POLDOT

The Universe, Uncovered.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 1, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what personal data Poldot (“we”, “us”) collects when you visit poldot.com, how we use it, and the rights you have. We aim to collect as little personal data as possible.

Who is responsible

Poldot is an independent publication operated from Portugal. For any privacy question or request, contact us at [email protected].

What we collect

When you browse the site. Like most websites, our servers and our content delivery and security provider automatically process technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, the pages you request and the time of the request. This is necessary to deliver the website, keep it secure and protect it from abuse.

Google Analytics (cookies only if you accept). Google Analytics 4, provided by Google, runs in Google Consent Mode. Until you accept analytics cookies in our cookie banner (and if you decline), it sets no cookies; Google receives only limited, cookieless signals about the visit (such as the page viewed, the time and your browser type) that do not use cookies to recognise you across visits. If you accept, it sets cookies (_ga and _ga_HY2K23RC8K) and collects information such as the pages you view, how long you stay, the website that sent you here, your approximate location (country or city) and your device and browser type. According to Google, Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. We use it to understand which articles are read and how the site is used.

When you comment. If you leave a comment, we collect the name, email address and optional website you provide, the comment itself, and your IP address and browser user agent to help detect spam. Your email address is never published. Comments may be checked by an automated spam-detection service. An anonymised string created from your email address (a “hash”) may be sent to the Gravatar service to check whether you have a profile picture; Gravatar’s privacy policy applies to that service.

When you contact us. If you email us, we receive your email address and whatever information you choose to include.

Newsletter. If you subscribe to The Observation Log with the form on our pages, we collect only the email address you enter. It is sent directly to MailerLite, the email service that stores our subscriber list and sends the newsletter for us. Like any web server, MailerLite also receives your IP address and browser details when you press Subscribe, and records the date, time and form you used. When we send the newsletter, MailerLite may record whether it was opened and which links were clicked; we only use this in aggregate. We use your address only to send The Observation Log and never sell it or add it to other lists. Every email has an unsubscribe link. The sign-up form is a plain form on our own page: we load no MailerLite scripts, so it sets no cookies, and your browser only contacts MailerLite when you press Subscribe.

Cookies

We use only the cookies needed for the site to work, plus any you choose to allow:

  • Comment cookies — if you choose to save your name and email when commenting, they are stored in a cookie for one year so you do not have to type them again.
  • Analytics cookies, only if you accept — _ga and _ga_HY2K23RC8K, set by Google Analytics to distinguish visitors and sessions (2 years).
  • Consent cookie — stores your cookie preferences.
  • Security and performance — our hosting and security provider may set technical cookies to protect the site from malicious traffic.

Google Analytics cookies are only set after you accept analytics cookies in our cookie banner. We do not use advertising cookies; if we add any, they will only be set with your consent and this policy will be updated first. You can change or withdraw consent at any time and can also block cookies in your browser settings.

Embedded content

Articles may include embedded content (for example, videos) from other websites. Embedded content behaves as if you visited the other site, which may collect data about you under its own privacy policy.

Why we use your data (legal bases)

  • To operate, secure and improve the website — our legitimate interest in running a reliable publication.
  • To publish and moderate comments — your consent and our legitimate interest in preventing spam.
  • To answer your messages — to respond to your request.
  • To send the newsletter — your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), which you can withdraw at any time by unsubscribing.
  • Google Analytics and other optional cookies — your consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR), which you can withdraw at any time with the cookie button.

How long we keep data

Comments and their metadata are kept for as long as the comment remains published. Server and security logs are kept only for a limited period needed for security and troubleshooting. Emails are kept as long as needed to handle your request. Google Analytics data is deleted automatically after no more than 14 months, and its cookies expire after 2 years unless you delete them sooner. Newsletter subscriptions are kept until you unsubscribe; after that, your address stays marked as unsubscribed in MailerLite so you are not emailed again by mistake, unless you ask us to delete it. You can ask us to delete your data at any time.

Who we share data with

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with service providers that help us run the website — such as hosting, content delivery and security, and spam filtering — and only as needed for those services, or where required by law. If you accept analytics cookies, Google (Google Ireland Limited) processes Google Analytics data on our behalf under its data processing terms. Google may process data in the United States; Google LLC is certified under the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework. See Google’s privacy policy and how Google uses data from sites that use its services. If you subscribe to the newsletter, MailerLite stores and processes your email address and sign-up details on our behalf as our data processor (see its privacy policy and data processing agreement). Some providers may process data outside the European Economic Area; where they do, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses.

Your rights

If you are in the European Union or a similar jurisdiction, you have the right to access, correct, delete or export your personal data, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to withdraw consent at any time. To exercise these rights, email [email protected]. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection authority; in Portugal, this is the Comissão Nacional de Proteção de Dados (CNPD).

Children

Poldot is a general-audience publication and does not knowingly collect personal data from children under 16.

Changes

We may update this policy as the site evolves. The date at the top shows when it was last changed.