GROUNDTRUTHCENTRAL

    Privacy Policy

    Last updated: March 2026

    1. Overview

    GroundTruthCentral.com ("we," "us," "the Site") is committed to protecting your privacy. This policy explains what data we collect, how we use it, and your rights regarding that data.

    2. Information We Collect

    Automatically collected: When you visit the Site, our servers and third-party services may collect your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time spent on the Site. This data is collected via server logs and analytics tools.

    Comments: If you post a comment, we collect your chosen display name, email address (if provided), and comment content. Comments are processed through our self-hosted commenting system (Remark42).

    Cookies and local storage: We use cookies and browser localStorage to store your theme preference (dark/light mode), cookie consent status, and comment session tokens. See our Cookie Policy for details.

    Advertising: We display ads through Google AdSense. Google may collect data about your visit to serve personalized advertising. See Google's Privacy Policy at policies.google.com/privacy for details on their data practices.

    3. How We Use Your Information

    We use collected data to: operate and improve the Site; display relevant advertising; moderate comments; analyze traffic patterns; and comply with legal obligations. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

    4. Third-Party Services

    The Site uses the following third-party services that may collect data:

    • Google AdSense — advertising. Google's privacy policy applies.
    • Google Analytics / Plausible Analytics — site traffic analysis.
    • Remark42 — self-hosted comment system. Comment data is stored on our servers.
    • Ghost CMS — content management. No reader data is stored in Ghost.

    5. Data Retention

    Comment data is retained until you request deletion or we discontinue the Site. Analytics data is retained for 26 months. Server logs are retained for 90 days.

    6. Your Rights

    Depending on your location, you may have the right to: access the personal data we hold about you; request correction of inaccurate data; request deletion of your data; object to processing of your data; and withdraw consent where processing is consent-based.

    To exercise these rights, contact us via the About page. We will respond within 30 days.

    7. Children's Privacy

    This Site is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such data, contact us immediately.

    8. California Residents (CCPA)

    California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect and how it is used, to request deletion of their personal information, and to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us via the About page.

    9. International Visitors

    The Site is operated from the United States. If you are visiting from outside the US, your data may be transferred to and processed in the US, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

    10. Security

    We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data. However, no internet transmission is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

    11. Changes to This Policy

    We may update this policy periodically. We will post the updated date at the top of this page. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance.

    12. Contact

    For privacy-related questions, contact us via the About page.