The Deep Hours (“we”, “us”, “our”) operates the website thedeephours.com (the “Site”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and your choices.
Who we are
The Deep Hours is an independent publisher of original dark horror fiction with AI-generated audio narration. You can reach us any time at hello@thedeephours.com.
Information we collect
We try to collect as little as possible. The specific data we collect depends on how you use the Site.
Email address, via the newsletter form. When you enter your email into the subscribe form and click Subscribe, we collect your email address so we can send you new stories. That is the only reason we ask for it. You can unsubscribe at any time from any email we send.
Account information, if you create an account. If you register an account in order to vote on stories or leave comments, we store your username, email address, and (encrypted) password via standard WordPress user accounts. We do not ask for or store any other personal information.
Comments you post. If you submit a comment on a story, we store the comment text and the account information associated with it. Comments are public.
Automatic technical information. Like most websites, our hosting provider logs standard web traffic information (IP address, browser type, pages visited, timestamps) for security and diagnostic purposes. These logs are kept for a limited time and are not used to build advertising profiles.
Cookies. We use a small number of essential cookies. WordPress sets cookies when you log in or leave a comment so we can remember you across page loads. We do not use third-party advertising cookies. We do not use Google Analytics or similar tracking tools.
How we use your information
- To send you the stories you subscribed to. That’s it.
- To let you log in, vote, and comment. Account information is only used for authentication and to display your username next to your comments.
- To keep the Site running and secure. Technical logs are used for troubleshooting and to investigate abuse.
We do not sell your data. We do not share your data with advertisers. We do not share your data with anyone, except the specific service providers below that help us run the Site.
Service providers we use
- Make.com (Celonis Inc.) — We use Make.com as an automation tool that receives newsletter signups and relays them to our email delivery system. Your email address passes through Make.com. See Make’s privacy policy.
- Our hosting provider — The Site is hosted on LiteSpeed-powered infrastructure. Standard server logs are maintained by the host.
- ElevenLabs — We use ElevenLabs to generate AI audio narration for stories. ElevenLabs does not receive any personal data about you — only our own story text, before publication.
We do not use Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, advertising networks, or similar trackers.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate information
- Delete your information
- Unsubscribe from emails at any time (every email includes an unsubscribe link)
- Object to or restrict certain processing
- Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority
To exercise any of these rights, email support@output.guru. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe.
Children
The Deep Hours publishes horror fiction intended for adult readers. The Site is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 in the EU/UK), and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, email us and we will delete it.
Data retention
- Newsletter subscribers: we keep your email address until you unsubscribe, after which it is removed from our list.
- Accounts: we keep account information while the account is active. Email us to delete your account.
- Comments: comments persist as long as the associated story is published.
- Server logs: rotated on our host’s standard schedule (typically 30–90 days).
Security
We use HTTPS across the entire Site. Account passwords are hashed using standard WordPress security. No system is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect the information we hold.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top. For material changes, we will notify newsletter subscribers by email.
Contact us
Questions about this policy or your data? Email support@output.guru.