This website allows users to upload and share in-game paintings for ARK: Survival Ascended and ARK: Survival Evolved.
Users can also comment on and vote on paintings, submit and fulfill painting requests, bookmark favorites, and vote in community polls.
By using this website, you agree to this Privacy Policy.
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following information:
Uploaded files (images or .pnt painting files)
Basic submission data such as file names or metadata
If you register: a username, email address, and a hashed password (we cannot see your password)
If you log in via Discord: your Discord username, Discord user ID, and avatar URL
If you log in via Google: your Google ID, email address, and profile picture URL
Email address (used only for account-related notifications such as password resets and account deletion confirmations)
Profile details you choose to add, such as a banner image, biography, the ARK map you play on, and an optional external link
Comments you post on paintings
Votes you cast on comments (upvotes/downvotes), tied to your account and stored on our server
Paintings you bookmark or favorite (visible only to you)
Notification records we send you, such as when someone comments on your painting, replies to your comment, or fulfills your request
Painting requests you submit or reply to, including their title, description, target, and replies (public)
Content you report on a painting or comment and the reason you provide (used for moderation)
Your IP address when downloading files (used only to prevent download count manipulation)
Your IP address when viewing a painting, used to compute view counts (views are deduplicated per IP within a short window)
Your IP address for aggregate, anonymous weekly site statistics (which visits, used only for the admin dashboard)
Your IP address is temporarily logged for rate limiting on login, registration, and password reset forms (automatically expired)
When you participate in a poll, your vote is stored under an anonymous identifier derived from your IP address and browser information; it cannot be linked back to your account
3. How We Store Data
Account information is stored in a SQLite database separate from paintings.
Passwords are hashed using PHP's built-in password hashing — we never store plain-text passwords.
Avatar and banner images are stored as image files on the server.
Poll votes, view counts, and weekly visit statistics are stored in anonymized or aggregated form.
4. How We Use Information
Display community-submitted paintings
Allow users to download shared content
Manage user accounts and authentication
Display usernames and avatars alongside uploaded content and comments
Manage the gallery of uploads
Allow you to bookmark or like paintings
Operate community polls
Operate the painting request system
Deliver and manage notifications
Review and act on reports for moderation purposes
Show aggregate, site-wide statistics (visits, views, downloads) in the admin dashboard
We do not sell or use your data for advertising or marketing.
5. Discord and Google Login
When you log in via Discord, we receive your Discord username, user ID, and avatar from Discord's API.
We do not receive or store your Discord password.
You can revoke Discord access at any time from your Discord account settings.
When you log in via Google, we receive your Google ID, email address, and profile picture from Google's API.
We do not receive or store your Google account password.
You can revoke Google access at any time from your Google account settings.
6. Public Content
Uploaded paintings, your username, avatar, comments, and painting requests you submit are publicly visible.
Do not upload content, post comments, or submit requests you do not wish to share publicly.
Poll votes are anonymous and are not associated with your name or account.
7. Data Retention
Account data is retained until you delete your account.
When you delete your account, your username, email, avatar, banner, profile details, comments, votes, bookmarks, notifications, and uploaded painting files are permanently removed.
Some aggregate and de-identified statistics (such as total visit counts and download counts) may be retained but cannot be linked back to you.
8. Cookies and Tracking
Session cookies are used to maintain your login state.
A small amount of browser storage is used for non-essential preferences such as dismissing community polls and remembering scroll positions.
No analytics, advertising, or third-party tracking services are used.
9. Third-Party Access
We do not share your data with third parties.
Discord and Google logins use OAuth APIs for authentication only.
10. Children's Privacy
This site is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
11. Your Rights (GDPR / CCPA)
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights:
Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate data
Deletion: Request deletion of your personal data (you can also delete your account at any time via your account settings)
Data Portability: Request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format
Withdraw Consent: If you logged in via Discord or Google, you may revoke access at any time from those platforms
To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the information in the Contact section below.
12. Changes to This Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated at any time. Continued use of the site means you accept any changes.
13. Contact
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your data rights, contact me at:
