Privacy Policy

At Instant Ink Design, we believe in transparency. This document outlines exactly how we handle your data, specifically focusing on the Google Cloud technologies we use to allow you to log in and interact with our community.

1. The Google Cloud Ecosystem (How Login Works)

To provide you with the most secure experience possible, we do not build our own servers to handle your passwords. Instead, we use Google Firebase, a backend-as-a-service platform provided by Google Cloud.

Here is strictly how that process works when you access our site externally:

Authentication

When you click "Sign in with Google" or create an account using your email on our blog:

• We never see your password. The entire login process happens securely on Google's servers.
• When you successfully log in, Google sends our website a secure digital "token" that confirms who you are.
• Data we receive: Google allows our application to access your public profile information:
  • Display Name
  • Email Address
  • Profile Picture (if available)
  • Unique User ID (UID)

Cloud Database (Firestore)

When you post a comment or discussion topic, that content is stored in Cloud Firestore, a cloud database hosted by Google. This ensures your data is stored in Google's enterprise-grade data centers with high security and redundancy.

---

2. Information We Collect

We only collect information that helps us provide the community experience:

• Account Information: Name, email, and photo (via Firebase Auth) to display your profile on comments.
• User Content: The actual text of comments or tips you post on our blog.
• Usage Data: We use Google Analytics (GA4) to understand which hobby topics are trending. This collects anonymous data like page views, device type, and general location (e.g., "USA").

3. How We Use Your Information

• To Manage Identity: We use your unique User ID to ensure nobody else can edit or delete your comments.
• To Communicate: If you opt-in, we may use your email to send updates about new hobby hacks or features.
• Security: We use Google's infrastructure to verify your identity and prevent unauthorized access.

4. Cookies

We use cookies primarily for two purposes:

• Authentication: To keep you logged in as you navigate between blog posts (managed by Firebase).
• Analytics: To track site performance and user journeys (managed by Google Analytics).

5. Third-Party Links

Our site contains links to external platforms such as Etsy, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. Once you click these links, you are leaving our "Google Cloud" environment and are subject to the privacy policy of that specific platform.

6. Your Rights & Contact

You have the right to request the deletion of your account and comments at any time. To do so, please contact our team: