Effective date: 11/30/2021
(Prior versions: 3/1/2016, 7/22/2015, 3/6/2015, 2/8/2015, 7/14/2014, 7/25/2013)
The Storium website is a service of Protagonist Labs, Inc. ("Protagonist"). By using Storium after the effective date of these Terms of Service, you agree to the following terms and to their retroactive application as to all prior use of Storium.
If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at terms@storium.com.
Effective date: 5/8/2022
(Prior version: 3/6/2015)
We consider your privacy one of our highest priorities. Storium, a service of Protagonist Labs, Inc. ("Storium") provides this Privacy Policy to inform you of our policies and procedures regarding the collection, use and disclosure of personal information we receive from users of storium.com (the "Site" and its "Services").
Unless otherwise defined in this Privacy Policy, terms used in this Privacy Policy have the same meanings as in our Terms of Service. By using Storium you are accepting the practices set out in this Privacy Policy and the applicable Terms of Service agreement.
Parts of this policy are adapted from a policy originally provided by Automattic. It is shared under a Creative Commons Sharealike license.
When you create a Storium account, we require an email address and a user name. You may also elect to provide a real name, a personal photo to serve as your avatar within the site, a homepage URL, or a self-description of your own creation. All of this information will be visible to anyone, but your email address will always remain private. You may modify any of your information except your user name at any time via your settings page. (To modify your user name, contact us via email at support.@storium.com.)
We may collect data necessary to process your payment if you make a purchase. All payment data is securly stored and managed by Braintree, an industry-leading payment processing service. You can read their privacy policies here.
Our Site offers you the ability to register and log in using your third-party social media account details (like your Facebook or Twitter logins). Should you choose to do this, we will receive certain profile information about you from your social media provider. The profile information we receive may vary depending on the social media provider concerned, but will often include your name, email address, and profile picture, as well as other information you choose to make public on such a social media platform. We use the information we receive only for the purposes that are described in this privacy policy or that are otherwise made clear to you. For more information regarding Facebook permissions, refer to the Facebook Permissions Reference page.
We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Site, including:
We only process your personal information when we believe it is necessary and we have a valid legal reason (i.e., legal basis) to do so under applicable law, like with your consent, to comply with laws, to provide you with services to enter into or fulfill our contractual obligations, to protect your rights, or to fulfill our legitimate business interests.
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR require us to explain the valid legal bases we rely on in order to process your personal information. As such, we may rely on the following legal bases to process your personal information:
We may process your information if you have given us specific permission (i.e. express consent) to use your personal information for a specific purpose, or in situations where your permission can be inferred (i.e. implied consent). You can withdraw your consent at any time.
In some exceptional cases, we may be legally permitted under applicable law to process your information without your consent, including, for example:
Employees and contractors may view your account information as part of their day to day efforts. We may also share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents ("third parties") who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. We have contracts in place with our third parties, which are designed to help safeguard your personal information. This means that they cannot do anything with your personal information unless we have instructed them to do it. They will also not share your personal information with any organization apart from us. They also commit to protect the data they hold on our behalf and to retain it for the period we instruct. The categories of third parties we may share personal information with are as follows:
Aside from the above, Storium will only disclose potentially-personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only when required to do so by law.
All non-personally-identifying information, potentially personally-identifying and personally identifying-information described above is stored on restricted database servers.
We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice and to deliver the services of the Site, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law (such as tax, accounting, or other legal requirements).
When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible (for example, because your personal information has been stored in backup archives), then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.
We use e-mail notifications to keep you in the loop regarding how members are interacting with you and your content on Storium. From time to time, we may send you helpful marketing and non-marketing company notifications.
A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor's computer, and that the visitor's browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. Storium uses cookies to help us identify and track visitors, their usage of our Site, and their website access preferences. Storium visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using the Site, with the drawback that certain features of the Site may not function properly without the aid of cookies.
HTML5 local storage is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor's computer, and that the visitor's browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. Storium uses local storage to remember certain user inputs that have not yet been saved to our database, such as draft content.
Members may include links to 3rd party sites within the content they share. Our privacy policy covers only the content on Storium. Please take care when visiting any third party sites.
Users can invite friends to become Storium users by sending invitation emails via our Site. We do not share with third-parties the email addresses provided for these purposes.
Storium may not view private messages you send or receive except under the following circumstances: (1) when directed by court order, subpoena, or other appropriate form of legal or governmental process; or (2) when a report of abuse is made by a user. In such a circumstance, we may view your private messages as necessary to comply with such process or to investigate such report.
If Storium or substantially all of its assets were acquired, or in the event that Storium goes out of business or enters bankruptcy, user information would be one of the assets that is transferred or acquired by a third party. You acknowledge that such transfers may occur, and that any acquirer of Storium may continue to use your personal information as set forth in this policy. That said, we will communicate this transfer to you in a timely manner prior to the event so that you may determine whether or not you'd like to continue using Storium.
The Site is not directed to Users under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13.
Children aged 13 or older should not submit any information without the permission of their parents or guardians. By using the Site, you are representing that you are at least 18, or that you are at least 13 years old and have your parents' permission to use the Site.
If a parent or guardian becomes aware that his or her child has provided us with information without their consent, he or she should contact us at support@storium.com.
In some regions (like the EEA, UK, and Canada), you have certain rights under applicable data protection laws. These may include the right (i) to request access and obtain a copy of your personal information, (ii) to request rectification or erasure; (iii) to restrict the processing of your personal information; and (iv) if applicable, to data portability. In certain circumstances, you may also have the right to object to the processing of your personal information. You can make such a request by contacting us via email at privacy@storium.com. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
If you are located in the EEA or UK and you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your local data protection supervisory authority. You can find their contact details here.
If you are located in Switzerland, the contact details for the data protection authorities are available here.
If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, which may be express and/or implied consent depending on the applicable law, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. You can withdraw your consent at any time by contacting us via email at privacy@storium.com.
However, please note that this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal, nor when applicable law allows, will it affect the processing of your personal information conducted in reliance on lawful processing grounds other than consent.
If you would at any time like to request the data we have on file for you, or to terminate your account, you can contact us via email at privacy@storium.com. Please send this email from the email addresss associated with your Storium account, and indicate your Storium user name. These actions will enable us to confirm that you are the account holder.
Upon your request to terminate your account, we will deactivate or delete your account and information from our active databases. However, we may retain some information in our files to operate the site's Services, prevent fraud, troubleshoot problems, assist with any investigations, enforce our legal terms and/or comply with applicable legal requirements.
We may change our Privacy Policy from time to time, and at our sole discretion. If we do then we'll notify you by posting the amended policy on the Site.
Should you have any questions about this document, please contact us at privacy@storium.com.
Subject to the applicable game license, you own all of the original content that you post on the Storium website (“Storium”). We make no claim of ownership over any content you post on Storium.
Our license to display your content on the Storium site terminates when it is deleted in accordance with Storium’s current deletion policies.
Protagonist is compliant with notice and takedown of infringing material under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA). Upon receipt of a complete and vetted notice, Protagonist will take down content in a timely manner and notify the Storium member who posted the allegedly infringing material.
A complete notice must include all of the following elements:
Protagonists’s Designated Copyright Agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement can be reached at copyright@storium.com.
For clarity, only DMCA notices should go to the Protagonist Designated Copyright Agent. Any other feedback, comments, requests for technical support or other communications should be directed to Storium customer service through support@storium.com.
Protagonist respects intellectual property rights. This includes your rights, the rights of all Storium users, and the rights of other creators.
We recognize that you might create games or post content that contains content from or is derivative of other works. There are many ways to use such content. Some is legal and respectful of the original work, and some is not. Some might be considered “fair use” under the law. Some creators and IP owners are supportive of fan usage, while others are not. We do not — indeed, cannot —actively monitor all of the content that is posted to Storium.
We are legally required to comply with the Digital Millennium Copyright Act of 1998 (DMCA) and do so. Therefore, we encourage all users to be respectful of third-party works and use them appropriately. If you are uncertain as to whether your game contains material that might be considered infringing, we recommend that you mark it as “private” so that only you and your fellow players can read it.
The Storium name and logo are trademarks of Protagonist. Other copyrighted material on Storium is indicated where it appears.
Last updated: 3/1/2016
These are our current policies around content deletion. We will continue to expand and refine both the site and these policies, with the goal of creating a place where rich, collaborative stories can emerge while still respecting each individual’s rights and needs.
Once a Storium game includes content created by users other than the host, it can only be deleted in accordance with the license selected for that game:
Before requesting deletion of game:
If you are the host and still want to delete your game, follow these steps:
As a player, you may be able to have your character deleted from a game, in accordance with the license selected for that character’s game:
There are consequences to character deletion that you should bear in mind. At every place in the story where your character appeared or where you wrote content there will now be a blank hole, along with a message that your content was deleted. This will make the story harder to follow and will permanently degrade the game for your (former) fellow players.
Some things to consider before requesting deletion of your character:
If you still want to delete your character, and if your game uses the “Community” or “Creative Commons” licenses:
Last updated: 3/1/2016
Storium is different from many games in that it revolves around collaborative, shared creations. Creators craft re-usable worlds upon which games can be based. Hosts start games and set the stage by creating cards and backstory. Narrators write scenes and introduce places, people, concepts. Players add their own characters, cards, and writing to the mix. Everyone works together to tell the story, building on each other’s ideas. This is part of what makes Storium special, but it also means that we’re charting new territory in matters of ownership and control of content.
To both simplify and clarify these matters for our players, Storium offers a range of game licenses. Hosts choose a license when they begin a game. Each license stipulates different ownership, usage, and deletion rights for the game’s participants and, sometimes, for other parties. If the game is based on a pre-existing world, that can also affect these rights.
Each game’s chosen license is displayed prominently below its banner. The licenses are also reproduced here, with plain English annotations to help you understand them:
Storium is a place where anyone is welcome and encouraged to tell stories from their imagination. Everyone has different ideas of what makes a good story, but since Storium is a collaborative game it requires players to bring a spirit of cooperation and open-mindedness to the table, and to take responsibility both for their conduct and for how it can impact other peoples’ experience.
Tolerance and safety are core values of this community. Discriminatory or abusive behavior is not permitted here. Every person is entitled to their personal beliefs, but in this community personal beliefs are not justification for actions or words that harm others. Similarly, Storium values your creative freedom, but that freedom does not come at the expense of others.
To ensure that Storium remains a vibrant and welcoming community, we expect all users to adhere to this Code of Conduct in all their interactions on Storium (including in games, forums, private messages, and anywhere else interactions can occur). Violators may have their access to Storium limited or revoked.
Storium seeks to be a refuge of kindness on an often-troubled internet. Always treat your fellow players, narrators, moderators, and Storium staff with both empathy and respect.
Embody Storium’s spirit of collaboration by following these principles:
Abusive language, hostility, discrimination, hate, bullying, or harassment are not permitted in user interactions on Storium.
The following are examples of behaviors that may result in immediate account termination:
The following are examples of behaviors that may result in warnings (or, after repeated warnings, account suspension or termination, or other action):
While Storium respects and protects personal beliefs and religious identity, neither can be used to justify any of the above listed behaviors.
Sometimes characters in stories are jerks even though their writers aren’t. If you think that any of the above themes, language, or behaviors may arise in-character in the course of play, discuss it with your fellow players first and make sure everyone is comfortable. And at all times show respect and compassion for the sensibilities and experiences of your fellow players.
Storytelling can be an intensely personal experience. Some stories explore topics that some people may find inappropriate, disturbing, or even painful. Storium games can also represent significant investments of both time and creative energy. All of this makes the following guidelines critical to success when playing with others:
If you’re a game’s host or narrator it is your responsibility to ensure that the above principles are followed. Ensuring up-front agreement and ongoing communication between players is the clearest path to success for your game(s). Set the right tone early on, and use tools like “Host’s rules,” “Triggers,” “Info for invitees and applicants,” and the Green room to set expectations, build understanding, and communicate any sensitive subjects that you expect your game may touch upon.
If you are the host or narrator of a publicly-visible game, it is also your responsibility to be sensitive to your readers and to the Storium community. If your game includes content or themes that would violate this Code of Conduct if they were applied to real rather than fictional situations or people, then you should consider making your game private. In some cases, Storium staff may administratively mark your game as private.
Storium does not require users to provide a real name or other personally identifying information. As with many sites on the Internet you can never be sure of the true identity of the people with whom you play unless you already know them from another context. Our Terms of Service and this Code of Conduct are intended to protect all of Storium’s users, and we provide tools both for managing your interactions with others and reporting incidents of abuse (see below). That said, it is still important to follow basic online safety practices on Storium:
Storium is available to users who are 13 years of age or older. This means that in addition to adults there can also be minors here. All users should bear this in mind when interacting with others.
Games that include any of the following classes of content are considered “18+”:
In addition to this code of conduct, every area of the Storium site is also subject to Storium’s Terms of Service.
If you’re experiencing problematic interactions with another Storium user, when possible attempt to resolve the issue through direct communication.
If a disagreement is brought to a public context (like Storium’s forums), participants should avoid personal attacks and not engage in “dog-piling”, public shaming, or other forms of harassment.
Because it’s not always possible to resolve interpersonal conflicts, and because people should have the right to decide with whom they interact and on what terms, Storium provides a “block” feature that you can utilize at any time and at your sole discretion. This feature is accessed via “block” links in a number of locations across the site. Clicking any of these links adds the associated user to your block list. Blocking a user means:
(Note that blocking a user does not remove them from a game in which they’re already participating or to which they’ve already been invited.)
If you witness or experience behavior that violates either this Code of Conduct or our Terms of Service, you are strongly encouraged to report it to the Storium team. You can do this in two ways:
If we determine that no formal violation of our Code of Conduct or Terms of Service has occurred, we may still informally contact the reported party about their behavior.
The Storium team reviews all submitted reports, and aims to do so within three days of submission whenever possible. In the course of our review we may view private messages or private game content, but only that which is necessary to corroborate the complaint.
If we determine that a violation has indeed occurred, consequences may vary depending on the severity, history, and context.
Additionally, Storium staff monitor our public forums and may remove without warning messages that violate our Code of Conduct or Terms of Service.
Note that Storium will work to maintain a respectful and safe environment even outside of these rules, and we’ll step in at any time if we deem it necessary.
Please contact us at community@storium.com with any questions or concerns.
Last updated: 8/14/21
Last updated: 7/12/2016
Storium is free to play, with some minor limitations. Optional paid annual membership gives you access to play Storium without any limits. Because Storium is an independent, community-supported project, membership fees are the primary means by which we keep the site running and growing.
If you are unhappy with Storium, you can email us at refunds@storium.com to request a pro-rated refund for any months remaining in your current annual membership (excluding the month already in progress). If you have a monthly membership plan, you may instead request a refund of your current membership month at any time within the first 14 days of the current billing cycle. If you no longer wish to be charged by Storium, you should also cancel recurring billing of your membership. This can be done from your Profile page.
“The Deal” is a limited-time-only offer that grants the purchaser full access to all 60+ of our Kickstarter-funded “worlds,” as they become available.
If you are unhappy with your purchase, you can email us at refunds@storium.com to request a full refund provided you have not created any games using any of the Kickstarter-funded worlds.