Privacy Policy

What we collect

What we collect depends on how you use the site.

Your account: your email address, your username and display name, and a scrambled (hashed) version of your password, never the password itself. If you add them, we also keep your payout address and proof that it's yours, your language choice, your tip setting and your confirmation that you're old enough to take part. We don't ask for your phone number.

Keeping accounts safe: when you sign up or log in, we record your IP address (stored encrypted), the country it comes from, your browser and device type, and a device ID kept in a cookie. We also note the days you logged in and any failed login attempts, without saving what was typed. Cloudflare Turnstile checks that you're a person and not a bot.

Contest activity: clicks on your tracked link, with a rough country for each click. We don't keep the full IP address of people who click, only a scrambled version. When those features are on, we also keep what you submit, such as contest entries and forum posts.

Google sign-in: if you continue with Google, Google shares your Google account ID, email address and name with us. We use them only to sign you in and link your account. We don't store any Google tokens or your Google profile picture. Linking X: if you choose to link your X account, we keep your handle, your public profile stats and a copy of your profile picture. We may add other platforms the same way later. We use this public information only for our own account checks and to show your handle where you choose. We never read your private messages. If you unlink an account, we delete the picture and stats, but keep the handle, account ID and the link and unlink times in our security records.

The site operator's admin login is separate from member accounts.

Why we collect it

We use this information to run your account and keep it safe, run the contest (scores, results and prize payouts), send you the emails you need (like verification and password resets), catch fraud and bots, show the site in your language, and keep the records we need for prizes. Before a prize is paid, the payout address may be checked against sanctions lists. We never use your data for advertising.

Companies that help us run the site

A few companies help us run the site. They use your information only to provide their service to us.

Hosting: a hosting provider runs the site and its database.

Email: Resend sends our emails.

Bot checks: Cloudflare Turnstile, on sign-up and log-in. It may set its own cookies.

Country lookup: a DB-IP database that runs on our own server, so your IP address isn't sent to DB-IP.

Fraud checks: we compare IP addresses with lists of known data-center, VPN and Tor addresses, kept on our own server.

Google: only when you choose to continue with Google. We never post anything to Google for you.

Cookies we set

We use only the cookies the site needs to work. We don't use advertising or analytics cookies.

p_session keeps you logged in. It lasts about 30 days.

gt-locale remembers your language. It lasts about a year.

gt-theme remembers light or dark mode. It lasts about a year.

gt_dv helps us recognize your device for fraud checks. It lasts about 30 days.

gt_oauth_g, gt_oauth_pending, gt_oauth_x and gt_oauth_tiktok are used only for a moment while you sign in with Google or link an account, and are removed afterwards.

ref remembers who invited you, when referrals are on. It lasts about 30 days.

The site operator also uses a few admin-only cookies.

Cloudflare Turnstile may set its own cookies during the bot check. There are no advertising, analytics or social media tracking cookies.

How long we keep data

We keep your account information for as long as your account exists. Other records are kept only as long as they're needed:

Login and security records are kept for a limited time after your last activity.

Records about accounts flagged or removed for fraud are kept longer, so we can stop repeat abuse.

Records about prize payouts are kept as long as tax and legal rules require.

Encrypted IP addresses are removed after a set period. A scrambled version may be kept to spot repeat fraud.

Records of admin access are kept for a limited time to keep the site secure.

Your choices

From your dashboard you can change your display name, language and tip setting, and link or unlink social accounts. You can log out at any time and clear this site's cookies in your browser. You can ask us for a copy of your information or ask us to delete your account and data using the email address in the Contact section below. We'll delete everything except what we must keep for security, fraud prevention, prize payouts or legal reasons.

Age

Golden Ticket is only for people who are 18 or older, or the age of majority where they live if that's higher. We don't knowingly collect information from anyone younger.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we'll update it on this page and change the date at the top. For important changes, we'll also tell members by email or on the site.

Contact

Questions about your privacy, or want a copy of your information or your account deleted? Email us at teamgoldentickets@gmail.com and we'll help.