the small print, kindly

Privacy policy

Last updated: July 3, 2026 · Applies to the kotsu website and closed-beta waitlist

The short version

We collect your email address (and, if you give one, a pet name) so we can invite you to the closed beta and send you kotsu updates. We use privacy-respecting analytics to see whether the site is working. We don't run ads, we don't sell personal information, and every email we send includes an unsubscribe link.

Who we are, and what this covers

kotsu ("kotsu", "we", "us") is an app in development, based in Canada. This policy covers this website (kotsuapp.com) and its waitlist only. The kotsu app will have its own privacy policy when it launches, and joining this waitlist does not opt you into anything the app may later collect.

Information you give us

• Email address: provided by you when you join the waitlist.
• Pet name and pick (optional): if you name a pet, the name and which pet you picked are saved with your signup so your pet is waiting for you when the beta opens. They're also remembered in your own browser so the page recalls your choice.
• Anything you send us: if you email us or message us on Discord or social media, we receive what you choose to send.

Information collected automatically

• Analytics: aggregate usage information such as page views, referring site, browser type, and approximate (country-level) location, collected through Cloudflare Web Analytics, a privacy-focused analytics tool. It does not follow you across other websites.
• Server and security logs: our hosting provider processes technical information, such as IP addresses, as part of serving the site and protecting it from abuse.
• Browser storage: your theme choice, pet pick, pet name, and email are kept in your browser's local storage so the page remembers them between visits. This stays on your device unless you submit the signup form.

How we use it

• To send you waitlist confirmations, beta invitations, and occasional news about kotsu. Joining the waitlist is your express consent, under Canada's anti-spam legislation (CASL), to receive these beta and product emails. We won't use your address for unrelated marketing. Every message identifies us as the sender and includes a one-click unsubscribe, and you can withdraw consent at any time.
• To operate, secure, and improve the website.
• To understand, in aggregate, how the site is being used.

We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not sell or rent it to anyone.

When we share it

We share personal information only with the service providers that help us run this site, currently Buttondown (waitlist and beta emails), Cloudflare (hosting and analytics), and Zoho Mail (our [email protected] inbox), each under its own confidentiality and data-protection commitments. Beyond that, we would disclose personal information only where the law requires it, where it's necessary to protect our rights or someone's safety, or, if kotsu is ever acquired or reorganized, to the successor organization, which would remain bound by commitments at least as protective as this policy.

Where it's stored

Some of our service providers, including Buttondown and Cloudflare, are based in the United States, so your information may be stored and processed on servers outside Canada. While information is outside Canada, it may be subject to the laws of those jurisdictions, including lawful access requests by authorities there.

How long we keep it

We keep your information for as long as you're on the waitlist or subscribed to updates. If you unsubscribe, we stop emailing you; if you ask us to delete your information, we will. We may keep a minimal suppression record (your email on a do-not-contact list) so we never accidentally email you again, and we may retain information longer where the law requires it.

Your rights and choices

• Every email we send includes a one-click unsubscribe.
• You can ask us at any time to show you what we hold about you, correct it, or delete it: email [email protected]. No forms, no friction.
• If you're not satisfied with how we handle your information, you may contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local law; we'll honour reasonable requests wherever you are.

Security

We use reasonable safeguards to protect your information: reputable providers, encrypted connections, and access limited to the kotsu team. That said, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security.

Children

kotsu and its waitlist are for people aged 13 and up. If you're under 13, please don't join the waitlist. If we learn that an email address belongs to a child under 13, we'll delete it.

Changes

We may update this policy as the site or the law changes. Updates will be posted here with a new date at the top, and meaningful changes will be flagged clearly. We won't quietly expand what we collect.

Contact

Questions about privacy: [email protected]