Privacy Policy
Last updated: March 17, 2026
Who We Are
Thunder Chasers Members (“we”, “our”, or “us”) operates a members-only storm chasing platform. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your rights.
Information We Collect
Account Information
When you register or log in, we collect:
- Your name and email address
- A username (generated from your name for OAuth logins)
- Your account role (member, moderator, admin)
Facebook Login
If you choose to log in with Facebook, we receive from Facebook:
- Your Facebook user ID
- Your display name
- Your email address (if shared by Facebook)
We also verify whether you are a paying member of the Thunder Chasers Subscribers Facebook group. We do not store your Facebook access token beyond the current login session. We do not post to Facebook on your behalf.
Google / YouTube Login
If you choose to log in with Google, we receive from Google:
- Your Google account ID
- Your display name and email address
- Your YouTube channel ID (to verify channel membership)
We verify whether your YouTube channel holds an active paid membership on our channel. We do not store your Google access token beyond the current login session. We do not access your YouTube watch history, subscriptions, playlists, or any content beyond what is necessary to confirm paid membership status.
Live Chase Map
Any location you enter on the live chase map is stored only in your browser using localStorage. It is never transmitted to our servers, logged, or shared.
Server Logs
Standard web server logs (IP address, page requests, timestamps) are retained briefly for security and operational purposes only and are not used for tracking or advertising.
How We Use Your Information
- To authenticate you and maintain your session
- To verify eligibility for member access (paid Facebook or YouTube membership)
- To manage your account and role
- To contact you if you submitted a moderator application
- To process payments and manage subscription status via Stripe
Payments — Stripe
If you choose to pay for access via our self-service registration page, payments are processed by Stripe (stripe.com). When you complete a payment:
- Your card number, CVV, and full billing details are entered directly on Stripe’s secure servers and are never transmitted to or stored on our servers
- We receive from Stripe a confirmation of payment, your email address, and a Stripe customer ID — used only to manage your membership status
- We store your Stripe customer ID to link your account to future subscription events (renewals, cancellations)
- Stripe may retain your payment data per their own privacy policy at stripe.com/privacy
We do not store payment card data of any kind. Access is automatically granted upon confirmed payment and revoked upon confirmed cancellation or expiry.
Data Sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We do not use third-party advertising or tracking services. Your data is shared only as required to operate the service (e.g., database hosting, Stripe for payment processing) or as required by law.
Data Retention
Your account data is retained for as long as your account is active. If you request deletion, we will remove your account and associated personal information from our active database within a reasonable timeframe.
Your Rights
- You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
- You may request correction of inaccurate data
- You may request deletion of your account and personal data
To exercise any of these rights, use our data deletion request page or contact us directly.
Cookies and Sessions
We use a single session cookie to keep you logged in. This cookie does not track you across other websites and expires when your session ends or you log out. We do not use advertising cookies or fingerprinting.
Children’s Privacy
Our service is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy as the service evolves. Continued use of the service after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.