Legal & Community

broadside.dgen.net Dgen Network Limited
Privacy Policy

1. About this service

Broadside is a self-hosted social cross-posting tool operated by Dgen Network Limited (company number 05059683, England & Wales). It allows invited users to write a single post and publish it simultaneously to Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, and LinkedIn, while keeping a permanent searchable archive of everything posted.

This policy explains what personal data the service holds, why, and what rights you have. It covers broadside.dgen.net only — not the social platforms you connect to, each of which has its own policy.

2. Who this applies to

Broadside is a closed, allowlisted service. You can only use it if you have been personally invited. This policy applies to all invited users.

3. Data we hold about you

Account data — received from Google when you sign in:

Email address
Identifies your account; used as the access-control key against the allowlist.
Display name
Your name as returned by Google; shown on the Commonplace page and your public Bindery.
Profile picture
Your Google avatar URL; used in the feed view.
URL slug
A short identifier derived from your name; forms your public Bindery URL (e.g. /bindery/gavin).

Platform credentials — to post on your behalf, Broadside stores access tokens or app passwords for the platforms you connect. These are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM. They are never logged, displayed in full, or shared with any party other than the platform they belong to.

Post archive — every post is written to a local archive before transmission. This is the core purpose of the service. Archived posts include text, timestamp, platforms sent to, and whether an image was attached (the image data itself is not retained). Your Bindery and the Commonplace are public pages — any post you make should be considered public.

Queue — scheduled posts are held until their scheduled time, then moved to the archive. Queue items hold the same data as archived posts plus the scheduled datetime.

Sessions — a session token is set as an HttpOnly, SameSite=Lax cookie lasting 30 days. Session data is held in server memory only; it is not written to disk. Signing out invalidates the session immediately.

What we do not collect: Broadside uses no analytics, advertising trackers, or third-party cookies. It does not collect IP addresses beyond standard server logs. It does not share data with any third party except the platforms you explicitly connect to.

4. Legal basis and purpose

We hold your data on the basis of legitimate interest and performance of a service you have requested. Account data is necessary to identify you and enforce access control. Credentials are necessary to post on your behalf. The archive is the primary purpose of the service. Sessions are necessary for authenticated access.

5. External services contacted

Social platforms
Mastodon (your chosen instance), Bluesky (bsky.social), Threads (graph.instagram.com), LinkedIn (api.linkedin.com) — to post content, verify credentials, and retrieve feeds.
Google
accounts.google.com — authentication only. Not used for analytics or advertising.
Link previews
When a post contains a URL, Broadside fetches the page server-side to generate a preview card. The fetch comes from the server, not your browser.
Research tool
When you use the Research feature, Broadside queries Wikipedia, the Guardian, Hacker News, and similar sources using terms from your post text.

6. Where data is stored

All data is stored on the Broadside server operated by Dgen Network Limited (dgen01.dgen.net, London). Data does not leave this server except as described above. There are no third-party data processors. Credentials are encrypted at rest. Post and account data are stored as JSON files on the server filesystem.

7. Retention

Post archive data is retained indefinitely — this is the point of the service. You may request deletion of your archive or individual posts at any time. Platform credentials are retained until you remove them via Settings or until your account is removed. Session tokens expire after 30 days or on sign-out.

8. Your rights

Under UK GDPR:

Access
Request a copy of all data held about you.
Rectification
Correct inaccurate data. Name and slug can be updated in Settings.
Erasure
Request deletion of your account and post archive.
Portability
Your archive is available as RSS and can be exported on request.
Objection
Object to processing. Given the closed nature of the service, the practical result is account removal.
ICO complaint
You may lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.

9. Access control

Broadside is not open to the public. Access requires explicit invitation and addition to the allowlist. The operator reserves the right to revoke access at any time. Suspended accounts cannot sign in but archive data is retained until deletion is requested.

10. Children

This service is not intended for anyone under 16. If you believe a minor has been granted access, contact us immediately.

11. Changes

Material changes will be communicated to active users via the service or by email. The effective date will be updated. Continued use constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Dgen Network Limited — company no. 05059683 (England & Wales)

broadside@dgen.net
Code of Conduct

Broadside is a small, invited community. These principles describe how we expect the space to work — for everyone posting through it and for anyone who reads what we publish.

01
You own what you write
Your posts are yours. The archive exists to protect that. Broadside does not claim any licence over your content, does not surface it for advertising, and does not share it with third parties beyond the platforms you choose to post to.
02
Post publicly, write honestly
Everything posted through Broadside is public by default — your Bindery and the Commonplace are open web pages. Write as though anyone can read it, because they can. Accuracy, attribution, and honesty are expected as standard.
03
No harassment, no hate
Content that harasses, demeans, or threatens individuals — or that promotes hatred on the basis of race, gender, sexuality, religion, disability, nationality, or any other characteristic — will result in immediate access revocation. This is non-negotiable.
04
No spam, no manipulation
Broadside exists to share genuine thinking, not to game platforms. Do not use it for coordinated inauthentic behaviour, bulk promotional content, or anything designed to manipulate algorithmic reach in bad faith. The Research tool is there to reference sources — not to launder misinformation.
05
Respect the platforms you post to
Each platform you connect to has its own terms of service. You are responsible for ensuring your posts comply with those terms. Broadside's cross-posting does not exempt you from platform rules.
06
Protect your credentials
Your account gives access to post as you on up to four platforms simultaneously. Keep your credentials secure. Do not share your session, do not use your account to post on behalf of others without their knowledge, and notify us immediately if you believe your account has been compromised.
07
The Commonplace is shared space
When multiple users are on the same Broadside instance, the Commonplace is a collective archive of everyone's posts. What you post appears alongside others. Keep that in mind — this is a curated, human space, not an anonymous feed.
08
Enforcement
The operator (Dgen Network Limited) has sole discretion to revoke access for any breach of this code, or for any conduct that undermines the spirit of the service even if not explicitly listed here. There is no formal appeals process — this is a small, trusted community, not a public platform.
This is not a legal document. It is a description of how we expect people to behave. The spirit matters as much as the letter. If something feels wrong, it probably is.
Questions or concerns
broadside@dgen.net
Terms of Service

1. What this is

Broadside is a self-hosted social cross-posting tool operated by Dgen Network Limited ("we", "us", "the operator"). It allows invited users to compose posts and publish them simultaneously to connected social media platforms, and maintains a searchable archive of posts on the operator's server.

These terms govern your use of broadside.dgen.net ("the service"). By signing in, you agree to them.

2. Access and eligibility

Access to Broadside is by invitation only. You must be added to the allowlist by the operator before you can sign in. We reserve the right to grant or revoke access at any time, without notice and without giving reasons.

You must be at least 16 years old to use the service. By signing in, you confirm you meet this requirement.

Access is personal to you. You may not share your account, credentials, or session with another person.

3. Your content

You retain full ownership of everything you post through Broadside. We do not claim any licence over your content. We do not use your posts for advertising, model training, or any purpose other than operating the service as described.

By posting, you confirm that you own or have the right to publish the content, that it does not infringe any third party's intellectual property rights, and that it complies with the laws of England & Wales and the jurisdictions in which your connected platforms operate.

You are solely responsible for everything you post. We are not a publisher or editor of your content.

4. The archive

Your posts are written to a server-side archive before being transmitted to social platforms. This archive is the central purpose of the service — it is your permanent record.

Your Bindery (/bindery/yourslug) and the Commonplace (/commonplace) are public web pages accessible to anyone. Do not post anything through Broadside that you do not intend to be public.

5. Connected platforms

Broadside posts to third-party platforms (Mastodon, Bluesky, Threads, LinkedIn) on your behalf using credentials you provide. We are not responsible for the actions, policies, or availability of those platforms. You remain bound by each platform's own terms of service.

If a platform revokes access, changes its API, or suspends your account, Broadside will not be able to post to it. We are not liable for failures caused by third-party platform changes.

6. Platform credentials

You grant us permission to store your platform credentials (access tokens, app passwords) in encrypted form on the server solely for the purpose of posting on your behalf. You are responsible for the security of the credentials you provide. If you believe your credentials have been compromised, revoke them at the relevant platform and update or remove them in Settings immediately.

7. Acceptable use

You must not use Broadside to:

Content
Post content that is unlawful, defamatory, harassing, or incites hatred; infringe intellectual property rights; post spam, coordinated inauthentic content, or content designed to manipulate platform algorithms in bad faith.
Access
Attempt to circumvent access controls or exploit the service; post on behalf of another person without their explicit consent.
Platforms
Post content that violates any connected platform's terms of service.

Breach of these terms may result in immediate access revocation.

8. Availability and support

Broadside is operated on a best-efforts basis as a personal project and community tool. We make no guarantee of uptime, availability, or continuity of service. There is no formal support SLA. We will endeavour to respond to issues reported to broadside@dgen.net but cannot commit to response times.

9. Data and privacy

Our Privacy Policy sets out how we collect, use, and protect your personal data. It is incorporated into these terms by reference and is available on the Privacy Policy tab above.

10. Hosting infrastructure

Dgen Network Limited operates hosting infrastructure located in the United Kingdom and the European Union. All service data, including your post archive and account information, is stored on servers within these jurisdictions.

11. Intellectual property in the service

The Broadside software is developed by Dgen Network Limited with assistance from AI tools. The source code will be made available on GitHub under an open licence. These terms do not transfer any intellectual property rights in the software to you.

The name "Broadside", the vocabulary of the service (Murmurator, Bindery, Commonplace, Murmurings), and the service design are the intellectual property of Dgen Network Limited.

12. Limitation of liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, we provide the service "as is" without warranties of any kind. We are not liable for any loss of data, loss of posts, platform failures, or any indirect or consequential loss arising from your use of the service.

Nothing in these terms excludes liability for death or personal injury caused by our negligence, fraud, or any other liability that cannot be excluded under English law.

13. Termination

Either party may end the relationship at any time. You may request deletion of your account and archive by emailing broadside@dgen.net. We may revoke your access at any time, including for breach of these terms, inactivity, or at our sole discretion.

On termination, we will retain your archive data for 30 days before deletion unless you request immediate deletion. Your posts on connected social platforms are unaffected — you must delete those separately on each platform.

14. Governing law

These terms are governed by the laws of England & Wales. Any dispute will be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England & Wales.

15. Changes

We may update these terms at any time. Material changes will be communicated to active users by email or via the service. The effective date will be updated. Continued use after a change constitutes acceptance.

Contact

Dgen Network Limited — company no. 05059683 (England & Wales)

broadside@dgen.net
These terms should be reviewed by a solicitor before being treated as legally binding. They are drafted in good faith to reflect how the service actually operates but are not a substitute for legal advice.