Privacy Policy for WarCommons
Last updated: January 29, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how WarCommons (“we”, “us”, “our”) collect, use, share, and protect personal data when you visit https://warcommons.com, subscribe to YANK our newsletters, register for membership features, or otherwise interact with our services. We operate from the Netherlands and apply the standards of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) to our processing. Our approach is simple: collect only what is necessary, use it responsibly, and be transparent about our practices.
Data Controller and Contact
Data controller: WarCommons
Contact email: contact@warcommons.com
Location: The Netherlands
For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights, contact us at the address above.
Information We Collect
Site operation and security
- Technical logs such as IP address, device and browser type, pages visited, timestamps, and server logs required to run and protect the service.
Contact and newsletter
- Email address and any message you send via contact forms or email; newsletter signup details and preferences.
Comments
- Data submitted in the comment form (name, email, comment) and, where applicable, the commenter’s IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection and security. An anonymized hash of your email may be provided to the Gravatar service to check for a profile image.
Optional features (if enabled)
- Minimal account/profile data for memberships (name, email, username); payment metadata processed by Stripe (we do not store full card numbers); identifiers and cookies for analytics or advertising.
Analytics and usage
- Aggregated usage data such as page views, navigation paths, device/browser information, and approximate location collected through analytics tools.
Media uploads
- If you upload images or other media, file metadata (including any embedded EXIF data) may be stored. Avoid uploading files containing sensitive or location metadata.
What we do not collect
- We do not intentionally collect sensitive categories of personal data (e.g., racial or ethnic origin, health data). Please do not submit sensitive data through public contact channels.
How We Use Personal Data and Legal Bases
Site operation and security
- Purpose: Keep the site functional, reliable, and protected against abuse.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests (site security and operation).
Newsletter delivery and communication
- Purpose: Send newsletters and respond to inquiries.
- Legal basis: Consent for newsletters; legitimate interests for replying to messages you send.
Comments and community features
- Purpose: Publish and moderate comments, enable community discussion, and detect abuse.
- Legal basis: Legitimate interests for moderation and security; consent where required.
Memberships and payments (if enabled)
- Purpose: Provide membership access, manage payments, and support member features.
- Legal basis: Contract for membership services; consent for non‑essential cookies and personalization where required.
Analytics and site improvement
- Purpose: Understand how visitors use our site, improve content, and measure performance.
- Legal basis: Consent for non‑essential cookies in the EU/EEA; legitimate interests elsewhere where permitted.
Advertising and personalization (if enabled)
- Purpose: Deliver and measure ads, personalize content.
- Legal basis: Consent for personalized advertising in the EU/EEA; opt‑in required where applicable.
No sale of personal data
- We do not sell personal data.
Cookies, Analytics, and Tracking Technologies (Currently unused)
Essential cookies
- We use essential cookies required for basic site functionality (e.g., session cookies, security cookies).
Non‑essential cookies
- If we enable analytics or advertising, non‑essential cookies and similar technologies may be used to understand readership or deliver and measure ads. In the EU/EEA, non‑essential cookies and personalized advertising features run only with your explicit consent.
Google Analytics
- We use Google Analytics to understand visitor engagement. Google Analytics sets cookies to collect information such as pages visited, time spent, device and browser type, and approximate location. In the EU/EEA, Google Analytics runs only with explicit consent. You can opt out by installing Google’s opt‑out add‑on or by blocking cookies in your browser.
Microsoft Clarity
- We may use Microsoft Clarity for behavioral metrics, heatmaps, and session replay to improve site usability and detect fraud/security issues. Clarity uses cookies and tracking technologies; consult Microsoft’s privacy resources for details.
Managing cookie choices
- Where cookie consent is required, you can change your choices at any time via our cookie settings (if enabled) or by contacting us at info@warcommons.com.
Embedded Content From Other Websites
Articles on WarCommons may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, tweets). Embedded content behaves as if you visited the external site directly: those sites may collect data about you, set cookies, and track your interaction with the embedded content. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third‑party sites; please review their privacy policies before interacting.
Newsletters, Memberships, and Payments
Newsletters
- We collect your email to send newsletters. We rely on your consent; you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email. We retain newsletter records while you are subscribed and remove or anonymize them after you unsubscribe.
Memberships and payments
- If memberships are enabled, we collect minimal account data to provide access and support. We do not store full card details. Transactional data needed for billing and legal compliance is retained for statutory periods.
Third‑party marketing lists
- We do not add newsletter subscribers to third‑party marketing lists without explicit consent.
Who We Share Your Data With
Service providers
- We share data only with trusted providers who help operate WarCommons, including hosting/CMS providers, email delivery services, payment processors, and analytics/advertising partners (if enabled). These providers act under contract and are required to protect your data.
Automated spam detection
- Visitor comments may be checked through automated spam detection services.
Password resets
- If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email.
Legal and safety disclosures
- We may disclose personal data to comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests by public authorities, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of WarCommons, our users, or others.
International Transfers and Safeguards
Some service providers may process data outside the EU/EEA. Where this occurs, transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or other lawful transfer mechanisms. You may request a list of major subprocessors by contacting info@warcommons.com.
Data Retention
Comments
- Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely to help us recognize and approve follow‑up comments automatically.
Accounts and memberships
- For registered users, we store the personal information you provide in your user profile for as long as your account exists and as required for legal or tax purposes.
Newsletters
- Newsletter subscriptions are retained while you are subscribed and removed or anonymized after you unsubscribe, unless retention is required by law.
Operational logs
- Operational and security logs are kept for security and performance and are minimized or anonymized over time.
Your Rights and How to Exercise Them
Under the GDPR you have rights including: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, objection to certain processing, and data portability. To exercise these rights or ask questions about our practices, contact us at info@warcommons.com. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe. If you remain unsatisfied, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
Right to withdraw consent
- Where processing is based on consent (for example, newsletters or non‑essential cookies), you may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that occurred before withdrawal.
Right to object
- You may object to processing based on legitimate interests; we will review and respond in line with applicable law.
Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Measures include encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and regular security reviews. No online system is completely risk‑free; we review and update our safeguards regularly.
Children
Our services are intended for a general audience and are not directed to children under 16. If you believe a child’s personal data has been provided to us, contact us so we can remove it.
Links to Other Sites
Our site may contain links to third‑party websites. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third‑party sites you visit.
Changes to This Policy
We will update this Privacy Policy when our practices change or when we enable new features such as memberships, payments, analytics, or advertising. Material updates will be posted here with a revised “Last updated” date. Where required by law, we will seek fresh consent for materially new processing.
Where Your Data Is Sent
Some services we use process data outside the EU/EEA. Where this occurs, transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms. Contact info@warcommons.com to request details about subprocessors and transfer safeguards.
Practical Notes for Site Admins
- Comments containing personal data beyond name/email should be flagged and removed; direct users to private channels for sensitive disclosures.
- Include a cookie banner that offers Accept and Cookie settings options for EU/EEA visitors.
- Maintain a subprocessors list and update it when new providers are engaged.
Contact
For privacy inquiries or to exercise your rights, email: info@warcommons.com. Location: The Netherlands.
