1. Who we are
The responsible party (data controller) under POPIA is:
- Robert Brown, trading as Browns Digital
- Email: robert@brownsdigital.org
- Website: brownsdigital.org
- Jurisdiction: Republic of South Africa
For POPIA requests, contact robert@brownsdigital.org. We aim to acknowledge requests within 5 business days. You may also lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
2. Scope
This policy applies to:
- brownsdigital.org — our marketing site and documentation
- brownsdigital.org/tools/ — browser-based developer tools (Meta Tag Previewer, Favicon Generator, and future utilities)
- Email correspondence with robert@brownsdigital.org
It does not cover content outside brownsdigital.org.
3. Definitions
- Personal information
- Information relating to an identifiable person, as defined in POPIA — including name, email, and online identifiers where they can be linked to you.
- Processing
- Any operation on personal information — collection, storage, use, disclosure, or deletion.
- Browser-local processing
- Operations performed entirely in your browser without sending file contents to our servers (e.g. favicon generation).
- Session storage
- Temporary data stored in your browser tab via the
sessionStorageAPI, cleared when the tab closes.
4. What we collect
4.1 Website visitors
| Data type | Source | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| IP address, user agent, request path | Server logs | Security, abuse prevention, aggregate analytics |
| Pages viewed, timestamps | Server logs | Service operation and debugging |
| Email address and message content | You, voluntarily | Support and correspondence |
4.2 What we do not collect
5. Browser tools
Our tools are designed to minimise data leaving your device:
Favicon Generator
Images you upload are processed locally using browser APIs. We do not receive, store, or analyse your logo files. Output ZIPs are generated client-side and downloaded directly to your machine.
Meta Tag Previewer
Draft title, description, and image values may be stored in sessionStorage while you work in the same tab. This data never leaves your browser unless you explicitly request a third-party image URL (your browser fetches it from that host).
If you enter an external image URL for preview purposes, your browser requests it from that server according to normal HTTP rules. We do not proxy or log those requests.
6. Legal basis for processing
Under POPIA we rely on:
- Legitimate interest — operating and securing our website, preventing abuse, and improving tools
- Consent — where you voluntarily email us or opt into future marketing (none today)
- Legal obligation — retaining records where tax or law requires
We document processing activities internally and review them when we launch new features (e.g. paid accounts).
7. How we use information
- Operate, maintain, and improve brownsdigital.org and /tools/
- Respond to support requests and contact emails
- Detect, prevent, and address security incidents or abuse
- Comply with applicable law and enforce our Terms of Service
We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your data for automated decision-making that produces legal effects.
9. International transfers
Some providers may process data outside South Africa (e.g. EU or US data centres). Where that happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards under POPIA — including contractual clauses and provider certifications where available.
Tool data processed locally in your browser is described in section 5 (Browser tools) of this policy.
10. Cookies and storage
The marketing site does not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
/tools/ may use sessionStorage for the Meta Tag Previewer in the same browser tab. It clears when you close the tab. We do not set persistent third-party analytics cookies on the tools hub.
A service worker may cache static assets (CSS, JS, icons) for faster repeat visits. Cached files contain no personal information.
11. Retention
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Server access logs | Rotated on a rolling schedule, typically 30–90 days unless needed for security investigation |
| Support emails | As long as needed to resolve your request, then deleted or archived per business need |
| Tool session data | Stays in your browser only; we do not retain copies |
12. Security
We use HTTPS (TLS), access controls, and sensible hosting practices. We review dependencies and apply patches on a reasonable schedule.
No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security, but we work to protect information using HTTPS, access controls, and sensible hosting practices described in this section.
13. Your rights (POPIA)
Subject to POPIA, you may:
Contact robert@brownsdigital.org to exercise these rights. You may lodge a complaint with the Information Regulator of South Africa.
14. Children
Our services are directed at developers and are not intended for anyone under 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe a minor has provided us data, contact us and we will delete it promptly.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when we launch new tools, paid features, or change how data is processed. The "Last updated" date at the top will change. Material changes will be highlighted on this page. Continued use after an update means you accept the revised policy.
16. Contact
- Email: robert@brownsdigital.org
- Website: brownsdigital.org