What Our Server Logs
When you visit Mystery Files, our web server records minimal technical details: your IP address, browser user-agent, and the pages you request, so we can keep the site secure and performant. These logs are rotated regularly and are never tied to a name, account, or contact email.
What Your Browser Stores
A small amount of state is kept locally on your device, in localStorage, purely so the site behaves predictably:
- visited: a flag set the first time you arrive so we don't show the welcome popup again.
- mf-vote-count: a number that tallies how many verdicts you've cast on the vote page. Stored on your device only; never sent to us.
You can clear these at any time from your browser's site settings. We use no tracking cookies, fingerprinting, or advertising identifiers.
Community Signals
A few signals are stored against each mystery, not against you: an aggregate view counter (incremented when a case file is opened) and an ELO rating that shifts when readers compare two cases on the vote page. These are counts and rankings; no identifier links a vote or view back to a person.
What We Don't Do
- No advertising or ad networks.
- No third-party analytics or behavioral tracking.
- No selling, sharing, or renting of any data.
- No personalization based on identity or device profile.
Outside Links & Embeds
Mystery Files links to outside sources (news articles, archives, and occasional embedded YouTube videos in evidence galleries). Once you leave our domain (or interact with an embedded player), those third parties operate under their own privacy practices, which we don't control. We recommend reviewing their policies.
Children's Privacy
Mystery Files is not directed at children under 13, and we don't knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can remove it.
Changes to This Policy
We may revise this policy as the site evolves. Material changes will be posted here with an updated effective date. Continued use after the change indicates your acceptance. For substantive revisions, a brief note will be added to the changelog below.
Contact the Bureau
Questions, corrections, or data requests? File them through the contact form (use General Inquiry as the report type) or reach us directly at info@mystery-files.com.