How your data is handled
I run this site as a solo project. That means data handling stays simple by design — no advertising, no third-party analytics, no marketing team. The sections below lay out exactly what happens with the few pieces of data the site does touch.
Cookies
If you just browse without signing in, the site sets no cookies at all. When you sign in, two cookies are dropped: a session cookie so the server knows you are you during that visit, and a small sign-in marker cookie so the site remembers you on your next visit and keeps you signed in. Both are first-party cookies tied to thecsguide.com. There are no advertising cookies and no tracking cookies of any kind.
Comments
Every comment goes into a moderation queue before it appears publicly. The moderator — that is me, Marcus — sees four things: the comment text itself, the display name attached to the account, the email address attached to the account, and the program or game page the comment was left on. The display name and the comment text become public once the comment is approved. Email addresses are never shown publicly. While a comment sits in the queue, the author sees their own comment marked awaiting moderation.
Children
The site does not ask for a date of birth or age, but an account requires an email address. If you believe a child has created an account and left personal data here, you can write to me and I will handle it.
Deleting an account and comments
To have your account, favourites, notifications, and comments removed, send a request to [email protected]. I will delete everything tied to that account. Past comments that were approved may have their display name replaced with a placeholder, and the comment body can be removed on request as well.
Notifications
Notifications live entirely on the site. When you are signed in, the site shows you if one of your favourited programs has been updated. No notification emails and no marketing emails are ever sent. The site sends no email at all outside of replies to direct support or deletion requests.
What an account stores
Creating a free account stores only these pieces of information:
- the display name you choose,
- the email address you provide,
- a hashed password (the plain-text password is never stored),
- the programs and games you have favourited,
- any comments you have submitted, and
- on-site notification records tied to your profile.
Server logs
The server keeps ordinary access logs that record IP address, browser user-agent string, and the pages requested. These logs are retained for a limited time and are used only for security monitoring and troubleshooting. They are not used to build browsing profiles and they are not shared with anyone else.
What never happens
To put it plainly: no data is ever sold. No third-party advertising trackers are used anywhere on the site. There are no ads, no embedded trackers, and no quiet data deals with external services. The site is a catalog, not a data-collection operation.