Privacy Policy

At Piston LLC ("we," "us," or "our"), we are committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website pistonsim.com ("Website") and use our PISTON engine simulation software ("Software").

We believe in transparency and minimal data collection. This policy describes our privacy practices in plain language so you understand exactly what information we collect and how we use it.

By using our Website or Software, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use our services.

1. Information We Collect

We practice data minimization and only collect information necessary to provide and improve our services.

1.1 Information You Provide Directly

Email Address: If you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address. This is voluntary and you can unsubscribe at any time.

1.2 Technical Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, we automatically collect certain technical information through Cloudflare Pages, our hosting provider:

• IP Address: Your Internet Protocol address, used for basic security and rate limiting
• Browser Information: Browser type and version
• Device Information: Device type, operating system
• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, referring website
• Cloudflare Web Analytics: Basic page view metrics (privacy-friendly, no cookies or personal identifiers)

1.3 Information We Do Not Collect

PISTON Software is designed for privacy:

• No Tracking of Engine Configurations: All engine designs and simulation data remain on your local computer. We do not collect, transmit, or store your engine configurations.
• No Account Information: During alpha, no account creation is required. We do not collect names, phone numbers, addresses, or other personal identifiers.
• No Behavioral Tracking: We do not track your behavior across other websites or apps.
• No Biometric or Sensitive Data: We never collect biometric, financial, health, or other sensitive personal information.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

2.1 Email Communications

• Send you our newsletter with product updates, features, and announcements
• Notify you of pricing changes or important policy updates
• Respond to your inquiries if you contact us

2.2 Website Functionality and Security

• Provide and maintain the Website
• Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse of our newsletter signup
• Detect and prevent security threats or fraudulent activity
• Ensure the Website functions properly on different browsers and devices

2.3 Analytics and Improvement

• Understand how visitors use our Website (via Cloudflare Analytics)
• Identify popular content and areas for improvement
• Optimize Website performance and user experience

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Minimal Cookie Use: Our Website uses very few cookies, and none for invasive tracking.

4.1 Cookies We Use

• Cloudflare Security Cookies: Essential cookies used by our hosting provider to protect against spam and abuse
• Newsletter Rate Limiting (Local Storage): We use browser local storage (not cookies) to prevent duplicate newsletter signups

4.2 Cloudflare Web Analytics

We use Cloudflare Web Analytics, a privacy-friendly analytics service that:

• Does not use cookies or persistent identifiers
• Does not track visitors across websites
• Does not collect personal information
• Provides aggregated, anonymous usage statistics only

Cloudflare Analytics is GDPR and CCPA compliant and does not require cookie consent banners.

4.3 Third-Party Cookies

We do not use third-party advertising cookies or tracking pixels. We do not participate in ad networks or retargeting campaigns.

5. Third-Party Services

We use the following third-party services to operate our Website and Software:

5.1 Cloudflare Pages (Hosting and Analytics)

• Purpose: Website hosting, content delivery, security, and analytics
• Data Shared: IP address, browser information, pages visited
• Privacy Policy: Cloudflare Privacy Policy

5.2 Resend (Email Service Provider)

• Purpose: Newsletter delivery and email communications
• Data Shared: Email addresses of newsletter subscribers only
• Privacy Policy: Resend Privacy Policy

We Do Not Sell Your Data: We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. Third-party services process your data solely to provide the services described above.

6. Data Storage and Security

Your Simulation Data: All engine configurations, simulation parameters, and results created in the PISTON Software are stored locally on your computer. We do not have access to this data unless you explicitly share it with us (e.g., for support purposes).

Website Data: Email addresses for newsletter subscriptions are stored securely by Resend in their data centers. Technical data (IP addresses, analytics) is processed by Cloudflare.

Security Measures: We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:

• HTTPS encryption for all Website communications
• Rate limiting to prevent abuse
• Secure API keys stored as environment variables (never exposed to clients)
• Regular security reviews of our infrastructure

No Absolute Security: While we strive to protect your information, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

Email Addresses: We retain newsletter subscriber email addresses until you unsubscribe or request deletion. After unsubscribing, your email is removed from our active list within 48 hours.

Technical Data: Log data and analytics (IP addresses, page views) are typically retained by Cloudflare for 30-90 days, then automatically deleted or aggregated into anonymous statistics.

Local Software Data: Data created in the PISTON Software remains on your computer indefinitely unless you delete it. We have no access to or control over your local data.

8. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain privacy rights:

8.1 Rights for All Users

• Unsubscribe: Opt out of newsletter emails anytime via the unsubscribe link
• Request Deletion: Ask us to delete your email address from our records
• Access Information: Request information about what data we have about you (typically just your email if subscribed)
• Correct Information: Request correction of inaccurate information

8.2 Additional Rights (Certain Jurisdictions)

If you are located in the European Union, California, or other jurisdictions with specific privacy laws, you may have additional rights:

• Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format (we can export your email address)
• Object to Processing: Object to how we process your information
• Restrict Processing: Request that we limit how we use your data
• Know Before Collection: Understand what data we collect before providing it

8.3 How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at the email address in Section 12. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

No Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

9. Children's Privacy

PISTON is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at the email address in Section 12.

10. Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers support "Do Not Track" (DNT) signals. Because there is no industry standard for DNT, our Website does not specifically respond to DNT signals.

However, since we use privacy-friendly Cloudflare Analytics (which doesn't track individuals) and do not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking, your privacy is protected regardless of DNT settings.

11. International Data Transfers

Piston LLC operates in the United States. If you access our Website from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States or other countries where our service providers operate.

By using our Website, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries that may have different data protection laws than your country of residence. Our service providers (Cloudflare, Resend) implement appropriate safeguards to protect your data.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make changes, we will:

• Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page
• Notify newsletter subscribers of material changes via email
• Post the updated policy on this page

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically. Your continued use of our Website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

13. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, want to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about how we handle your information, please contact us:

We will respond to privacy inquiries within 30 days of receipt.