pixelfed.social
- The documents do not say whether your data trains AI.
- The policy rules out using your data for targeted ads.
- Data is shared only with the providers who run the service.
- Staff may review your content; the policy does not describe an opt-out.
A photo social server that posts public content widely, keeps IPs, lets operators read DMs, and offers account deletion.
Agent Trust Hub uses AI and may make mistakes. Review reports and confirm their contents before relying on them.
Collected
Account info, posts and photos, who you follow, IP address, browser, and cookies.
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Privacy policy
“When you log in, we record the IP address you log in from, as well as the name of your browser application.”
Training
They use it to run the site, send emails, and help with moderation like spotting ban evasion.
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Privacy policy
“To aid moderation of the community, for example comparing your IP address with other known ones to determine ban evasion or other violations.”
Sharing
Public posts go to other servers; operators may view DMs; they say they do not sell your info.
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Privacy policy
“We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information.”
Kept
Login IPs up to 12 months; server logs up to 90 days; you can delete your account.
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Privacy policy
“Retain the IP addresses associated with registered users no more than 12 months.”
Controls
You can review logins, download an archive, and irreversibly delete your account.
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Privacy policy
“You may irreversibly delete your account at any time.”
Fine print
Site is as-is with limited ; they can change terms without notice; Canada courts.
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Terms of service
“Pixelfed may revise these terms of service for its website at any time without notice.”
Expand “Read the exact line” to see the source alongside the explanation.
What you can turn off
The controls and opt-outs their own documents describe, and where they say to find them.
Download an archive of your posts and media
Privacy policy section 4: You can request and download an archive of your content
Irreversibly delete your account
Privacy policy section 4: You may irreversibly delete your account at any time
Review and revoke logged-in sessions
Settings, as described in the IPs and other metadata section
Manually approve new followers
Settings toggle described under Direct and followers-only posts
If a switch is not where they say, the deletion request above still applies.
Line by line
The lines that matter most, worst first.
Private and followers-only posts are not truly private. Staff and other servers can read them.
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Privacy policy
“Please keep in mind that the operators of the server and any receiving server may view such messages, and that recipients may screenshot, copy or otherwise re-share them.”
For example, a direct message about a private photo could still be seen by the people who run this server.
Once you post publicly, copies can live on many other websites you do not control.
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Privacy policy
“Your posts are delivered to your followers, in some cases it means they are delivered to different servers and copies are stored there.”
For example, deleting a photo here may not remove copies already saved on another server.
Your profile name and picture are public, not just for friends.
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Privacy policy
“The username, display name, biography and avatar image are always listed publicly.”
For example, anyone can see your display name and avatar without logging in.
They keep a record of where you logged in from for up to a year.
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Privacy policy
“The latest IP address used is stored for up to 12 months.”
For example, your home internet address from last winter could still be on file.
They do not promise the site will work or be safe, and they limit what they owe you.
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Terms of service
“The materials on Pixelfed's website are provided on an 'as is' basis.”
For example, if a bug deletes your photos, these terms say they may not have to pay.
If they change the rules, keeping using the site counts as saying yes.
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Terms of service
“By using this website you are agreeing to be bound by the then current version of these terms of service.”
For example, they could post new terms tomorrow and you would be bound without an email.
They say they do not sell your personal details, except to helpers who run the site or when the law requires it.
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Privacy policy
“We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information.”
For example, they should not sell your email list to advertisers.
You can wipe your account for good whenever you want.
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Privacy policy
“You may irreversibly delete your account at any time.”
For example, you can delete the account after downloading your photos.
They encrypt the connection and do not store your password in plain text. You can add two-factor login.
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Privacy policy
“Among other things, your browser session, as well as the traffic between your applications and the API, are secured with SSL, and your password is hashed using a strong one-way algorithm.”
For example, someone who steals a database dump should not get your real password.
They say kids under 13 (US) or 16 (EU) should not use it, but they only ask you to follow that.
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Privacy policy
“If you are under the age of 13, per the requirements of () do not use this site.”
For example, a 12-year-old could still type a birthday and sign up.
Words to know
Legal words from the lines above, in plain English.
- human review
- Company staff or contractors may read your messages or content, usually to check for rule breaking. For example, a flagged private chat with an AI can be read by a person at the company.
- sell or share
- Under California law, selling means passing your data to others for money or other value; sharing means passing it on for targeted ads. For example, letting an ad network use your browsing history in return for ad space counts as a sale.
- personal data
- Any information that is about you or can be linked to you, from your name to your phone's ID. For example, your email, your IP address and the list of apps on your phone are all personal data.
- COPPA
- A US law that limits what apps can collect from children under 13 without a parent's permission. For example, an app must get a parent's OK before it collects a 10-year-old's email address.
How we got here · grade B · score 50/100 · 13 of 15 policy answers backed by a verified quote · 4 not stated
What does the app collect beyond what it needs to work?
They collect account details, posts and photos, plus IP address, browser name, sessions, and cookies.
Does it record your voice, face or body, and what happens to that?
The documents do not describe collecting voice, face scans, or body data as biometrics. Photos you upload are treated as posts.
Are your chats and uploads used to train AI models, and is that off by default?
Not stated in the documents.
Can employees or contractors read your conversations, and when?
Server operators and receiving servers may view direct and followers-only posts. No opt-out is described.
Are you profiled or tracked for advertising?
They describe cookies to remember preferences. They do not describe ads or third-party ad tracking.
Do they sell or share your data, and can you opt out?
They say they do not sell personal information, except to trusted helpers, for law, and by sending posts to other servers in the network.
What rights do they take over what you type and what the AI makes?
Not stated in the documents.
How long do they keep your data after you delete it, and can you delete it in the app?
You can download an archive and irreversibly delete your account. They aim to keep request logs no more than 90 days and user IPs no more than 12 months.
Does it build a lasting memory or profile of you, and can you see, edit or turn it off?
Not stated in the documents.
Do they commit to basic security, and have they leaked data?
They describe SSL, hashed passwords, and optional two-factor authentication. No audit or leak history is mentioned.
Is there a real age gate, and are teens protected?
They say the site is for people 16+ in the EU/EEA and 13+ in the USA, with no age-check described.
Will they tell you when the rules change, and is the policy specific?
The privacy policy is dated June 12, 2018 and says changes will be posted on the page. The terms say they can change at any time without notice and continued use binds you.
Can they close your account without warning, and can you get your data out first?
Not stated in the documents.
If something goes wrong, who pays?
The site is provided as-is with no warranties, and they disclaim damages even if they were told damage was possible.
Do subscriptions renew on their own, and can you get a refund?
The documents do not describe subscriptions, prices, or refunds.
The privacy policy is 1,056 words at a fairly hard level (Flesch reading ease 55.4); the terms are 591 words at a college level.
