Last updated October 9, 2026
This policy explains what Dawgcord collects, why, and the choices you have. This is a self-hosted instance run by its operators, not by a large company, and it is built to collect as little as it can.
1. What we collect
You give us
- Account details: username, display name, a required email address, password (stored only as a salted hash) and date of birth. You must provide an email address to register.
- Profile details: avatar, banner, bio, pronouns and anything else you choose to add.
- Content you post in servers and channels, including files, reactions and emoji.
Created when you use the service
- Servers you join, your roles, your friends and blocked users, and your settings.
- Voice and video connection data while you are in a call. Media is relayed, not recorded.
- Technical logs such as IP address, device and client type, kept to run and protect the service.
- Safety records: violations, appeals and account standing, if any apply to you.
2. Direct messages are encrypted
Direct messages are end-to-end encrypted by default. Their content is encrypted on your device and the server stores only the encrypted data, so operators cannot read it. We can still see who a message is between and when it was sent. Messages from the official account, such as violation notices, are also encrypted.
3. How we use it
- To run the service: sign you in, deliver messages, store files, show profiles.
- To keep it safe: stop spam, abuse and ban evasion, and enforce the Community Guidelines.
- To contact you about your account, including email verification (when enabled), password resets, security and safety notices.
We do not sell your data and we do not show ads.
4. Third parties
To deliver account-related emails, we use a third-party SMTP/email delivery provider (currently Mailjet, if configured). That provider processes the recipient email address and the email content and may process delivery metadata such as timestamps and delivery status. Other than email delivery, this instance does not ordinarily send your data to outside services. Link previews and similar features that fetch other websites are off unless the operators turn them on. If they do, only the link being previewed is requested, and it goes through our server so your own address is not revealed to that site. Operators may enable optional abuse-prevention or push-notification services. If they do, the data those services need is shared with them only for that purpose.
5. Who can see your information
- Your profile and posts are visible to people who can see the servers and channels you share.
- Operators and staff can access account and safety records when needed to run and protect the service.
- We disclose information if the law requires it, or to prevent serious harm.
6. How long we keep it
We keep your data while your account exists. When you delete your account, your profile is removed and your personal details are erased. Some records, such as a violation tied to a ban, may be kept as long as needed to stop ban evasion. Messages you sent in servers may stay, attributed to a deleted user, unless they are deleted first.
7. Your choices
- Edit your profile and settings at any time.
- Ask us for a copy of your data, or to correct or delete it, using the contact details below.
- Delete your account from your account settings.
8. Children
Dawgcord is not for children under 13. If we learn that an account belongs to someone under that age, we remove it.
9. Security
We protect data with encryption in transit, hashed passwords and access limits. No system is perfectly secure, so please use a strong, unique password.
10. Changes
We will update this page when our practices change and tell you about important changes in the app.
Questions about how this instance is run can be sent to [email protected].