Zero-Trace Philosophy
Pathfindera operates on a principle of data minimalism. In an ecosystem of over-collected telemetry and invasive tracking, we believe the discovery of high-flow gaming experiences should not require the surrender of personal identity.
This document outlines the strict boundaries of our data collection. We do not sell, lease, or trade your information. We do not hide data practices in verbose legal jargon. If we don't need it to run the site, we don't ask for it.
The Ingestion Matrix
A granular breakdown of exactly what data touches our servers, why it's necessary, and how long it persists.
Anonymous Telemetry
What we collect: Screen resolution, browser type, generic geographic region (country level), and click coordinates on interface elements.
Purpose: Optimizing layout for specific devices (mobile vs. desktop) and detecting UI friction points. We do not track sessions across sites.
Retention: Aggregated logs are purged every 24 hours. No user-level profiling.
Direct Correspondence
What we collect: Email address, name (optional), and message content when you contact us via the form or newsletter.
Purpose: Responding to editorial inquiries, partnership requests, or sending the Pathfindera Beta newsletter (only if explicitly opted-in).
Retention: Held until you request deletion via info@pathfindera.com. Stored on secure German servers.
Zero-Knowledge Zone
Strictly Forbidden: We never request Government IDs, payment information (we sell nothing), precise GPS location, contact lists, or behavioral biometric data.
Third-Party Lock: Pathfindera hosts no third-party tracking pixels (Facebook, Google Analytics, etc.). We do not use cookies for advertising.
Anonymity: You can browse our entire library of reviews and lists without submitting a single piece of identifying information.
The Architecture of Friction
The Anti-Personalization Paradox
Downside By refusing to profile users or store browsing history cookies, we cannot offer "Recommended For You" carousels. The experience is identical for every visitor.
Mitigation We invest heavily in manual editorial curation and a rigid, high-signal taxonomy (The Compass). We treat discovery as a navigational puzzle, not an algorithmic prediction.
Static News & Delays
Downside Without live API feeds to app stores or social media, our "News" section is manually updated. We do not show real-time download counts or minute-by-minute events.
Mitigation This eliminates "hype noise." We focus on evergreen mechanics and deep-dive analysis that remains relevant weeks after launch, rather than chasing trending hashtags.
Friction in Support
Downside If you contact us for technical support, we cannot automatically pull up your user history or account details because we likely don't have an account for you.
Mitigation We compensate with human-sourced support. Responses come from the editorial team, not bots. We ask you to include context in your initial message (device, OS) voluntarily.
Your Rights Under German Law
As a German entity operating under the strict standards of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Telecommunications and Telemedia Data Protection Act (TTDSG), you possess absolute rights over your digital footprint.
Execute Your Rights
To request a full data export, rectification of inaccuracies, or complete deletion of your correspondence, please initiate a request.
Email Data ControllerMon-Fri 9:00-18:00 CET
What Happens When You Visit?
The Landing
You type pathfindera.com. Your browser requests the page. We check: Do you have a cookie? No. We do not create one. The server serves the HTML immediately. No delays for tracking consent popups.
The Exploration
You click into "The Lab". We register the click (anonymized event) to measure if the navigation works. No identity is attached. If you are on a mobile device, our server notes the screen width to serve the correct layout version. This is a technical necessity, not profiling.
The Action
You decide to join the Beta newsletter. You enter your email. This is the moment we request PII. The data is encrypted and stored in our isolated list manager. You will receive a verification link. If you never verify, your email is purged from temporary storage within 48 hours.
The Exit
You close the tab. No session identifiers persist on your device. When you return tomorrow, the site treats you as a completely new, welcome visitor. The slate is clean.