Privacy Policy

Introduction

Welcome to the Train Simulator Mod Archive ("we," "our," or "us"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about how we collect, use, and protect your information.

This Privacy Policy explains our practices regarding data collection and use when you visit our website at trainsimarchive.org.

Effective Date: November 28, 2025 | Last Updated: November 28, 2025

Information We Collect

Automatically Collected Data

  • Download Statistics: We track the number of times each mod file is downloaded to provide accurate download counts and analytics
  • Page Views: We count page visits to understand which content is most accessed
  • Daily Analytics: Aggregated daily download statistics to track trends and usage patterns
  • Search Queries: Anonymized search terms to improve search functionality and discover what users are looking for

Information You Provide

  • Contact Information: Only when you voluntarily reach out for support, feedback, or submit suggestions via email
  • Cookie Preferences: Your consent choices regarding the use of browser storage for improved functionality

Technical Information

  • Browser Data: Basic browser functionality data needed for the website to operate (theme preferences, navigation state)
  • Session Storage: Temporary data to improve your browsing experience (recently shown mods, navigation history)

We do NOT collect: IP addresses, precise geolocation, personal identifiers, login credentials, or any other personally identifiable information beyond what you voluntarily provide.

How We Use Your Information

We use collected information to:

  • Display accurate download counts and view statistics on the website
  • Generate analytics charts showing download trends over time
  • Identify popular mods and trending content
  • Improve search functionality and content discovery
  • Maintain usage statistics to understand archive performance
  • Provide basic website functionality and navigation
  • Respond to support requests and user feedback when contacted
  • Ensure the archive operates properly, securely, and efficiently
  • Cache metadata to improve loading times and reduce server requests

Cookies and Local Storage

We use browser storage technologies to enhance your experience:

  • Cookie Consent: Stores your consent choice regarding the use of browser storage
  • Session Storage: Temporarily stores recently shown mods to provide variety when refreshing the homepage
  • Preferences: Saves non-personal settings like theme preferences (if implemented)

You can control browser storage through your browser settings. Disabling storage may affect website functionality.

Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate the archive:

  • Cloudflare: CDN, security, R2 storage for mod files, Workers for API, and KV storage for statistics
  • GitHub: Version control and mod metadata storage
  • Google Fonts: Typography and font delivery
  • Font Awesome: Icon library
  • Chart.js: Analytics visualization (loaded from CDN)

These services have their own privacy policies. We recommend reviewing them.

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or rent your information to third parties.

We may share anonymized, aggregated statistics (e.g., "total downloads", "most popular mods") publicly on the website.

We may disclose information when:

  • Required by law, legal process, or government request
  • Necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety
  • Necessary to prevent fraud or security threats

Data Security

We implement industry-standard security measures including:

  • HTTPS/TLS Encryption: All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted
  • Secure Cloud Hosting: Infrastructure hosted on Cloudflare's secure platform
  • Access Controls: Limited access to backend systems and databases
  • Regular Updates: Software and security patches applied regularly
  • API Rate Limiting: Protection against abuse and excessive requests

However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to protect your data.

Data Retention

We retain information as follows:

  • Download Statistics: Retained indefinitely to maintain historical analytics
  • Daily Analytics: Retained for analysis and trend tracking
  • Mod Metadata: Cached and refreshed every 6 hours automatically
  • Session Data: Cleared when you close your browser
  • Support Correspondence: Retained as long as necessary to resolve your inquiry

Your Rights and Choices

Since we collect minimal data (primarily anonymous download counts and statistics), there is very limited personal information to manage. You have the right to:

  • Configure your browser settings to control cookies and local storage
  • Use private/incognito browsing to avoid session storage
  • Contact us to request information about data we may have
  • Request deletion of any correspondence or feedback you've submitted

Our cookie consent system allows you to accept or decline the use of browser storage for enhanced functionality.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

International Users

This website is operated from the United States. If you access the site from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the U.S. where our servers are located.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy.

Your continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us:

We will respond to inquiries within a reasonable timeframe.