Privacy Policy

Watchdog Systems (“Watchdog”, “we”, “us” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy and personal information of people who use our website, services, and community systems.

This policy explains what personal information we may collect, why we use it, how it may be shared, how long it may be retained, and the rights available to individuals. It applies to Watchdog-operated services including this website, Discord integrations, support and recruitment systems, and other services that link to it.

Account and Discord information

When you sign in using Discord, we may process your Discord user ID, username, display name, avatar, authentication information, and relevant server or role information used to determine access. We create an internal Watchdog user identifier. We do not receive your Discord password.

Account activity

• account creation, first sign-in, and latest sign-in dates
• session and authentication information
• notification activity, security events, and account preferences
• technical request information such as IP address, browser, or device details where needed for security, abuse prevention, or auditing

Recruitment information

• application answers and eligibility information
• application status, history, and recruitment communications
• interview information, reviewer assessments, and decisions
• offers and hiring-related information

Avoid submitting unnecessary sensitive information unless Watchdog specifically requests it for a legitimate purpose.

Support, reports, investigations, and evidence

Support requests may include your request, communications, attachments, relevant account details, and its outcome. Where reporting or investigation services operate, information may include user identifiers, reported behaviour, messages, files, URLs, statements, dates, community information, notes, decisions, and case history. Information may concern someone other than the submitter.

Communications

We may retain communications where reasonably necessary to handle a request, maintain records, resolve disputes, or operate our services.

• directly from you
• through your use of Watchdog services
• through Discord authentication or integrations
• from users submitting reports, evidence, or support requests
• from participating communities or authorised staff
• from appropriate and lawful public sources
• automatically through technical and security systems

Where another person supplies information about you, we handle it according to applicable data protection requirements.

• provide, secure, and operate Watchdog services
• authenticate users and maintain accounts
• control access and permissions
• provide support and operate recruitment processes
• communicate with applicants and users
• process reports, investigate alleged misconduct, and assess evidence
• maintain case, appeal, audit, and security records
• prevent abuse, fraud, and security incidents
• improve service reliability and functionality
• comply with legal obligations and establish, exercise, or defend legal claims where necessary

We do not use personal information for an incompatible or otherwise unlawful unrelated purpose.

Legitimate interests

Where UK data protection law applies, we may rely on legitimate interests for operating and securing services, preventing misuse, administering the community, handling support, maintaining records, protecting users and communities, and appropriately investigating reports. We must balance those interests against individual rights and interests.

Contract, consent, and legal obligation

Processing may be necessary to provide a requested service or take requested pre-contract steps. Where we rely on consent, it may be withdrawn without affecting earlier lawful processing. We may also process information to comply with applicable legal obligations. The precise basis depends on the purpose and circumstances.

Some applications, reports, support requests, or evidence may contain information requiring additional protection. Do not submit sensitive information unless it is genuinely relevant and necessary. Watchdog must identify appropriate legal conditions and safeguards before processing information that requires them.

Reports or evidence may contain allegations relating to criminal behaviour or offences. Watchdog must handle this information carefully, restrict access, consider applicable legal requirements, and must not treat an allegation as established fact merely because it was reported.

We do not sell personal information. Information may be shared where reasonably necessary with authorised Watchdog staff; infrastructure, authentication, database, monitoring, storage, security, or communications providers; Discord; participating communities where appropriate and lawful; professional advisers; or authorities where required or permitted by law.

Access to internal information is restricted according to role and operational need. We do not disclose information simply because it is requested.

Watchdog uses third-party technology to operate parts of its services. The current codebase integrates Discord authentication and community functionality, MongoDB-compatible data storage, Sentry monitoring, and Simple Analytics. Each provider may process limited information needed to supply its service. This list may change as deployed services develop.

Some providers may process information outside the United Kingdom. Where UK law requires safeguards for an international transfer, Watchdog will seek to ensure an appropriate transfer mechanism or other lawful safeguard applies.

We retain personal information only as long as reasonably necessary for its purpose, including security, operations, disputes, safeguarding, audit, or legal needs. Periods vary based on purpose, sensitivity, security concerns, the status of a case or application, possible disputes, and legal requirements.

Notifications may be archived or expire as presentation records; deleting a notification does not delete its underlying application, audit, case, or security event. Information no longer required should be deleted, anonymised, or appropriately disposed of.

Watchdog uses reasonable technical and organisational measures such as Discord authentication, role-based access, server-side permission checking, logging, auditing, secure communication, restricted administrative access, and infrastructure monitoring. No internet service can guarantee absolute security. You should also protect your Discord and Watchdog account access.

Watchdog should not make decisions producing significant effects solely through automated processing unless an appropriate lawful basis and safeguards exist. Important decisions should remain subject to appropriate human review unless a different process is clearly disclosed and lawfully implemented.

Depending on the law and circumstances, you may have rights to access your information, correct inaccuracies, request deletion or restriction, object to processing, request portability where applicable, withdraw consent, and raise concerns. These rights are not absolute, and Watchdog may sometimes be permitted or required to retain information.

You may have the right to object to processing based on legitimate interests. Watchdog will consider the circumstances, reasons for processing, and the rights and interests involved. Where applicable law requires processing to stop, we will do so.

Submit privacy or data-related requests through our privacy request process. We may request reasonable information to verify your identity before disclosing or changing personal information.

Only provide information about another person that is reasonably necessary and relevant. Do not submit irrelevant private information, passwords, credentials, or unnecessary financial, medical, or sensitive information. A submission does not make an allegation an established fact.

Watchdog services should not knowingly collect more information about children than reasonably necessary. Additional care should be taken where a person is under 18, particularly for reports, investigations, or sensitive information. Any service-specific age requirement will be communicated separately.

Watchdog uses browser storage and cookies where required for authentication, account sessions, security, theme preferences, and essential functionality. The site currently loads Simple Analytics for aggregate website measurement. If other non-essential analytics, advertising, or tracking technologies are introduced, Watchdog must provide any consent or notice required by law and update this policy.

Watchdog uses Discord for authentication and community integrations. Discord operates independently under its own terms and privacy practices, and Watchdog is not responsible for Discord’s independent processing. Review Discord’s privacy information for details.

We may update this policy as services develop, legal requirements change, or processing activities change. Material updates will change the “Last updated” date, and users should be informed where appropriate if an update materially affects how information is handled.

Submit questions or concerns through our privacy request process. You may also have the right to complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office. We encourage contacting Watchdog first so we can investigate, but this does not remove any right to contact the ICO.