Privacy Policy

Data we collect

KernelBrief collects only the data you choose to provide. We do not run third-party tracking scripts, analytics embeds, ad pixels, fingerprinters, or social-media buttons that phone home.

Interaction	Data collected	Purpose
Newsletter signup	Email address, chosen brief tracks (Daily, Weekly, Security Watch, Jobs)	Deliver the email briefs you requested
Story submission	URL, topic, submitter note, optional contact email	Review and potentially publish submitted stories
Correction submission	Story reference, correction detail, optional contact email	Verify and publish corrections to editorial content
Comment submission	Comment text, story reference, optional display name	Review queue for future public comment threads
Bookmark (save story)	Story ID, anonymous session key, and local fallback cache	Persist your saved stories across visits
Vote	Story ID, vote direction, anonymous session key, and local fallback cache	Ranking and thread signal
Project watch	Project slug, optional email, selected alert preferences, anonymous session key	Register interest in project-watch updates
Search query	Query text, timestamp	Improve topic coverage and understand reader interests
Sponsor / employer lead	Contact name, email, company, interest detail	Respond to commercial inquiries

How data is stored

Production persistent data uses Cloudflare D1 (SQLite-compatible) databases operated by KernelBrief, with Cloudflare Workers as the application layer. During beta, some interactions may use local fallback behavior if the API is unavailable. No data is shared with or processed by third-party analytics, ad networks, or data brokers.

Reader state such as bookmarks, votes, and project watches is server-backed when the API is reachable and stored under an anonymous session key. The site also keeps a local fallback cache in your browser's localStorage under the kernelbrief_* key namespace so the UI can stay honest when the API is unavailable.

Email delivery will use a named first-party-configured provider before the public newsletter launch. We do not upload subscriber lists to third-party marketing platforms.

No third-party tracking

KernelBrief does not use:

• Google Analytics, Adobe Analytics, or any third-party analytics
• Facebook Pixel, Twitter Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, or any ad retargeting
• Third-party cookie-based tracking of any kind
• Fingerprinting scripts or device identification
• Embedded third-party content that leaks reader data (no YouTube embeds, no social embeds)

We measure what matters using first-party signals only, and disclose collected fields here before adding new tracking behavior.

Data retention

Data type	Retention period	Notes
Newsletter subscriptions	Until you unsubscribe or 12 months of inactivity	Unsubscribed addresses are permanently removed within 30 days
Submissions and corrections	Indefinitely (editorial record)	Contact email fields deleted on request
Comment submissions	Until published or 12 months in review queue	Unpublished comments are purged after 12 months
Search queries	Aggregated and anonymized after 90 days	Raw query text deleted after aggregation
Sponsor / employer leads	Duration of commercial relationship + 24 months	Deleted on request if no active relationship
Server-backed anonymous reader state	Until stale-data cleanup or deletion request with the matching session key	Covers bookmarks, story votes, and project watch intent
localStorage fallback cache	Until you clear your browser data	Used only to restore local UI state when the API is unavailable

Your rights

You have the right to:

• Access — request a copy of any personal data we hold about you.
• Deletion — request that we delete your personal data. We will comply within 30 days.
• Correction — request that we fix inaccurate personal data we hold about you.
• Unsubscribe — every newsletter email includes a one-click unsubscribe link. Unsubscribed addresses are removed from all lists.
• Export — request a portable copy of your data in a machine-readable format.

To exercise any of these rights, email [email protected] with the subject line indicating your request (e.g., "Data access request", "Data deletion request").

Cookie policy

KernelBrief does not set HTTP cookies for tracking or advertising. The only client-side storage we use is localStorage for session-scoped keys:

Key	Purpose	Lifetime
kernelbrief_saved_story_ids	Your bookmarked stories	Until cleared
kernelbrief_story_votes	Your story votes	Until cleared
kernelbrief_subscribers	Locally cached signup status (fallback)	Until cleared
kernelbrief_submissions	Locally cached submission status (fallback)	Until cleared
kernelbrief_corrections	Locally cached correction status (fallback)	Until cleared
kernelbrief_sponsor_leads	Locally cached sponsor lead status (fallback)	Until cleared
kernelbrief_employer_leads	Locally cached employer lead status (fallback)	Until cleared

These keys are used exclusively to provide the features you interact with. None of them are read by third-party scripts, and none are used for cross-site tracking.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, we will publish the updated version at this URL and note the change in the next newsletter issue. Material changes (new data collection, new processors) will be announced at least 14 days before they take effect.

Last updated: 2026-05-20

Contact

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your data rights:

• Email: [email protected]
• Response time: within 5 business days

If you believe your privacy concern has not been adequately addressed, you have the right to contact the data protection authority in your jurisdiction.