Privacy Policy

1. Introduction & Scope

TIL Insights is a developer-learning platform operated by The Interesting Lab (“TIL Insights,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) at https://tilinsights.com. We publish in-depth technical articles, learning paths and series, interactive quizzes, an arcade of daily coding games with leaderboards, live events with verified certificates, a community layer, and newsletters.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect when you use our website, products, and services, how we use and share it, and the rights and choices you have. It applies to everyone who visits or uses TIL Insights, whether you have an account or not. If you do not agree with this policy, please do not use the platform.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information you give us directly, information generated as you use the platform, and a limited amount of technical information collected automatically.

• Account information. Authentication and account management are handled by our identity provider, Clerk. When you sign up or log in, Clerk processes details such as your name, email address, username, password or social-login identifiers, and session data. We receive a Clerk user identifier and the basic profile fields associated with your account.
• Profile information. Details you add to your profile, such as a display name, bio, avatar, social links, and your skills or interests.
• Content you post. Articles, learning-path contributions, quiz submissions, comments, reactions and claps, follows, author-application materials, event registrations, and any images or files you upload.
• Reading and usage activity. Articles you read and your reading progress, quizzes you complete and your scores, arcade game results, XP, streaks and leaderboard standings, certificates you earn, events you attend, and authors you follow.
• Device and log data. Information automatically generated when you access the platform, such as IP address, browser type and version, device and operating-system details, referring pages, and timestamps. This data supports security, debugging, and abuse prevention.
• Cookies and analytics. Cookies, similar technologies, and analytics identifiers used to keep you signed in, remember preferences, and understand how the platform is used. See Section 4.
• Communications. If you contact us or subscribe to a newsletter, we keep your message, email address, and subscription preferences.

3. How We Use Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain the platform and your account.
• Authenticate you, keep your sessions secure, and protect against fraud and abuse.
• Deliver core features — serving articles, tracking reading progress, scoring quizzes, running arcade games and leaderboards, awarding XP and verified certificates, and managing event registrations.
• Power community features such as comments, reactions and claps, following authors, and the author-application program.
• Send transactional emails (for example, account, certificate, or event notifications) and, where you have opted in, newsletters. You can unsubscribe from newsletters at any time.
• Understand and improve how the platform is used, measure performance, and develop new features.
• Maintain the security and integrity of the service, including detecting and preventing automated abuse.
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

4. Cookies & Analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential functions — such as keeping you signed in through Clerk and remembering your preferences — and for analytics. Essential cookies are required for the platform to work; analytics and other non-essential technologies help us understand usage patterns.

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to measure aggregate usage, such as page views, navigation paths, and feature engagement. GA4 relies on a measurement identifier and may set cookies or use similar identifiers to distinguish sessions and devices. We use this data in aggregate to improve the platform and do not use it to identify you personally. You can control cookies through your browser settings and may opt out of Google Analytics using Google's opt-out tools.

5. Third-Party Services & Subprocessors

We rely on trusted service providers (subprocessors) to operate TIL Insights. These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy and security commitments, and only to the extent needed to deliver their service:

• Clerk — authentication, account management, and session security.
• Supabase (PostgreSQL) — our primary database storing account, content, and activity data.
• Cloudinary — hosting and delivery of images and uploaded media.
• Upstash Redis — caching and ephemeral data to keep the platform fast.
• Google Analytics 4 — aggregate usage analytics based on a measurement identifier.
• Cloudflare Turnstile — anti-bot and abuse protection on forms and submissions.
• Email provider — delivery of transactional emails and newsletters.
• Vercel — hosting and delivery of our frontend website.
• Railway — hosting of our backend services and APIs.

6. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• With the subprocessors listed above, so they can provide their services to us.
• When you choose to make information public — for example, your profile, published articles, comments, claps, follows, and leaderboard standings are visible to others by design.
• To comply with the law, respond to lawful requests, or protect the rights, safety, and security of TIL Insights, our users, and the public.
• In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, in which case we will notify you of any change in how your data is handled.

7. Data Retention

We keep personal information for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the platform. Content you publish (such as articles and comments) may remain visible until you remove it or delete your account. We may retain certain information for longer where required to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, prevent abuse, or enforce our agreements. When data is no longer needed, we delete or anonymize it.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit, access controls, delegated authentication through Clerk, and anti-bot protection via Cloudflare Turnstile. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security; however, we work continuously to safeguard your data and to respond promptly to any incident.

9. Your Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights under laws such as the GDPR and CCPA. These can include:

• Access — request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
• Correction — ask us to fix inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Deletion — request that we delete your account and associated personal data.
• Export (portability) — receive your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
• Objection and restriction — object to or limit certain processing, including marketing.
• Opt-out — unsubscribe from newsletters and decline non-essential cookies.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at privacy@tilinsights.com. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law. You may also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.

10. Children's Privacy

TIL Insights is not directed to children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 13 (or under 16 where a higher age applies under local law). If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.

11. International Transfers

TIL Insights and our subprocessors operate globally, so your information may be processed in countries other than your own, including the United States. These countries may have different data-protection laws than your jurisdiction. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards — such as standard contractual clauses — to protect your information when it is transferred across borders.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date above and, where appropriate, provide a more prominent notice. Your continued use of the platform after an update means you accept the revised policy.

13. Contact

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, reach out to us: