private, and account surfaces remain protected by access controls.

Direct messages are intended for their participants. They may still be processed as necessary to operate and secure the service, comply with law, and address moderation or reporting matters where applicable. Charcoal does not claim that messages are end-to-end encrypted.

6. How Information Is Shared

Charcoal does not sell users' personal information and does not share it with advertisers.

Information may be shared with infrastructure, hosting, and other service providers as needed to operate Charcoal; when required by law or legal process; to protect users, the community, or the service; or in connection with a reorganization, financing, acquisition, or transfer of the service or its assets.

7. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to provide Charcoal, maintain security and integrity, comply with legal obligations, and resolve disputes. Retention needs may differ depending on the information and why it is processed.

8. Your Choices

You can edit profile information and manage content, follows, Saved content, and other interaction states through the controls currently available in Charcoal.

Charcoal includes a preference that controls whether Online Presence is shown. A public Settings interface for this preference is not yet available during the private preview. For privacy questions or requests, contact hello@charcoalarts.com.

9. Account and Deletion Requests

Charcoal does not currently provide an automated account-deletion workflow. During the private preview, account, privacy, and deletion requests may be sent to hello@charcoalarts.com.

10. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect information. No system can guarantee perfect security, and we cannot promise that information will always remain secure.

11. Children

Charcoal is not intended to knowingly collect information from children in violation of applicable law. Specific age and eligibility requirements require legal and product review before broader public availability. If you believe a child has provided information improperly, contact us.

12. International Users

Charcoal may be accessed from different countries. Additional jurisdiction-specific disclosures or rights may apply and will be addressed as required as the service expands. This Policy does not claim compliance with a particular international privacy framework.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as Charcoal evolves. Material changes will be communicated through reasonable means.

14. Contact

Privacy questions and requests may be sent to hello@charcoalarts.com.