Privacy policy
What this site collects, what our advertising partners collect, and how to exercise your privacy rights.
The short version
The diagnostic tools on this site run entirely in your browser. Your keystrokes, your microphone audio, your camera video, your controller input and your screen test results are processed on your own device and are never transmitted to us. We have no server that receives them, so there is nothing for us to store, sell or lose.
That covers the tools. It does not cover everything, because this site is funded by advertising, and advertising partners do collect data. The rest of this page is about that distinction, and it is the part worth reading.
What the tools do with your data
Nothing leaves your device. Specifically:
- Keyboard test. Key events are read in your browser to light up the on-screen keyboard. They are not logged, transmitted or retained. Closing the tab discards them.
- Mouse test. Click timings are measured in your browser to detect switch chatter. Nothing is sent anywhere.
- Microphone test. Audio is processed locally to draw the level meter and waveform. If you record a test clip, that recording is created in your browser’s memory and exists only until you close the page, unless you choose to download it.
- Webcam test. Video is displayed locally. Snapshots are generated on your device. No video frame is uploaded.
- Controller, screen and refresh rate tests. Read your hardware directly through standard browser interfaces. No transmission.
Your browser will ask permission before the microphone and camera tests can access those devices. That permission is granted to your browser, not to us, and you can revoke it at any time through your browser’s site settings.
What we collect
Server logs. Our hosting provider records standard web server information when you request a page: IP address, browser user agent, the page requested, referring page and timestamp. This is ordinary infrastructure logging, used to keep the site running and to investigate abuse. We do not use it to build profiles of individuals.
Local browser storage. Some pages remember small preferences on your own device, such as a collapsed section. This data stays in your browser, is never transmitted, and you can clear it through your browser settings at any time.
We do not ask you to create an account, and we do not run newsletters or contact forms that collect personal information beyond what you choose to send us by email.
Advertising
This site is supported by advertising. Advertising partners are independent companies, and when they serve an ad they may set cookies or use similar technologies to measure performance and, depending on your consent and your region, to show you ads relevant to your interests.
That data collection is theirs, not ours. We do not receive your browsing history from them, and we do not give them the results of any diagnostic test, because we never have those results in the first place.
Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this or other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to this and other sites. You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, or opt out of third party vendor use of cookies for personalised advertising at aboutads.info.
Cookies
Cookies on this site fall into two groups.
Strictly necessary cookies keep the site functioning and are set without consent because the site cannot work without them.
Advertising and measurement cookies are set by the partners listed above. In regions that require prior consent, including the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom, these are only set after you consent, and you can withdraw consent at any time through the cookie settings on this site.
You can also block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Doing so will not stop the diagnostic tools from working, since they do not rely on cookies.
Your rights
If you are in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, the GDPR gives you the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or erased, to restrict or object to its processing, and to data portability. Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
Our lawful bases are legitimate interests for server logging and site security, and consent for advertising and measurement cookies where consent is required.
If you are a California resident, the CCPA as amended by the CPRA gives you the right to know what personal information is collected and how it is used, to request deletion, to correct inaccurate information, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We do not sell personal information for money. Some advertising cookie activity may be considered “sharing” for cross-context behavioural advertising under California law, and you can opt out using the cookie settings on this site.
We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.
To make a request, email us using the address on the contact page. We may need to ask for information that lets us locate the relevant records.
Children
This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Data retention
We retain server logs only as long as needed for security and operational purposes. Advertising partners set their own retention periods, described in their own policies.
International transfers
Our hosting and advertising partners operate globally, so data may be processed in countries other than yours, including the United States. Where required, transfers rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
Changes
We will update this page when our practices change, and we will move the effective date at the top. Material changes will be noted on the page rather than made quietly.
Contact
Questions about this page, or requests under it, go to contact@ideaincubator.co. Idea Incubator, LLC operates Hardware Detective, and these terms are governed by the laws of the State of Wyoming, United States.