Privacy
Last updated November 1, 2026
Kova collects only what it needs to run hackathons. Here's what that is, who can see it, and who else it's shared with.
What we collect
- Your account: your name, email, and handle. If you sign in with Google or GitHub, we also keep that service’s ID for your account so we recognize you next time.
- Profile details you choose to add: headline, bio, location, time zone, skills, what you’re looking for, and your GitHub username.
- What you do on Kova: hackathons you join or host, waves and passes on Find a team, your teams and projects, and, if you judge, your scores and notes.
What other people can see
Your profile, the hackathons you’ve joined, and the projects you’ve submitted are public, along with any awards. Your email address is never shown.
- Project drafts are visible only to your team.
- A wave is visible to the person you waved at. Passes are never shown to anyone.
- Judges’ scores and notes are visible only to that judge and the hackathon’s host.
Services we use
- GitHub. When you link a repo, or fill in a project from one, Kova reads its public details, README, languages, and commit history through GitHub’s API. Kova can’t see private repos.
- Video hosts. Demo videos from YouTube, Vimeo, or Loom load from those services when someone opens a project page. YouTube videos use its privacy-enhanced mode.
Cookies
kova sets one cookie, which keeps you signed in for up to 30 days. Scripts on the page can’t read it. There are no analytics, advertising, or tracking cookies.
Keeping and deleting your data
Your data stays as long as your account exists. To delete your account and everything tied to it, contact the team that runs this site from the email on your account.
Changes
If this policy changes, the date at the top changes with it. Questions? Contact the team that runs this site.