PRIVACY & DATA
Privacy Policy
Darkrecord’s privacy policy explains how forms, story submissions, server logs, cookies, Google Analytics 4 and third-party services may process information.
PRIVACY POLICY
Privacy policy for information that enters the archive.
This Privacy Policy explains the information Darkrecord may process when you browse the site, use the contact form, or submit a story. Darkrecord is configured to use Google Analytics 4 for site measurement. Hosting, forms, spam protection, security services and other WordPress plugins can also process technical or submitted information as part of operating the site.
Information you choose to provide
If you contact Darkrecord, submit a story, create an account or use another interactive feature, the site may receive information you choose to provide. Depending on the form, that can include a name or pseudonym, email address, story title, category, location, date or time period, story content, editorial notes and consent choices. Provide only the information necessary for the purpose of your message or submission.
Story submissions and publication
A story submission may contain personal information about you or other people. Do not submit passwords, financial information, private addresses, medical records or other unnecessary sensitive information. If a submission is accepted for publication, information selected for publication can become publicly accessible. Where appropriate, a pseudonym or generalized location may be used to reduce unnecessary identification. The Editorial Policy explains how submitted material may be edited and labeled.
Technical information and server logs
Like most websites, the hosting provider and WordPress may process technical information required to deliver, secure and troubleshoot the site. This can include IP addresses, browser and device information, request URLs, timestamps, server logs, security events and diagnostic information. The exact retention period depends on the hosting, security, backup and logging configuration in use.
Google Analytics 4
Darkrecord uses Google Analytics 4 for aggregate site measurement only when analytics is enabled. With the Darkrecord consent setting enabled, the browser does not request the Google Analytics library until the visitor chooses “Accept analytics.” The first-party cookie darkrecord_analytics_consent stores that choice for up to 180 days so the site does not repeatedly ask on every page.
Cookies and local storage
WordPress may use essential cookies for login sessions, administrative preferences and other necessary functions. Optional analytics, embeds or other services may use additional cookies or browser storage. The exact cookies present can change when plugins, embedded services or consent settings change, so this policy should be reviewed whenever the technical setup changes.
Forms, spam protection and email delivery
Contact and story-submission forms may pass information through WordPress, the form plugin, spam-protection tools and the configured email-delivery system. These services may process form content and technical information necessary to prevent abuse or deliver the message. Avoid placing information in a form that is not needed for the request.
Embedded media and external services
Pages may link to or embed content from third-party services. When an external service is loaded, that provider may receive technical information according to its own policies. Darkrecord should avoid unnecessary third-party scripts and should update this policy when a new service materially changes how visitor information is processed.
Retention and deletion
Information should be retained only for as long as it is reasonably needed for the purpose for which it was collected, site security, backups, editorial records or applicable legal obligations. Backup systems can retain deleted information for a limited period before older backups are overwritten. Published editorial records may require different retention considerations from an ordinary contact message.
Your choices and requests
You may contact Darkrecord to ask about personal information you have provided and to request correction or deletion where applicable. A request can be limited by legal obligations, security requirements, backup processes or legitimate editorial record-keeping needs. To make a privacy request, use the Contact page and provide enough information to identify the relevant message or submission without adding unnecessary sensitive details.
Security and data minimization
Darkrecord should use reasonable technical and organizational measures appropriate to the site’s risk and should collect no more information than is needed for the feature being used. No website can promise absolute security, so visitors should avoid sending sensitive information that the site does not need.
Policy changes
This Privacy Policy should be reviewed whenever analytics, advertising technology, embeds, forms, hosting or other third-party services are added or materially changed. Updates may be reflected by revising this page and its modified date.
Privacy contact
Privacy questions can be sent through the Darkrecord Contact page. For information about how published records are labeled, corrected and edited, see the Editorial Policy.
New-post email subscriptions
When you request new-post emails, we store your email address, signup and confirmation times, and consent to an email for each newly published public DarkRecord post. You must confirm by email before post notifications begin. Unconfirmed requests expire after seven days and are removed during daily cleanup. Each notification includes an unsubscribe link; unsubscribing removes the subscription and its queued messages. An email already handed to the mail service may still arrive.
Temporary salted network and email hashes limit abusive signups without storing raw IP addresses for this feature. A private delivery log records attempts and mail-service acceptance; completed entries are retained for up to 90 days, while unresolved failures remain for review. Addresses associated with a verified hard bounce or complaint may be marked suppressed so a public signup cannot restart sending. Suppression records stay until removed through the owner’s verified privacy process. The site’s configured mail provider may retain its own delivery logs. Other subscribers cannot see your address, and these emails have no tracking pixels. Contact stories@darkrecord.com to request an export or removal of subscription data.
Changing analytics choices
Optional analytics stays off until you accept. You can change your choice through Privacy choices in the footer. Declining after acceptance stops analytics, removes the analytics cookies handled by this feature and reloads the page to unload the active analytics library. The choice is remembered for up to 180 days.