Privacy Policy

57 SECONDS AGO - By

Effective date: October 25, 2026
Website: https://www.ruinnation.com/
Privacy policy: https://www.ruinnation.com/privacy-policy/
Responsible organization: RUIN Nation / RUIN Gaming is operated by Michael Heising, a sole proprietor, of San Diego, California, USA (“RUIN,” “we”).

1. Introduction

RUIN Nation (“RUIN,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) operates a gaming community, website, digital resources, and media initiatives. These include community communications, gaming guides, livestreaming, video publishing, and AI-assisted media production through our Agent Lead YouTube Studio initiative.

We respect the privacy of our website visitors, community members, contributors, collaborators, and users of our digital services. This policy explains how personal information may be collected, used, stored, disclosed, and protected when you interact with RUIN Nation.

We aim to collect only information reasonably necessary for legitimate operational purposes, restrict access to authorized people and services, and avoid using personal information for purposes that have not been disclosed or appropriately authorized.

2. Information We May Collect

Information you provide

The website does not currently offer public comments or contact forms. If either is added, this policy will be updated. If you contact us directly, for example by email, we receive your contact details and the content of your message. Community participants may also provide usernames, messages, submissions, or contributions for community or media projects.

Please do not send passwords, authentication codes, payment card details, or other sensitive information through community messages or email.

Website and technical information

When you visit our website, our hosting provider, security tools, and the services listed in Section 8 may process technical information such as IP addresses, browser and device characteristics, access timestamps, requested pages, referring pages, and security logs.

Community and gaming platform information

If you interact with RUIN through Discord, YouTube, Twitch, gaming platforms, or other services, we may see the usernames, public profile information, and messages you choose to share in those spaces. Participating in the RUIN community does not give RUIN access to your private communications or account data.

YouTube and Google account information

RUIN does not ask visitors to connect a Google or YouTube account, and we never ask for Google passwords. See Section 5.

3. How We Use Information

  • Operating, maintaining, and securing our website and digital services.
  • Managing community participation, communications, and gaming activities.
  • Producing, reviewing, and publishing gaming news, videos, livestreams, guides, and other media.
  • Responding to messages, troubleshooting technical problems, and preventing fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access.
  • Understanding site performance in aggregate and improving the user experience.
  • Meeting applicable legal and platform requirements.

We will not knowingly use personal information for an unrelated purpose without an appropriate legal basis or required consent.

4. AI-Assisted Production, Agent Lead YouTube Studio, and Human Oversight

RUIN may use AI tools to assist with research and drafting of public content, such as articles, scripts, video descriptions, and guides, under our Agent Lead YouTube Studio initiative. If we add AI or automation providers that process personal information, we will describe them by type in this policy.

Human oversight. As an operating practice, a human at RUIN reviews and approves drafts before anything is published. AI-generated material may contain errors, and that review is part of how we check accuracy, rights, and privacy.

RUIN does not use AI to read private messages or Discord communications.

5. YouTube API Services and Google Data

This website uses YouTube API Services through the YouTube embedded player. By watching YouTube content on this site, you agree to be bound by the YouTube Terms of Service. Google’s handling of your information is described in the Google Privacy Policy.

Embedded player. Pages on ruinnation.com embed YouTube videos (via the Embed Plus for YouTube WordPress plugin, with autoplay off). When a page with an embedded video loads, and when you play a video, your browser connects to YouTube, and YouTube/Google may collect device and viewing information and set cookies. RUIN does not receive or store that information.

No connected accounts. RUIN does not ask visitors to connect a Google or YouTube account. If a RUIN feature ever requests access to a Google account, this policy will describe the data accessed, how it is used, and how it is stored and deleted before that feature launches. Any such data would be handled under the YouTube API Services Terms of Service, the YouTube API Services Developer Policies, and the Google API Services User Data Policy, which require stored YouTube API data to be refreshed or deleted within 30 days and data covered by a revoked authorization to be deleted.

Revoking access. You can review or revoke any application’s access to your Google account at https://myaccount.google.com/permissions.

6. How We Share Information

We do not sell personal information. The site does not currently run third-party display advertising.

Information may be disclosed to the following categories of recipients when reasonably necessary:

  • Hosting and infrastructure providers: an independent hosting provider and Cloudflare, to operate and secure the website.
  • Google and YouTube: when you view embedded videos.
  • Community and communication platforms, such as Discord, to support activities there.
  • Media and distribution platforms when content is intentionally published.
  • Professional advisers or public authorities when necessary to comply with law, protect rights, investigate security incidents, or respond to lawful requests.

We will not disclose private community information to unrelated parties simply because it is technically accessible.

7. Discord, Public Content, and Community Privacy

Information posted publicly on a website, public Discord channel, livestream, social media account, or video platform may be viewed, copied, indexed, or redistributed by others. Before submitting material for publication, consider whether it contains personal information or material you do not have permission to share.

We respect member identities, private messages, account identifiers, and internal discussions. Private community discussions, including Discord direct messages and private channels, are not treated as public editorial material. RUIN obtains permission before using private communications, identifiable member submissions, or recordings in published content, except where another lawful basis applies.

RUIN’s Discord bots post information and automated updates, such as game-data updates from Wowhead. RUIN does not use AI to read private messages or Discord communications. Discord’s handling of your data is governed by the Discord Privacy Policy.

8. Cookies, Analytics, Embedded Content, and Affiliate Links

The website uses the following third-party technologies, which may cause your browser to communicate directly with the provider and may set cookies:

Affiliate links. RUIN Nation is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Affiliate links are marked “(paid link)”. When you click one, Amazon may set cookies to attribute a purchase; Amazon handles that data under the Amazon Privacy Notice. We do not receive your name, payment details, or individual purchase history.

The site may display a cookie consent tool where required. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings; some features, such as embedded videos, may not work as expected.

9. Data Security and Accountability

RUIN uses reasonable safeguards to protect personal information. The website is served over HTTPS through Cloudflare, administrative accounts use two-factor authentication, and a set of administrators can recover site access if needed.

No website, application, network, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. Where required by law, RUIN will investigate and report privacy breaches and notify affected individuals and regulators.

Michael Heising is accountable for RUIN’s privacy practices and can be reached at [email protected].

10. Data Retention and Deletion

Personal information is retained only as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, then deleted or anonymized.

  • Google Analytics data is kept according to Google Analytics retention settings.
  • Security and request logs are kept by our hosting provider and Cloudflare under their own policies.
  • Published content may be kept as part of RUIN’s media archive.
  • Any YouTube API data would be refreshed or deleted within 30 days, as the YouTube API Services policies require.

11. Your Privacy Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete personal information, withdraw consent, or restrict or object to processing. To make a request, email [email protected]. Do not send passwords or authentication codes. We may need to verify your identity. If we cannot fulfill a request in full, we will explain why where required.

California (CCPA/CPRA). California residents may request to know, delete, or correct personal information, and to opt out of its sale or sharing. We do not sell personal information. We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.

Canada (PIPEDA). We follow the fair information principles: accountability, identifying purposes, consent, limiting collection, limiting use, disclosure and retention, accuracy, safeguards, openness, individual access, and challenging compliance. You may complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

EU, EEA, and UK (GDPR). You have rights of access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection, and portability, and may withdraw consent at any time. Our legal bases are legitimate interests (site operation, security, aggregate analytics) and consent where required. You may complain to your local data protection authority.

12. Children’s Privacy

RUIN Nation is a general-audience gaming site and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, consistent with the U.S. Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you believe a child has provided personal information to RUIN, contact us and we will delete it.

13. International Processing

RUIN is based in the United States, and our service providers may operate in other jurisdictions. Information may be processed or stored outside your province, territory, or country. Where applicable law requires safeguards for cross-border transfers, we take appropriate steps to meet them.

14. Third-Party Services

Our website and community link to services operated by others, including Discord, Patreon, Twitch, YouTube, X, Facebook, Instagram, Spreadshirt, Wowhead, and game publishers. They have their own terms and privacy policies, and RUIN does not control their practices.

15. Changes to This Policy

We will update this policy as our website, community services, AI tools, integrations, and legal obligations change. The current version is published at https://www.ruinnation.com/privacy-policy/, and the effective date above will be updated.

16. Contact and Privacy Inquiries

For questions, access, correction, or deletion requests, or concerns about this policy, contact Michael Heising at [email protected].

RUIN Nation / RUIN Gaming, operated by Michael Heising, sole proprietor, San Diego, California, USA