Privacy Policy

As at: 16/08/2026

1. Controller

The controller responsible for the processing of personal data in connection with TXForge is:

Lars Klindwordt
Schröders Tannen 32e
25436 Uetersen
Germany

Email: info@txforge.de

TXForge is operated as a private, non-commercial community project.

No fees are currently charged for using TXForge and no paid services are offered.

The fact that TXForge is operated privately and not for profit does not affect the application of the applicable data protection regulations.

2. Scope

This privacy policy applies to the TXForge website and all functions provided there.

This includes in particular:

public website content
user accounts
user profiles
forum
topics and posts
replies and comments
reactions
bookmarks
watched topics
notifications
tutorials
tutorial series
embedded videos
files and templates
contact options
post reports
moderation features

3. Principles of data processing

The protection of your personal data is important to us.

We process personal data only to the extent necessary for the operation of TXForge, the provision of individual features, the security of the platform, or the fulfilment of legal obligations.

The principle of data minimisation applies in particular.

We try to collect and store only such personal data as is actually required for the respective purpose.

TXForge does not sell personal data.

TXForge does not generally create personal user profiles for advertising purposes.

4. Visiting the website

When TXForge is accessed, technically necessary information is processed.

This may include in particular:

IP address
date and time of access
requested URL
HTTP status code
browser type and version
operating system
referrer URL
technical request and connection data

This data is required to provide TXForge technically and to ensure the security and stability of the system.

Processing takes place in particular for:

providing the website
error analysis
attack detection
abuse prevention
ensuring system security

The legal basis is, where the requirements are met, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR.

Our legitimate interest is the secure and reliable operation of TXForge.

5. Hosting with Hetzner

TXForge is operated on a server of Hetzner Online GmbH, Industriestraße 25, 91710 Gunzenhausen, Germany.

This server contains, among other things:

the TXForge application
the database
user accounts
forum content
technical logs
ELK
Kibana
APM data
other components required for operation

In the context of hosting, personal data may be processed. Where Hetzner processes personal data on our behalf, this is done on the basis of a data processing agreement in accordance with Article 28 GDPR.

The technical administration of the TXForge server is carried out by the operator of TXForge.

6. Domain with united-domains

The domain txforge.de is managed via united-domains GmbH, Gautinger Straße 10, 82319 Starnberg.

In the context of domain management, the data required for registration and administration of the domain owner may be processed.

Further information on data processing by united-domains can be found in their privacy policy.

7. Email and email sending

Email mailboxes for TXForge are provided via united-domains.

Emails sent from the TXForge application are sent directly through the SMTP service provided by united-domains: smtps.udag.de

No separate external transactional email provider is used for this purpose.

The email service is used primarily for the following purposes:

registration and account confirmation
password reset
security-related messages
notifications about watched topics
notifications about relevant activities
other transactional emails

In this context, the following data may be processed in particular:

recipient email address
sender email address
subject
message content
time of sending
technical email metadata

Processing takes place on the basis of Article 6(1)(b) GDPR insofar as the email is required to provide a function requested by the user.

For messages required for technical or security reasons, Article 6(1)(f) GDPR may serve as the legal basis.

The provider of the mail service is: united-domains GmbH, Gautinger Straße 10, 82319 Starnberg, Germany

8. Server logs

Technical log data is processed on the TXForge server.

Logging serves in particular:

error analysis
security monitoring
detection of unusual activity
investigation of attacks
technical diagnosis
stabilisation of the platform

The following information may be processed among others:

IP address
time
requested resource
HTTP status
user agent
technical request information

Logging is carried out via the ELK stack operated on the TXForge server, consisting of Elasticsearch, Logstash and Kibana.

The log data is processed within the infrastructure operated by TXForge and is not transferred to an external log management service for this purpose.

Storage period: 30 days

9. Application Performance Monitoring

TXForge uses Application Performance Monitoring (APM) to monitor the technical performance of the application.

The evaluation takes place via the Elastic/Kibana infrastructure operated on the TXForge server.

Technical information may be processed here, for example:

request duration
HTTP status
technical transactions
performance metrics
error states
technical environment information

APM serves exclusively for the technical operation, error analysis and performance improvement of TXForge.

APM data is not used to create user profiles or for personalised advertising.

Storage period: 30 days

10. Error monitoring with Sentry

To detect and analyse technical errors, TXForge uses Sentry.

Sentry is an external service.

If an error occurs within the TXForge application, technical information may be transmitted to Sentry.

Depending on the configuration, this may include in particular:

error message
stack trace
time of the error
technical information about the application
browser information
operating system
URL or technical request information
technical session information
possibly a technical user identifier

TXForge is configured so that as little unnecessary personal data as possible is transmitted to Sentry.

In particular:

passwords
authentication data
cookies
authorization headers
other sensitive request data

are not transmitted to Sentry.

Where technically possible, the storage of IP addresses in Sentry should also be deactivated or prevented.

The actual data transfer depends on the Sentry configuration used.

Sentry is used exclusively for error diagnosis and the improvement of the technical stability of TXForge.

Provider:

Sentry / Functional Software, Inc.

11. Registration of a user account

A user account is required for certain functions of TXForge.

When registering, the following data is processed in particular:

email address
username
password or password hash
time of registration
Further information may be provided voluntarily.

The password is not stored in plain text.

The processing is carried out for the:

creation of the user account
authentication
management of the user account
provision of protected functions

The legal basis is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR.

12. User profiles

Users can create their own profile.

Depending on the feature set, the following may be publicly visible:

username
display name
avatar
biography
member since
posts
reactions
other information published voluntarily

Providing additional personal information is generally voluntary.

Users can generally use a pseudonym.

13. Forum and posts

When users publish topics, posts or replies, the data required for this is stored.

This includes in particular:

post content
user account
time of creation
time of modification
technical allocation information

Posts may be publicly visible on the internet.

Processing is necessary in order to provide the forum technically and to assign posts to the relevant users.

14. Reactions to posts

TXForge allows users to react to posts with reactions.

The following may be stored:

user account
affected post
type of reaction
time of reaction

Examples of reactions are:

Helpful
Like
Good idea
Works
Thanks

The processing is for the provision of the forum feature.

15. Bookmarks

Users can save topics or other content as bookmarks.

It is stored which content has been assigned to the respective user account.

The data is used to provide the bookmark function.

16. Watched topics

Users can watch topics.

It is stored which topics a user is following.

This information is used, for example, to notify users about new replies or other relevant activities.

Watching can be stopped at any time.

17. Notifications

TXForge can provide notifications within the platform.

Examples may include:

new replies
mentions
reactions
activity in watched topics
other relevant activities

The information required for this is assigned to the relevant user account.

18. Email notifications

If email notifications are offered and enabled, the email address may be used for sending them.

This may include, for example:

new replies to watched topics
mentions
security-related notices
account changes
password resets

Non-essential notifications can be disabled by the user.

19. Password reset

If a user uses the password reset function, the email address required for this is processed.

A time-limited token may be generated for this purpose.

The token becomes invalid after successful use or expiry.

20. Contacting us

When contact is made by email, the information provided by the user is processed.

This may include in particular:

name
email address
message
time of contact
further voluntary information

The processing is carried out to process the request.

21. Reporting forum content

TXForge allows users to report posts or other content.

In the case of a report, the following may be processed in particular:

reporting user
reported post
reason for the report
description
time
information about processing

The processing serves the moderation of the forum and, where applicable, the review of content that may be unlawful.

22. Moderation

The information required for moderation may be processed.

This includes in particular:

reported posts
user accounts
moderation reports
moderation decisions
technical information where required

The processing serves the secure and compliant operation of TXForge.

23. Moderation history

Moderation actions may be documented.

The following may be stored in particular:

affected content
user account
type of measure
time
reason for the measure

Storage serves the traceability of moderation decisions and handling of possible complaints.

24. Tutorials and tutorial series

TXForge provides tutorials and tutorial series.

Access to this content may be processed technically where this is necessary for the secure and reliable operation of the platform.

TXForge does not generally create personal learning profiles.

25. Embedded YouTube videos

Videos from YouTube may be embedded on TXForge.

TXForge uses the extended privacy mode of YouTube where possible.

The domain youtube-nocookie.com is used for embedded videos.

Google describes this mode as a way to not use the use of embedded videos for personalising the YouTube browsing experience.

When loading or playing an embedded YouTube video, a connection to Google or YouTube may nevertheless be established.

In particular, technical information such as IP address, browser information, device information and accessed content may be processed.

The actual processing is governed by the privacy policy of Google/YouTube.

Delayed loading

TXForge intends to load YouTube videos only after active user interaction where possible.

Instead of loading the YouTube player immediately when a page is opened, a preview may be shown first.

Only when the user explicitly starts the video is a connection to YouTube established.

This is intended to prevent a connection to the external video service being established as soon as a page is merely visited.

26. Cookies and technically necessary storage technologies

TXForge uses technically necessary cookies or comparable storage technologies where required for operation.

These may be required in particular for:

login
session management
authentication
security functions
storage of technical settings

TXForge does not use these technically necessary technologies for personalised advertising purposes.

27. Analysis and tracking

TXForge currently does not use any external service to analyse user behaviour for marketing or advertising purposes.

The technical monitoring of the application via the own ELK/Kibana stack and APM serves solely for technical operation.

Sentry is used exclusively for error diagnosis.

If additional analysis or tracking services are used in the future, this privacy policy will be updated accordingly.

28. No personalised advertising

TXForge is operated as a private, non-commercial project.

Currently:

no personalised advertising profiles are created
no personal data is sold to advertisers
no personal data is processed for personalised advertising

29. External services

The following external services are currently used in particular:

united-domains: domain and email
Hetzner: hosting
Sentry: error monitoring
YouTube: embedded videos
ELK, Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana and APM are operated on the own TXForge infrastructure and therefore do not constitute an independent external service provider for this processing.

30. Disclosure of personal data

Personal data is not sold.

Disclosure takes place only where there is a legal basis for this or it is necessary for the operation of TXForge.

Recipients may include in particular:

Hetzner Online GmbH
united-domains GmbH
Sentry / Functional Software, Inc.
Google or YouTube when embedded content is accessed
authorities and courts, where required by law

31. Data processing by order

Where external service providers process personal data on behalf of TXForge, data processing agreements in accordance with Article 28 GDPR are concluded where necessary.

This applies in particular to the hosting, infrastructure and technical service providers used.

32. Transfer to third countries

For some external services, the processing of personal data outside the European Union or the European Economic Area cannot be ruled out.

This applies in particular to external services whose provider or subcontractor is based outside the EEA.

Where a transfer to a third country takes place, it is carried out only in compliance with the legal requirements.

Sentry processes the data generated in the context of error monitoring in the European data region. Processing takes place within the European infrastructure provided by Sentry for this purpose.

33. Storage period

Personal data is stored only for as long as this is required for the respective purpose or legal retention obligations apply.

The storage periods are:

user account: until deletion
email address: until deletion of the account
password hash: until deletion of the account
forum posts: generally for as long as they remain part of the discussion
reactions: until removal or deletion of the account
watched topics: until the watch is ended
password reset token: until use or expiry
server logs: 30 days
APM data: 30 days
ELK data: 30 days
Sentry data: 30 days
moderation data: for as long as required for moderation and legal traceability

34. Deletion of the user account

Users may request deletion of their user account or, if technically provided, perform this themselves.

Personal data is then deleted or anonymised where no legal retention obligations or other legally permissible reasons require further storage.

Previously published forum posts may remain if necessary to preserve the context of a discussion.

In this case, the reference to the original user account may be anonymised.

35. Right to information

You have the right, under Article 15 GDPR, to request information about the processing of your personal data.

36. Right to rectification

You have the right, under Article 16 GDPR, to request the correction of inaccurate personal data.

37. Right to erasure

You have the right, under Article 17 GDPR and subject to the legal requirements, to have your personal data erased.

38. Right to restriction of processing

You have the right, under Article 18 GDPR and subject to the legal requirements, to request the restriction of the processing of your personal data.

39. Right to data portability

You have the right, under Article 20 GDPR and subject to the legal requirements, to receive certain personal data in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format.

40. Right to object

Where processing is based on Article 6(1)(e) or (f) GDPR, you have the right, under the legal conditions, to object to the processing in accordance with Article 21 GDPR.

41. Withdrawal of consent

Where processing is based on consent, this consent may be withdrawn at any time with effect for the future.

The lawfulness of processing carried out up to the point of withdrawal remains unaffected.

42. Right to lodge a complaint

You have the right to complain to a data protection authority about the processing of your personal data.

The data protection authority of the federal state in which the controller has its residence or registered office is responsible in particular.

Responsible data protection authority:

Independent Centre for Data Protection Schleswig-Holstein (ULD)
Holstenstraße 98
24103 Kiel
Germany

Email: mail@datenschutzzentrum.de

www.datenschutzzentrum.de

43. Data protection officer

TXForge is operated as a private, non-commercial project.

If no obligation to appoint a data protection officer exists under the legal requirements, no data protection officer is currently appointed.

If a legal obligation to appoint a data protection officer arises, the contact details will be added at this point.

44. Technical and organisational security measures

TXForge uses appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect personal data against loss, manipulation, unauthorised access and other unauthorised processing.

These include in particular:

encrypted HTTPS connections
secure password hashing methods
access controls
role-based permissions
security updates
backups
server monitoring
ELK logging
Application Performance Monitoring
error monitoring
technical logging

The TXForge application is operated on a server at Hetzner.

45. Changes to this privacy policy

This privacy policy may be adjusted if, in particular:

the technical infrastructure
the service providers used
the functions offered
the type of data processing
the legal requirements

change.

The current version will be published on TXForge.