Privacy Policy
Effective date: 22 July 2026
Last updated: 22 July 2026
1. Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Nova Chat collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you use the Nova Chat desktop application, website, servers, channels, direct messages, voice features, media tools, and related services.
2. Information Nova Chat collects
| Category | Examples | Why it is needed |
|---|---|---|
| Account information | Email address, username, display name, profile biography, avatar, banner, profile colors, badges, and account creation time. | To create and operate your account and profile. |
| Authentication information | A salted password hash, hashed session tokens, and session expiry information. Nova Chat does not intentionally store your plain-text password. | To authenticate users and protect accounts. |
| Communication content | Server messages, direct messages, reactions, mentions, server memberships, roles, read status, and moderation or audit information. | To provide messaging, community, and moderation functions. |
| Uploads and media | Images, videos, GIFs, stickers, custom emoji, filenames, file types, file sizes, and upload times. | To store and deliver content you choose to upload. |
| Technical information | IP address, request time, requested URL, app or browser user-agent, app version, server errors, and connection information. | To operate, secure, troubleshoot, and prevent abuse of the service. |
| Voice-room information | Voice-channel membership, speaking state, selected device preferences, and technical connection or relay information. | To establish and maintain live voice, camera, and screen-sharing sessions. |
3. Information stored locally on your device
The Nova Chat application stores certain information in local application storage, including the login token, user-interface preferences, recent and favorite emoji, voice volume settings, selected microphone/camera/output devices, screen-sharing quality, and overlay preferences. This information remains on your device unless it is synchronized through a Nova Chat feature or removed by clearing the app data.
4. Voice, camera, and screen sharing
Nova Chat does not intentionally record or store the content of voice calls, camera streams, or screen shares. These streams are transmitted live between participants and may pass through the Nova Chat TURN relay when a direct connection is unavailable. Participants may use separate software or device features to record a call or screen, so do not share anything you would not want another participant to retain.
5. Direct messages and administrator access
Direct messages are stored on the Nova Chat server and are not end-to-end encrypted. Ordinary server administrators do not have an in-app tool that automatically gives them access to every direct message. However, the operator of the Nova Chat VPS and database can technically access stored information when reasonably necessary for security, technical support, abuse investigation, legal compliance, or protecting users. Nova Chat does not routinely review direct messages.
6. Server messages and moderation
Server owners, administrators, and moderators may view messages in channels they have permission to access. Moderators may also view content that is reported or otherwise provided to them for review. Server audit logs may record actions such as role, channel, and permission changes.
7. Automated checks
Nova Chat currently performs automated technical validation of uploaded files, including checks of allowed file type, declared size, actual size, and file signature. These checks help prevent unsupported or misleading uploads. The current release does not perform general automated scanning of all message text for moderation purposes.
8. How information is used and legal bases
- Providing the service: operating accounts, servers, channels, DMs, media, profiles, stickers, roles, voice, camera, screen sharing, and updates.
- Legitimate interests: securing Nova Chat, preventing abuse, diagnosing errors, maintaining service reliability, and enforcing community rules.
- Consent: where optional processing relies on your consent, including certain device permissions and optional features.
- Legal obligations: responding to valid legal requests and protecting legal rights.
9. Service providers and third parties
- Contabo: hosts the Nova Chat VPS, database, media, API, update services, and networking infrastructure.
- Cloudflare: hosts the public website through Cloudflare Pages and may process technical request information.
- GitHub: hosts public Nova Chat release files and installer downloads.
- GIPHY: provides GIF search. Search terms and technical request information may be sent to GIPHY when that feature is used.
Those providers process information under their own terms and privacy policies. Nova Chat does not sell personal information.
10. Website cookies and analytics
The current Nova Chat website does not intentionally include a separate analytics platform or advertising tracker. Hosting and download providers may still process normal request information or use their own necessary technologies when you visit their services.
11. Retention and deletion
- Account and profile information is generally retained while the account remains active.
- Messages remain in the active database until deleted by an authorized user or moderator, or until the account/service is deleted where applicable.
- Deleted messages are removed from the active database, but copies may remain in existing backups until those backups are deleted.
- Uploaded media may remain on the server after a message reference is deleted unless the file is separately removed.
- Access, error, audit, and TURN-related logs may currently be retained until manual deletion.
- Account deletion is handled through a request to thefilelockup@gmail.com. Identity verification may be required before a request is completed.
12. Security
Nova Chat uses measures such as HTTPS, salted password hashing, hashed session tokens, file-signature checks, role permissions, and restricted server access. No system can guarantee absolute security, and users should use a unique password and protect access to their devices and email accounts.
13. Your privacy rights
Depending on applicable law, you may request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection regarding your personal information, and you may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent. Send requests to thefilelockup@gmail.com.
You may also submit a complaint to the Hungarian National Authority for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (NAIH): www.naih.hu, email ugyfelszolgalat@naih.hu.
14. Age requirement
Nova Chat is intended for users aged 14 or older. Users aged 14 or 15 must have permission from a parent or legal guardian where consent is required by applicable law. Nova Chat may request confirmation of parental or guardian authorization where legally necessary.
15. International processing
Some service providers may process information outside Hungary or outside the European Economic Area. Where required, appropriate legal safeguards should apply to those transfers.
16. Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated as Nova Chat changes. The effective date will be updated when material changes are published.
17. Contact
NovaCore Studios — independent project brand
Operator/developer alias: BobTheBuildar
Location: Miskolc, Hungary
Email: thefilelockup@gmail.com