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Hydrate

Privacy Policy for Hydrate

Last updated: 24 August 2026

Changes in this version

We've rewritten this policy to be clearer and easier to understand. In summary:

  • Simplified the wording throughout, with clearer definitions of what we collect and why
  • New "Your Rights and Data Requests" section explaining how to ask for access to, correction of, or deletion of your data
  • Individual events (such as competitions with cash prizes) may set a higher minimum age than 16 - each event's rules will say so
  • Updated the CFX.re platform licence link to the January 2026 agreement

1. Introduction

Hydrate ("we", "us", or "our") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, and safeguard your data when you interact with our Server and Services, including both in-game interactions and out-of-game platforms such as Discord and our website.

We aim to handle your information in accordance with applicable privacy standards and regulations, including responsible collection, use, and storage of personal data.

2. Definitions

  • Server: Hydrate's online roleplaying platform.
  • Services: Any and all aspects of Hydrate, including but not limited to the Server, supporting infrastructure, management tools, communication platforms (e.g., Discord), the website and store, and any other systems or tools used to facilitate the operation, management, or communication of the Hydrate experience.
  • User: Any individual who accesses or interacts with the Server or associated Services.
  • Personal Data: Any information that directly or indirectly identifies a User, including but not limited to usernames, email addresses, IP addresses, CFX.re account IDs, Discord account IDs, Steam account IDs, Rockstar Games account IDs, anonymised hardware tokens, and other identifiers collected during interaction with the Services.
  • Automatically Collected Information: Data generated by your interactions with the Services, including gameplay activities, communications, and in-game behaviour.
  • System Information: Technical data collected from your device - such as configuration or hardware attributes - used to generate a device-specific signature for platform integrity, security, and anti-abuse purposes. This signature may uniquely identify your system.
  • Analytics Information: Website usage data collected via Google Analytics, which may include IP addresses, browser types, device information, and approximate location data.
  • Third-Party Service Providers: External companies or services that process data on behalf of Hydrate, such as Tebex for payment processing or Google Analytics for website traffic analysis.
  • Staff: Administrators and moderators responsible for the management of the Server and Services.

3. Minimum Age Requirement

You must be at least 16 years old to use our Services. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under the age of 16, and we do not ask for age information beyond what is needed to operate the Services. If we become aware that personal data has been collected from an individual under 16, we will take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify that data as soon as practicable, and may restrict the associated account's access to the Services.

Individual events or features may impose a higher minimum age (for example, competitions with cash prizes); where they do, the higher requirement is stated in that event's own rules.

4. Information We Collect

We collect information directly from you, and automatically through your interaction with the Server and Services:

  • Personal Data - provided when you access or link accounts to the Services (as defined above).
  • Automatically Collected Information - collected while you use the Services, to enforce the Community Guidelines and prevent cheating.
  • System Information - collected from your device, to protect platform integrity (as defined above).
  • Analytics Information - collected on the website via Google Analytics (as defined above).

5. How We Use Your Information

We use your information for the following purposes:

  • Gameplay and community management: To enforce the Community Guidelines, monitor gameplay activities, and prevent cheating or misuse of the Services.
  • Security and platform integrity: To identify abusive patterns of access, detect and prevent threats to the Services, and verify device and session integrity. System Information is accessed only by the most privileged system roles, with strict auditing and controls in place.
  • Analytics and performance: To improve and optimise the performance and user experience of the Services.
  • Communication: To respond to enquiries, process support requests, and manage ticketing systems via the Hydrate Discord.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell or trade your personal data. Any disclosure we make concerns Personal Data handled as described in this policy - the scope limits in section 11 apply to all data requests. We may share data with:

  • Third-Party Service Providers: External companies such as Tebex or Google Analytics, for legitimate operational purposes. These providers are bound by their own contractual and legal obligations to protect your information.
  • Legal compliance: We may disclose your information where required by law or in response to valid legal requests.

7. International Data Transfers

Your data may be stored and processed on servers located outside of your country. By using our Services, you acknowledge and agree to these data transfers.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil operational, community, and security purposes. Requests for deletion are handled under section 11 (Your Rights and Data Requests).

9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our Services may rely on third-party cookies set by providers such as Google Analytics or Cloudflare. You can manage cookie preferences in your browser.

10. Data Security

Access to System Information and sensitive identifiers is strictly limited to privileged roles and subject to audit logging. While we take appropriate security measures, no system is completely immune to risk.

11. Your Rights and Data Requests

We will process requests relating to your personal data where required by applicable law. Hydrate may be exempt from certain obligations under the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) as a small business operator (annual turnover below AUD $3 million). Where no legal obligation applies, we will nonetheless consider - and will generally process - requests that we consider to have been submitted in good faith.

Subject to the scope and refusal grounds below, you may request that we:

  • Provide access to the personal data we hold about you;
  • Correct inaccuracies in that data; or
  • Delete that data, unless retention is required for operational, security, or legal purposes.

Form of response. Where appropriate, we may respond with a summary of the relevant information rather than complete records or raw logs.

Scope. Data requests cover your own personal data only. We do not provide:

  • Non-personal, aggregated, or statistical data;
  • Information about other Users or about Staff; or
  • Information about our internal operations, systems, tooling, moderation processes, or security measures.

Verification and refusal. We will verify your identity before acting on a request. We may refuse requests that are vexatious, repetitive, or unverifiable, or that would compromise the security of the Services or the privacy of another person.

Please submit data requests via the Hydrate Discord ticket system.

12. Data Breach Notification

In the event of a data breach that poses a risk to Users, we will notify affected individuals and share recommended next steps via our official communication channels.

13. Changes to the Privacy Policy

Hydrate reserves the right to modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes are effective upon being posted. It is your responsibility to periodically review this Privacy Policy; continued use of the Services after updates constitutes acceptance of the changes. In the event of significant changes, we will notify Users via our official communication channels.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy, please reach out via the Hydrate Discord ticket system.

15. Third-Party Terms and Policies

Your use of the third-party platforms involved in accessing the Services is governed by those platforms' own terms and policies, including:

This Privacy Policy is incorporated into our Terms of Service.

By accessing Hydrate, you agree to this Privacy Policy and the applicable Community Guidelines. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Services.