Privacy Policy
Data controller
The controller responsible for your personal data is Micah Blumberg, trading as Silicon Valley Global News (SVGN.io). Contact for any privacy request: [email protected]. If we appoint an EU/UK representative or Data Protection Officer, their details will be listed here. We have determined that an EU/UK Article 27 representative is not required for our processing; we will appoint one and update this notice if that changes.
What we collect, why, and our lawful basis
| Data | Purpose | Lawful basis (GDPR Art. 6) |
|---|---|---|
| Account email + authentication identifier | Create and secure your member account; provide member access | Performance of a contract |
| Subscription / entitlement status + Stripe customer reference | Bill membership and grant the access you paid for | Performance of a contract |
| Newsletter email + preference | Send the newsletter you requested | Consent (withdrawable anytime) |
| Privacy-respecting usage analytics | Understand which articles are read, to improve the publication | Consent (via the cookie banner) — see Cookies |
| Security / request logs (IP, user-agent, timestamps) | Protect the service from abuse, fraud, and scraping | Legitimate interests (security) |
We never see or store full payment card numbers — card data is handled entirely by Stripe. We do not sell personal data, and we do not use third-party advertising trackers or profiling.
Who processes data on our behalf (sub-processors)
| Processor | Role | Location | Transfer safeguard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cloudflare, Inc. | Hosting, CDN, edge security/access | USA (global edge) | Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) / DPF |
| Supabase, Inc. | Authentication & database | USA (AWS us-west-2, Oregon) | SCCs |
| Stripe, Inc. | Payment processing | USA / EU | SCCs / DPF |
| Substack Inc. [if used for email] | Newsletter delivery | USA | SCCs |
International transfers
Our service providers are based in the United States. Where your data is transferred outside the EEA/UK, the transfer is protected by Standard Contractual Clauses and, where applicable, the EU-US/UK Data Privacy Framework. You can request a copy of the relevant safeguards via the contact above.
How long we keep it (retention)
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Account data | While your account is active; deleted within [30] days of account closure |
| Billing records | Retained as required by tax/accounting law (typically up to 6–7 years) |
| Newsletter | Until you unsubscribe or withdraw consent |
| Analytics | Aggregated; raw events kept no longer than [14 months] |
| Security logs | Short-term, typically [90] days |
Your rights under the GDPR / UK-GDPR
If you are in the EEA or UK, you have the right to: access your data; rectify inaccurate data; erase your data ("right to be forgotten"); restrict or object to processing; data portability; and to withdraw consent at any time (for newsletter and analytics) without affecting prior processing. To exercise any right, contact us at the address above; we respond within one month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority (e.g. your national Data Protection Authority, or the UK ICO).
Erasure mechanism: closing your account from your member settings deletes your personal data except records we must retain by law (e.g. billing). You can also email us to request deletion directly.
Cookies & local storage
We use the minimum storage needed:
- Strictly necessary (no consent required): sign-in/session cookies and member-access tokens; reading preferences stored locally in your browser. The site cannot function without these.
- Analytics (consent required): privacy-respecting usage measurement. These are off by default and only enabled if you accept analytics in the cookie banner. You can change your choice anytime via the "Cookie choices" link in the footer.
We do not use advertising or cross-site tracking cookies.
Terms of Service
The service
SVGN.io provides free articles and a paid membership that unlocks additional features (idea-graph navigation, topic bridges, full-text search, and presentation trails). Features may change as the product evolves.
Membership & billing
- Membership is a recurring subscription billed through Stripe at the price shown at checkout; it renews automatically until cancelled.
- EU/UK right of withdrawal: where the law gives you a 14-day cancellation right for digital services, it applies unless you ask us to begin access immediately and acknowledge you lose that right once access starts. You can cancel anytime; access continues to the end of the paid period.
- Prices may change with notice; changes apply to the next renewal.
Acceptable use
Member access is for you. Don't share credentials, scrape or bulk-export the archive, or republish substantial portions without permission. Article content and underlying research remain the property of the author and SVGN.io.
Content & accuracy
SVGN publishes journalism and analysis with cited sources; forward-looking analysis is opinion. Content is provided "as is" without warranty.
Liability
To the extent permitted by law, SVGN.io is not liable for indirect or consequential damages from use of the service. Nothing here limits liability that cannot be limited by law (including, for consumers, statutory rights).
Governing law & contact
Governing law: the State of California, United States. Privacy or terms questions: [email protected]. We may update these documents; the "last updated" date reflects the current version and material changes are announced to members.