PRIVACY

This is in the commentary section because it’s a commentary more so than a privacy statement. I don’t need a privacy statement because there is nothing about MMHP that is hidden or underhanded. It is a straightforward, traditional website, like the ones you used to see back in yesteryear. But for the record, here’s my privacy statement:

I do not collect information about any of my visitors except as mentioned below. The server probably does keep record of who visits from where when, but I virtually never actually look at the logs, and besides, all servers do this, so there’s nothing unusual about the fact. I don’t use people’s IP addresses or anything like that. Here is what I do store:

  • If someone sends a message via a contact form, I get the person’s name or e-mail address only if they specifically type it into the form, and this is completely optional. I use this information only in the event I need to reply to the mail, or to credit someone on MMHP.
  • If someone e-mails me directly, I get their e-mail address as entered into their e-mail program. This is standard and happens when someone mails anyone. A person could hide their address if they wanted by not inputting it into their e-mail program, and I wouldn’t care. Again, I don’t gather addresses, and I use them only for replying to the e-mail.
  • People who submit MIDIs or other material are credited by name or nickname (whichever they provide to me). They also have the option to have their credit be a link to their e-mail address or website. Again, this is optional. People can be as anonymous as they desire.
I do not use cookies. I do not track people in any manner. I do not collect any kind of telemetry data. I don’t even use analytics of any kind. Enough said.

It’s sad that companies have to have privacy statements on their websites—sad because this situation is completely due to the sheer amount of abuse. These days it seems that all websites and all software do their best to collect as much data about their users as possible and (attempt to) build detailed profiles on everyone on the planet. Also commonplace is the practice of recording everything everyone says and does (even in private) and storing these recordings forever in online locations that are easily accessible to hackers and the public in general. I do not agree with these kinds of behaviors and thus would never engage in them myself.

Needless to say, The Mega Man Home Page was founded back in an era when advertisements on the World Wide Web were virtually unheard-of and user interfaces were designed with an eye toward whatever best benefited the user, not the software company. Back when the time spent downloading a web page was spent actually downloading the content of the page, rather than spent waiting for ad servers to respond and send piles of JavaScript code. Back when the concept of invasive telemetry data had yet to even be contemplated, much less invented.

The Mega Man Home Page is created by me, a single person—not a group, not a staff, not a company. It is a non-profit site; I don’t earn any money from it and in fact I lose money when I have to pay for server costs or other fees. I do it because I love doing it, not because I want to make a quick buck. I intend to hold to this tradition, to keep MMHP clean from immature advertisements and dubious methodologies. For as long as I am in control, The Mega Man Home Page is and will always remain a free and safe repository of information about one of the greatest game series of all time.