Privacy Policy

Last updated: 12/2/2025

Welcome to Atlas Arcadia, a project dedicated to preserving the history of arcades, amusement venues, and related ephemera. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and how it is used.

1. Information We Collect

We only collect the information we need to operate the site and provide user accounts.

Account Information

  • Name or username
  • Email address
  • Password (stored in encrypted form)
  • Any optional profile details you choose to share

User-Generated Content

When you add or edit content on Atlas Arcadia, we collect and store:

  • The content you submit (such as locations, tokens, photos, notes, and edits)
  • Timestamps of submissions and edits
  • Attribution information (for example, which account created or edited content)

Technical Information

We may collect standard technical data for security and functionality, such as:

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Device type
  • Basic logs of activity for security and debugging

Cookies

We use essential cookies to make the site work. These may be used to:

  • Keep you logged in
  • Maintain your session as you move through the site
  • Support basic functionality

We do not currently use analytics or tracking cookies. In the future, we may implement privacy-friendly, anonymized analytics. If we do so, we will update this policy before enabling them.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

  • Create and manage your account
  • Allow you to add and edit content
  • Display attribution for your contributions, where applicable
  • Maintain and improve the security and stability of the site
  • Improve the user experience and functionality
  • Send optional newsletters and project updates (starting in 2026; you will be able to opt out)

We do not sell your personal information.

3. User-Generated Content and Attribution

Atlas Arcadia is a collaborative historical archive. When you submit content (for example, arcade locations, tokens, photos, or research notes), you understand and agree that:

  • Your contributions may be publicly visible on the site.
  • Other users may build on, edit, or reference your contributions.
  • We may edit or format submissions for clarity, consistency, or technical reasons.
  • You grant us a broad permission to host, display, archive, preserve, and reproduce your submissions, as needed to operate and grow the archive.

You keep ownership of your original content, but you grant Atlas Arcadia a long-term, royalty-free license to use it in connection with the project.

4. Your Rights and Choices

What You Can Do

  • View or update your account information.
  • Request deletion of your account.
  • Request deletion or anonymization of your contributions where feasible and consistent with maintaining the historical integrity of the archive.
  • Opt out of newsletters and marketing emails at any time (once they are available).

What We May Retain

  • Historical contribution records and attribution for archival and integrity purposes.
  • Anonymized or aggregated data related to accounts that have been deleted.

5. How We Protect Your Data

We use standard security practices to help protect your data, including:

  • Encrypted password storage
  • Secure server configurations where possible
  • Limited internal access to personal data

No system is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to keep your information safe.

6. Future Nonprofit and For-Profit Structure

Atlas Arcadia is expected to operate as a nonprofit organization starting in 2026. In the future, we may partner with or license parts of the archive to a related for-profit entity in order to further the mission of preserving and sharing arcade history.

If such a partnership or licensing arrangement occurs:

  • Your personal account data will not be sold.
  • Your personal data will not be transferred in a way that conflicts with this Privacy Policy.
  • Your public contributions may be included as part of the licensed archive or related projects, in line with the permissions you grant us when you submit content.

7. Third-Party Services

In the future, we may use third-party services, such as:

  • Anonymized analytics platforms
  • Email newsletter providers
  • Mapping or geolocation APIs

If and when these services collect or process data in a way that affects your privacy, we will update this policy to describe that use.

8. Children's Privacy

Atlas Arcadia is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected such information, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. For major changes, we may provide additional notice on the site.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, you can contact us at:

privacy@atlasarcadia.org