Privacy Policy

2. Information We Collect

We collect two categories of information. The first is information you actively provide — for example, your name, email address, country of residence, and the contents of any message you submit through our contact form, newsletter signup, or correction request. The second is information collected automatically when you interact with the Platform, including your IP address, approximate geographic location, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, the pages you view, the date and time of your visit, the referring URL, and the actions you take on the site (such as clicks and scroll depth).

We do not knowingly collect special-category personal data (racial, ethnic, biometric, health, or political information). We do not sell personal information to third parties.

3. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We use cookies, web beacons, and local storage to operate the Platform, remember your preferences, measure traffic, and — with your consent where required — serve advertising. Cookies are small text files placed on your device by the websites you visit. The Platform uses three categories of cookies:

• Strictly necessary cookies — required to deliver core functionality (security, session continuity, the cookie consent record itself). These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics cookies — help us understand how the Platform is used in aggregate so we can improve content and navigation.
• Advertising cookies — set by third-party advertising partners (including Google) to deliver and measure advertising on the Platform. See section 5 for details.

You can control cookies through your browser settings or through our on-site cookie banner. Disabling certain cookies may degrade site functionality.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information for the following purposes:

• To operate, maintain, and secure the Platform and protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorised access;
• To respond to your enquiries, correction requests, and expert board applications;
• To send service communications and, only with your consent, editorial newsletters;
• To produce aggregated, non-identifying analytics that help us improve our editorial coverage and user experience;
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.

5. Third-Party Advertising — Google AdSense and Partners

The Platform displays advertisements served by third-party advertising networks, including Google AdSense. Google and its partners use cookies and similar identifiers to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to the Platform and other sites on the Internet.

Google may use a cookie known as the DART cookieto display ads to users based on their visit to the Platform and other sites on the Internet. You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google's Ads Settings at google.com/settings/ads. You may also opt out of third-party vendor use of cookies for personalised advertising by visiting aboutads.info and youronlinechoices.eu.

Third-party advertising networks may collect information about your visits to the Platform and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. We do not control these third-party cookies, and their use is governed by the privacy policies of the providers, not by this Policy.

6. Analytics

We use privacy-respecting analytics tooling, which may include Vercel Analytics and, where deployed, Google Analytics, to understand aggregate usage patterns. Where Google Analytics is used, IP-anonymisation is enabled and data retention is set to the minimum necessary period. We do not combine analytics data with personally identifying data without a clear lawful basis.

7. Legal Bases (EEA / UK Users)

If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, our legal bases for processing personal data under the GDPR / UK GDPR are: (a) consent for non-essential cookies, advertising, and newsletter subscriptions; (b) legitimate interests in operating, securing, and improving the Platform, where those interests are not overridden by your fundamental rights; (c) performance of a contract when you submit a structured request that we agree to process; and (d) legal obligation where processing is required by law.

8. Your Rights

Subject to your jurisdiction, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, restrict the processing of, or port your personal information; to object to processing based on legitimate interests; and to withdraw any consent you have previously given. Residents of California, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Virginia, and certain other U.S. states have the additional right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of personal information; we do not sell personal information.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via the Contact page. We will respond within the timelines required by applicable law. You may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

9. Data Retention & Security

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes described in this Policy, to comply with legal obligations, and to resolve disputes. Contact form submissions are retained for up to 24 months unless deletion is requested earlier. Analytics data is retained in aggregated, non-identifying form.

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. No method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children's Privacy

The Platform is intended for users aged 16 and above. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can delete the information.

11. International Transfers

The Platform is hosted on global cloud infrastructure (including Vercel). Your personal information may be transferred to, and processed in, countries other than the country in which you reside. Where required by law (for example, transfers from the EEA), we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses.

12. Changes to this Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted at this URL with a revised "Last updated" date. Material changes will be highlighted with a notice on the homepage. Your continued use of the Platform after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

13. Contact

For privacy questions, requests to exercise your rights, or takedown notices, reach our editorial and legal team via the Contact page or email editorial@wikicounsellor.com. For our editorial governance, see the Editorial Policy and Terms of Service.