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Privacy Policy

Last updated with AI doing the heavy lifting: March 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how shareyouryoutubehistory.org collects, uses, and stores your personal data when you voluntarily submit your YouTube watch history and related information to this project.

This project is operated by a single indĺividual (the “Data Controller”), Dale Rodel, reachable at ShareYourYouTubeHistory@drodel.com. There is no company or organisation behind it.


1. What data we collect

When you submit a file, the following data may be collected:

Category Data Required?
Watch history file Your YouTube watch history exported from Google Takeout (watch-history.html or a .zip archive) Yes
Email address Email address you provide to receive project updates No
Demographic context Country of residence, country of birth, nationalities, languages used on YouTube, gender, age range, general occupation or field, and any free-form text you choose to add No
Submission metadata Timestamp of submission and a randomly generated identifier (UUID) Yes (automatic)

We do not collect IP addresses, browser fingerprints, cookies, or tracking identifiers beyond the UUID generated in your browser at submission time.

2. How we use your data

Your data is used exclusively for the following purposes:

Your data will not be sold, licensed, or shared with any third party for commercial purposes. It will not be used for advertising, profiling, or any automated decision-making that affects you.

3. Legal basis for processing (GDPR, Art. 6)

The legal basis for processing your personal data is your freely given, informed consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR), given by ticking the consent checkbox before submitting the form. You may withdraw that consent at any time (see Section 6 below).

4. Data storage and security

Files are stored in a private Cloudflare R2 object storage bucket. Cloudflare acts as a data processor under a Data Processing Agreement and stores data in accordance with its own privacy policy.

Your watch history file and your demographic metadata are stored under a randomly generated identifier. If you provide an email address, it is stored under a seperate, independent identifier making it technically more difficult to link to your history and metadata files without access to multiple files.

Data is not publicly accessible. Access to the storage bucket is restricted to the Data Controller.

5. International data transfers

Cloudflare R2 may store data in data centres outside the European Economic Area (EEA), including the United States. Cloudflare participates in the EU–U.S. Data Privacy Framework and applies Standard Contractual Clauses where required. For details, see Cloudflare’s GDPR page.

Cloudflare has been configured to store all submitted data in an European region. I live in Switzerland. The data will be downloaded and processed in Switzerland.

6. Your rights under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area (or the UK), you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

Right What it means
Access (Art. 15) You can ask what data we hold about you.
Rectification (Art. 16) You can ask us to correct inaccurate data.
Erasure (Art. 17) You can ask us to delete your data (“right to be forgotten”).
Restriction (Art. 18) You can ask us to stop processing your data while a complaint is assessed.
Portability (Art. 20) You can ask for a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
Objection (Art. 21) You can object to processing at any time.
Withdraw consent (Art. 7(3)) You can withdraw your consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.

To exercise any of these rights, email ShareYourYouTubeHistory@drodel.com with your request. Because submissions are identified only by UUID and not by name, you will need to provide the UUID shown on screen at submission time (or the email address you submitted) so that your records can be located.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority. A list of EU supervisory authorities is available at edpb.europa.eu.

7. Data retention

Your data will be retained for the duration of the project. If you withdraw consent or request erasure, your files will be deleted within 30 days of the verified request.

8. Children

This project is not directed at children under the age of 16. If you are under 16, please do not submit your data without the consent of a parent or guardian.

9. Changes to this policy

If this policy changes materially, the “Last updated” date at the top of this page will be revised. For significant changes, users who have provided an email address will be notified.

10. Contact

Data Controller: one individual, Dale Rodel, reachable at
ShareYourYouTubeHistory@drodel.com