MonsterDex Privacy Policy

MonsterDex Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 08, 2025 

Last Updated: April 08, 2025

Welcome to the MonsterDex Privacy Policy (hereinafter referred to as the "Policy"), a document governing the use of the MonsterDex Discord bot (hereinafter referred to as "MonsterDex," "the Bot," "the Application," "we," "us," or "our"), a creation forked from the BallsDex framework by the dedicated MonsterDex Staff Team (hereinafter referred to as the "Staff Team"). MonsterDex exists to bring the joy of collecting, trading, and battling using the My Singing Monsters monsters (hereinafter referred to as "Collectibles") to Discord servers (hereinafter referred to as "Servers") worldwide. This Policy outlines, in exhaustive and occasionally exhausting detail, how we collect, store, process, and protect data (hereinafter referred to as "Data") associated with your use of MonsterDex, while emphasizing our operational limitations and your rights as a user (hereinafter referred to as "you," "your," or "Users").

Glossary

For clarity, the following definitions apply throughout this Policy:

- Application or Discord Application: The MonsterDex bot user, its associated Staff Team, and the Servers it inhabits.

- Data: Any information stored by an individual instance of MonsterDex, including personal data as defined herein.

- Bot or Instance: A running copy of the MonsterDex code, complete with its own data, hosted either officially or by self-hosting Users.

- Collectible: Any virtual object intended for collection, such as monsters, or potential future additions like virtual currency.

- MonsterDex Staff Team: Individuals responsible for the Application’s operation, maintenance, and authentication, collectively managing its data and functionality.

- MonsterDex Moderation Team or Moderation Team: The Staff Team and any Users they designate to assist with moderation, though such Users lack personal data access unless explicitly stated.

Source Code and Licensing

MonsterDex is an open-source fork of BallsDex (available on GitHub), operating under the MIT License, a copy of which is included below for your perusal. The Instance you interact with is guaranteed to run an exact copy of the open-source code, though it may not reflect the latest version (see `/about` for details). No local modifications are made to the codebase beyond what is publicly available. You are encouraged to review the source code to understand data management practices, supplementing the explanations provided herein.

The MIT License:  

*Permission is hereby granted, free of charge, to any person obtaining a copy of this software and associated documentation files (the "Software"), to deal in the Software without restriction, including without limitation the rights to use, copy, modify, merge, publish, distribute, sublicense, and/or sell copies of the Software, and to permit persons to whom the Software is furnished to do so, subject to the following conditions: The above copyright notice and this permission notice shall be included in all copies or substantial portions of the Software. THE SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED "AS IS", WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND NONINFRINGEMENT. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE AUTHORS OR COPYRIGHT HOLDERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY CLAIM, DAMAGES OR OTHER LIABILITY, WHETHER IN AN ACTION OF CONTRACT, TORT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING FROM, OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THE SOFTWARE OR THE USE OR OTHER DEALINGS IN THE SOFTWARE.*

1. Introduction and Purpose

MonsterDex is a Discord bot designed to enhance Server engagement by allowing Users to catch, trade, and battle Collectibles within a playful, community-driven ecosystem. This Policy governs all interactions with the Bot, whether through official Instances or self-hosted versions, and applies to all Users who invite MonsterDex to their Servers or engage with its features. By adding MonsterDex to your Server or issuing commands, you acknowledge and accept the terms herein, as well as any implied obligations arising from your participation.

2. Data Collection: What We Collect and Why

MonsterDex collects minimal Data to facilitate its core functionality, as dictated by Discord’s API and our design. Below is an exhaustive enumeration of collected Data:

- **User IDs**: A unique numerical identifier provided by Discord, used to associate you with your Collectible inventory within our database. This ensures that your hard-earned Wubbox remains yours.

- **Server (Guild) IDs**: Unique identifiers for Servers where MonsterDex is active, stored to manage settings and enable Collectible spawns in designated channels.

- **Channel IDs**: Identifiers for specific channels within Servers, used solely to determine where Collectibles should appear for Users to catch.

- **Collectible Data**: Internally generated Data specific to MonsterDex, including:

  - A list of Collectibles owned by each User, detailing their names, rarity tiers, and ownership status.

  - A trade history for each Collectible, recording past and present owners (via User IDs) to track exchanges.

- **No Message Content**: We emphatically state that **we cannot access the messages in your Server**. MonsterDex lacks the capability, permissions, or intent to read, store, or process general chat messages, discussions, or any content not directly invoking its commands (e.g., `/monster catch`). Our interaction is limited to command-specific inputs and responses.

3. How Data is Stored

All Data is stored securely on a PostgreSQL server running on a Virtual Private Machine (VPM) hosted by netcup GmbH, a reputable German hosting provider. Interaction between the Bot and the database is exclusively local, facilitated by Tortoise ORM, ensuring no external transmission beyond the host machine unless required for gameplay (e.g., trades). Storage specifics include:

- **Database Structure**: User IDs, Server IDs, Channel IDs, and Collectible Data are organized in relational tables, optimized for efficient retrieval and updates.

- **Retention**: Data persists as long as you remain an active User or your Server hosts MonsterDex. Inactive Data may linger indefinitely unless manually purged, though it becomes functionally obsolete.

- **Security Measures**: The VPM employs industry-standard encryption and access controls to safeguard Data, though we acknowledge that breaches, while unlikely, are theoretically possible due to the chaotic nature of the internet.

 4. Access to Data

Access to Data is strictly limited:

- **MonsterDex Staff Team**: Only the Staff Team may interact with the database or administrator interface, with access restricted to those managing the host machine and Bot operations.

- **Moderation Team**: The MonsterDex Moderation Team, while assisting with community management, has no access to Data unless explicitly granted by the Staff Team, which is not standard practice.

- **No Public Access**: Data is never made available to the public, and access is secured via authentication protocols, physical and digital barriers, and the sheer obscurity of our monster-themed niche.

 5. Data Usage: Purposes and Limitations

Collected Data serves the following purposes:

- **Gameplay**: User IDs link you to your Collectibles, Server IDs configure Bot settings, and Channel IDs direct spawns, ensuring a seamless monster-hunting experience.

- **Trades**: Trade history and User IDs facilitate exchanges between Users, processed internally without external sharing.

- **Diagnostics**: Error logs may temporarily include User IDs or Server IDs to troubleshoot issues (e.g., a monster failing to spawn), discarded post-resolution.

- **No Other Use**: We do not sell, share, or exploit Data for advertising, analytics, or any purpose beyond MonsterDex’s operation. 

 6. Our Inability to Access Messages

To reiterate with unrelenting specificity: **we cannot access the messages in your Server**. MonsterDex operates on a command-response model, processing only inputs prefixed with its designated trigger (e.g., `/monster`) or slash commands. General Server. This limitation is intrinsic to our design and Discord’s API, ensuring your Server’s privacy remains intact.

 7. Server Blacklisting: Conditions and Constraints

MonsterDex may blacklist Servers deemed disruptive (e.g., for farming or violating Discord’s Terms of Service), but this is subject to strict conditions: **we cannot blacklist your Server if MonsterDex is not enabled therein**. Blacklisting requires the Bot to be actively invited and operational within a Server. If MonsterDex is absent or removed, we lack the jurisdiction, knowledge, or means to impose such a restriction. This policy ensures that only active Instances face scrutiny, leaving unengaged Servers untouched and unjudged.

 8. Joining Servers: Invitation Only

MonsterDex cannot autonomously join Servers. We state unequivocally: **we cannot join your Server without your invitation**. Access requires an explicit invite from a Server administrator with "Manage Server" permissions. Without this, we remain blissfully unaware of your Server’s existence, unable to infiltrate, observe, or participate. Our presence is consensual, not coercive.

 9. Your Rights

You possess the following rights regarding your Data:

- **Access**: Request a copy of your personal Data (User ID and Collectible list) via a ticket on our support Server ([https://discord.gg/monsterdex](https://discord.gg/monsterdex)).

- **Deletion**: Request removal of your Data, which may unlink your Collectibles or purge your records entirely, at the discretion of the Staff Team.

- **Contact**: Raise concerns or inquiries through the support Server, where the Moderation Team will be able to assist you.

10. Third-Party Interactions

Data sharing is minimal:

- **Discord**: User IDs and Server IDs are processed via Discord’s API, governed by their Privacy Policy.

- **Trades**: Trade transactions involve only the participating Users’ IDs and Collectible details, confined to MonsterDex’s ecosystem. If any transactions are outside of MonsterDex (ex. Discord Nitro for a Collectible) will result in punishment

- **Legal Compliance**: We may disclose Data if legally compelled (e.g., by court order), though our limited collection offers little of value to such demands.

 11. Policy Updates

The Staff Team reserves the right to modify this Policy at any time, with changes posted on the MonsterDex support Server. Updates take effect immediately, applying retroactively where applicable, and your continued use constitutes acceptance.

 12. Revenue

The MonsterDex Staff Team hereby declares, with an abundance of detail and a flourish of sincerity, that MonsterDex generates no revenue, profit, income, cash flow, or financial remuneration of any description—nor do we harbor the slightest ambition to so, which has lead to The Staff Team making the Bot completely free forever. This Bot operates as a wholly non-commercial enterprise, devoid of subscription fees, donation prompts, paywalls, premium tiers, or any other mechanisms that generate revenue.

 13. Contact Us

For questions, data requests, join us at https://discord.gg/monsterdex.