Effective and last updated: October 9, 2026
Who operates this forum
Subie Forums at https://subieforums.com is operated by Catskill Marketing LLC, based in New York, United States. The operator is responsible for deciding how the forum uses personal information. For privacy questions or requests, email [email protected], with “Privacy request” in the subject. Please do not post a privacy request containing personal information in a public topic.
Information we collect
When you register or participate, we collect your email address, username, authentication information, account preferences, and any optional profile information you provide. We store the posts, replies, reactions, bookmarks, messages, photos, files, and other information you submit. We also retain information about reports, moderation actions, and communications with staff.
When you use the forum, our software and infrastructure process technical information such as IP addresses, browser/device information, request times, pages requested, referring pages when supplied by your browser, and account activity. Discourse records usage information such as topic views, reading activity, searches, and participation to provide forum features and community reports. Browsing without an account does not prevent technical logging.
You do not need to publish your real name, street address, phone number, or precise location to take part. Do not upload credentials, identity documents, payment details, or personal information about others without permission. Images and files may contain identifying details or metadata; inspect them before uploading.
How we use information
We use information to operate accounts and discussions; deliver requested notifications and account emails; remember preferences and reading position; provide search and community features; respond to inquiries; maintain backups; prevent spam, fraud, and abuse; enforce forum rules; and understand aggregate traffic and participation so we can improve the forum.
Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on performance of our agreement with you for account and forum services; legitimate interests for proportionate administration, security, moderation, and community measurement, subject to your rights; legal obligations when applicable; and consent for optional processing that requires it. You may withdraw consent for future processing without affecting processing already carried out lawfully. We do not use automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects; automated spam or moderation controls may limit content or account activity, and you can contact staff for review.
What is public and what is restricted
Public topics, replies, usernames, public profiles, and their attachments can be viewed, copied, shared, or indexed by search engines. Even after a forum edit or removal, copies may remain with other people or external caches. Think carefully before publishing identifying information.
Your account email address is not normally displayed publicly. Direct messages and restricted-category discussions are limited by forum permissions, but they are not end-to-end encrypted or a confidential communications service. Authorized administrators may access restricted information when needed to operate the service, investigate a report, resolve a security issue, or comply with law. Message recipients can also copy or share what they receive.
Service providers and disclosures
The forum is self-hosted using Discourse software on DigitalOcean infrastructure. Cloudflare supplies infrastructure services for the domain and forwards incoming email sent to our contact addresses to our Gmail inbox. Mailgun processes outgoing forum email, and Gmail processes contact correspondence. These providers may process information needed to supply their services under their own applicable terms and privacy practices. Authorized staff and technical administrators have access appropriate to their work.
We may disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law or a valid legal request, address fraud or security threats, protect people or enforce our terms. If the forum’s ownership changes, relevant data may transfer with the service subject to applicable law and notice obligations.
We do not sell member personal information or share it with sponsors for behavioral advertising. Sponsorship does not provide access to private account details or messages. Information you choose to send directly to a vendor is handled by that vendor.
Cookies, storage, and analytics
Discourse uses cookies and browser storage for functions such as authentication, session security, preferences, and forum operation. Depending on your activity, you may encounter authentication/session cookies such as _t and _forum_session, preference storage, and infrastructure security cookies. Exact names and lifetimes can vary with software and configuration.
Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics are currently disabled. We use Discourse’s own community reporting rather than Google tracking. This does not mean the forum collects no usage data: the activity and technical information described above still support the service and reports.
You can remove or block storage through your browser, although this may prevent login or other features from working. We will seek consent before adding optional storage or tracking where required by applicable law. Agreeing to forum terms is not consent to optional tracking.
External links and embedded content are separate services. Opening a link or loading an external player may disclose your IP address, browser information, and other data to its provider, which may use its own cookies. Consult that service’s privacy notice; do not assume our Google-tracking setting controls external services.
Retention and account deletion
We retain account information while your account is active and as needed to provide the service. Discussions are intended to remain useful over time, so public contributions may remain after an account closes, with attribution anonymized where appropriate. If a post contains personal information you want removed, identify it in your request so we can assess the request and applicable rights.
Security, moderation, technical logs, and support records are retained for the period needed for their purpose, including investigating abuse, resolving disputes, and meeting legal obligations. Retention varies by record and configured software limits. Backups rotate rather than disappearing immediately after a deletion; retained copies may persist until replaced. Where an exception requires retention, we will explain it when responding to a request. We do not promise immediate removal from every backup or from external search engines.
Your choices and rights
Use account preferences to change your profile, email notifications, and available privacy settings. An account data export may be available in your preferences. For account closure, data access, correction, deletion, portability, restriction, objection, or withdrawal of consent, contact the email above. The rights available depend on applicable law. We may need reasonable information to verify that a request comes from the account holder; do not send identity documents unless we explain why they are necessary and how to provide them safely.
Where EU or UK data-protection law applies, you may also complain to your local supervisory authority. Other jurisdictions may provide additional rights. We do not require you to waive statutory rights to use the forum.
International processing and security
The forum and its providers may process data in the United States and other countries, whose laws may differ from yours. Where applicable law requires a transfer safeguard, the transfer must be covered by an appropriate lawful mechanism; this notice is not a request to waive those protections.
We use HTTPS, account permissions, and administrative controls to protect information. No online service can guarantee complete security. Use a unique password and report suspected account compromise promptly.
Children and changes
The forum is for a general automotive audience and is not intended for children under 13. Accounts must meet the minimum age in our Terms of Use, including any higher requirement under local law. If you believe a child has provided personal information improperly, contact us so we can investigate and take appropriate action.
We will update this notice when our practices change and provide additional notice where required. See also our Terms of Use, Community Guidelines, and Marketplace Rules.