Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2026.

This policy explains what data Flances collects, why, and what you can do about it. The short version: we collect the minimum needed to run the service, we don't sell anything, we don't run advertising or third-party tracking, and you can delete your account at any time.

1. Who is responsible for your data

Flances is operated by Artem Gorlovetsky (webtopro.com). The operator acts as the data controller for the personal data you provide. Contact: office@webtopro.com.

2. What we collect

Account data

When you sign in with Google, we receive your email, name, and profile picture URL from Google. We use this to create your account and to identify you when you return.

Content you add

Trees, people, biographies, photos, dates, places, occupations, free-text stories. This is the genealogy data you choose to record.

Files

Photos and other files you upload are stored on S3-compatible object storage. Files attached to a public tree become publicly accessible by direct URL. Files in a private tree are only accessible to invited members.

Technical data

For each request the server may log: the URL, response status, IP address, user agent, and a request ID. Logs are kept short-term for security and debugging — generally up to 30 days.

What we don't collect

No advertising identifiers. No social-network pixels. No analytics scripts at the time of writing. If we add analytics later (for example, a privacy-respecting service like Plausible, or Google Analytics), this policy will be updated and the change announced before it takes effect.

3. Public vs private

This is the most important section.

A tree marked public is visible to anyone on the internet. Search engines may index it. Its people, dates, photos, biographies, and connections to other public trees are all public information.

A tree marked private is visible only to its owner and to members the owner invites. Photos and stories in a private tree stay inside that group.

By making a tree public, you decide that its content can be seen by strangers. You should confirm with living relatives whose data appears in the tree before publishing. The operator is not the right party to balance your relatives' privacy against your wish to publish — you are.

4. Why we process your data

• Run the service. Sign-in, displaying trees, sending invites, storing photos.
• Communicate with you. Replies to feedback you submit, and (sparingly) operational notices about service changes.
• Keep things safe. Detecting abuse, spam, and unauthorised access.
• Comply with the law. Responding to lawful requests from authorities.

5. Where your data lives

The application database runs on Hetzner Online GmbH, Germany (EU). Files are stored with an S3-compatible provider. Both are within the European Union or covered by an adequate-protection mechanism under EU law.

Sign-in is delegated to Google. Your Google account profile passes through Google's infrastructure during authentication.

Outbound emails (feedback replies, service notices) are sent through an SMTP provider; the recipient's email and the message body pass through that provider's servers in transit.

6. How long we keep data

• Account data: while your account exists, plus up to 30 days after deletion to complete the removal.
• Content you added: same as above, plus copies cached by search engines and other third parties (we can't control those).
• Server logs: up to 30 days, then routinely purged.
• Email logs (subjects, send status, no body): kept while operationally useful for debugging delivery.

7. Your rights

If you are in the EU/EEA, the GDPR gives you the rights below; we extend the same rights to all users regardless of where you live.

• Access. Ask what personal data we hold about you.
• Correction. Fix anything inaccurate.
• Deletion. Remove your account from your profile at any time, or request deletion via email.
• Portability. Request a copy of the data you've added in a machine-readable form.
• Objection. Object to a particular processing activity.
• Complaint. Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, write to office@webtopro.com. We aim to respond within 30 days.

8. Removing data about other people

If a tree contains information about you that you did not consent to publish, write to office@webtopro.com with a link to the tree and a description of what you want removed. We will review the request and act accordingly. The right of a living person not to be exposed weighs heavily; we will not refuse such a request just because someone else owns the tree.

9. Children

The service is not aimed at children under 16. If you believe an under-age user has created an account, write to office@webtopro.com and we will remove it.

10. Cookies

Flances uses cookies only to keep you signed in (an authentication session cookie and a refresh-token cookie) and to remember basic preferences such as language. There are no advertising cookies, no third-party tracking cookies, and no consent banner is required for the cookies we use.

11. Security

The service uses HTTPS, hashed credentials where applicable, scoped access tokens, and standard server hardening. No system is unbreakable. If you discover a vulnerability, please tell us privately at office@webtopro.com.

12. Changes to this policy

If we change this policy in a way that affects what we collect or how we use it, we will update the date at the top of this page and announce the change on the site. Continued use after a change means you accept the updated policy.

13. Contact

Privacy questions, deletion requests, takedowns: office@webtopro.com.