Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Ranked News ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you use our news aggregation service ("Service").

By using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this policy, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

We collect information you provide directly to us, including:

• Account information (name, email address, password)
• Profile information (preferences, interests, saved articles)
• Communications (feedback, support requests, correspondence)
• User-generated content (comments, ratings, bookmarks)

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you use the Service, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• Device information and hashed identifiers for unique visitor counting and monitoring
• Usage information to improve our product and features
• Country of origin for analytics purposes
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 5)

We hash IP addresses and do not store raw IP addresses. Hashed identifiers are used solely for unique visitor counting and monitoring, and are never used for tracking, profiling, or advertising purposes.

2.3 No Third-Party Data

We do not receive information about you from third parties.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for various purposes:

• To provide and maintain the Service
• To improve and optimize our service, products, and features
• To communicate with you about updates, news, and promotional materials
• To respond to your comments, questions, and requests
• To monitor and analyze usage patterns and trends
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues
• To protect against fraudulent or illegal activity
• To comply with legal obligations

We collect this information to improve your experience with the Service. We do not share your information with third parties or use it for advertising.

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. However, we work with the following third-party services:

4.1 Advertising (Google AdSense)

We display advertisements through Google AdSense. Google may use cookies to serve ads, measure ad performance, and personalize ads based on your browsing activity. These cookies are only set if you consent to analytics/advertising cookies via our cookie banner. You can opt out at any time by rejecting cookies or adjusting your preferences.

For more information about how Google uses data, visit: Google Advertising Policies.

4.2 Authentication (Google OAuth)

If you sign in with Google, we receive your name and email address from Google solely to create and manage your account. We do not access any other Google data.

4.2 For Legal Purposes

We may disclose information if required by law or if we believe such action is necessary to:

• Comply with legal obligations or respond to lawful requests
• Protect our rights, property, or safety
• Prevent fraud or security issues
• Protect the rights and safety of our users or the public

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 Essential Cookies

These cookies are required for the Service to function and cannot be disabled. They include authentication cookies, your consent choice, and user-selected preferences such as language, theme, and country.

5.2 Analytics and Advertising Cookies

These cookies are only set if you explicitly consent by clicking "Accept" on our cookie banner. They include:

• Session identifiers for usage analytics
• Google AdSense cookies for serving and measuring ads

If you reject or dismiss the cookie banner, no analytics or advertising cookies are set and no data is sent to third parties.

5.3 Managing Your Preferences

You can change your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings. You can also clear your cookies to reset your consent and the banner will appear again on your next visit.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide the Service and fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. We may retain certain information for longer periods for legal, accounting, or security purposes.

You can request deletion of your personal data at any time, subject to certain legal exceptions.

7. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your information. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is entirely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. Your Choices

You have choices regarding your information, including:

• Managing your account preferences
• Opting out of marketing communications
• Accepting or rejecting analytics/advertising cookies via our cookie banner
• Adjusting cookie settings in your browser
• Requesting access to or deletion of your data

9. Children's Privacy

The Service is not intended for children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us so we can delete it.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have different data protection laws. We ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place when transferring data internationally.

11. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data, including:

• The right to access your personal data
• The right to rectification of inaccurate data
• The right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object to processing
• The right to withdraw consent

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. For material changes, we may provide additional notice via email or through the Service.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.