Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy – Data Protection & Cookie Information

πŸ”’ Your Privacy Matters: SmartTech News by The Viking Company is committed to protecting your personal data. We collect minimal information, use industry-standard security, and give you full control over your data under GDPR regulations.

Effective Date: July 1, 2025
Last Updated: July 1, 2025
GDPR Compliant: βœ…
Response Time: Within 72 hours

About This Privacy Policy

SmartTech News (“we,” “our,” or “us”) is operated by The Viking Company, a technology media company specializing in AI, software, gadgets, and tech innovation news. This comprehensive Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our technology news website smarttech-news.com (the “Site”).

For additional information about our editorial team and mission, visit our About page. For business inquiries and partnerships, see our Contact page.

Important: Please read this privacy policy carefully. By using our site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you disagree with any terms, please discontinue use of our website.

What Personal Information We Collect

Automatically Collected Data

When you visit our technology news platform, we automatically collect certain technical information to improve your browsing experience and analyze website performance:

  • IP address and approximate geographic location (for content localization)
  • Browser type, version, and operating system (for compatibility optimization)
  • Device information including screen resolution and device type
  • Referring websites and search terms used to find our content
  • Pages viewed, time spent, and interaction patterns (for content optimization)
  • Date, time, and session duration (for analytics and security)

Information You Voluntarily Provide

We collect personal information only when you voluntarily provide it, such as:

  • Email address when subscribing to our tech news newsletter or updates
  • Name and contact details when submitting comments, feedback, or inquiries
  • Survey responses when participating in reader polls or feedback requests
  • Social media profile information if you interact with our content on social platforms
  • Professional information if you apply for writing opportunities or partnerships

How We Use Your Personal Data

We use the information we collect for legitimate business purposes and always with your privacy in mind:

πŸš€ Service Delivery

  • Provide and maintain our technology news website
  • Deliver personalized content recommendations
  • Send newsletter updates about AI, tech trends, and innovations

πŸ“Š Analytics & Improvement

  • Analyze website performance and user engagement
  • Improve content quality and user experience
  • Optimize site speed and mobile responsiveness

πŸ›‘οΈ Security & Compliance

  • Monitor and prevent spam, fraud, and security threats
  • Comply with legal requirements and protect user rights
  • Respond to user inquiries and support requests

Data Sharing and Third-Party Services

🚫 We Never Sell Your Data: SmartTech News does not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

Trusted Service Providers

We may share limited data with carefully selected service providers who help us operate our website:

  • Web Hosting Services: For reliable website performance and uptime
  • Analytics Providers (Google Analytics): For anonymized usage insights and performance metrics
  • Email Marketing Platforms: For newsletter distribution and subscriber management
  • Content Delivery Networks (CDN): For faster global page loading and image optimization
  • Security Services: For protection against DDoS attacks and malicious activities
  • Customer Support Tools: For efficient response to user inquiries and feedback

Legal Requirements

We may disclose personal information when legally required or when necessary to:

  • Comply with valid legal processes, court orders, or government requests
  • Protect our rights, property, safety, and that of our users and the public
  • Investigate potential violations of our terms of service or applicable laws
  • Prevent fraud, security breaches, or other illegal or harmful activities

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our technology news website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and provide personalized content. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us improve our services.

Types of Cookies We Use

πŸ”§ Essential Cookies

Required for basic website functionality, security, and user authentication. These cannot be disabled.

πŸ“Š Analytics Cookies

Help us understand visitor interactions, popular content, and website performance metrics.

⚑ Functional Cookies

Enable enhanced features, personalized experiences, and remember your preferences.

🎯 Performance Cookies

Monitor website speed, loading times, and optimize user experience across devices.

Cookie Management Options

You can control cookies through your browser settings or our cookie preference center. Note that disabling certain cookies may limit website functionality and personalized features.

Third-Party Integrations

Google Analytics & Search Console

We use Google Analytics to analyze website traffic, user behavior, and content performance. This service uses cookies to collect anonymized demographic and interest data, helping us improve our technology news coverage and user experience.

Opt-out Option: You can opt-out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on or adjusting your browser’s privacy settings.

Social Media Integration

Our website includes social media sharing buttons and embedded content from platforms like Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook. These features may collect information about your IP address and browsing activity. Your interactions with social media features are governed by the respective platforms’ privacy policies.

External Technology News Sources

We link to authoritative external technology websites and news sources to provide comprehensive coverage and additional context. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third-party sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Data Security and Protection

We implement comprehensive security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction:

πŸ” SSL Encryption

All data transmission is secured with 256-bit SSL encryption

πŸ›‘οΈ Secure Servers

Regular security updates and vulnerability assessments

πŸ”‘ Access Controls

Limited data access to authorized personnel only

πŸ’Ύ Data Backup

Regular backups and disaster recovery systems

Important Disclaimer: While we implement industry-standard security measures, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but continuously work to protect your personal information.

Data Retention Policy

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy or as required by applicable law:

Data Retention Periods

  • Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
  • Website analytics data: Up to 26 months (Google Analytics default setting)
  • Contact form inquiries: Up to 3 years for customer service and support purposes
  • Security and access logs: Up to 2 years for fraud prevention and security monitoring
  • Cookie data: Varies by type, typically 30 days to 2 years
  • Account data (if applicable): Until account deletion or after 5 years of inactivity

When personal information is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it using industry-standard data destruction methods, including secure wiping of digital storage devices and destruction of physical documents.

Your Privacy Rights and Data Control

Depending on your location, you have specific rights regarding your personal information. We respect these rights and provide easy ways to exercise them:

European Union (GDPR Rights)

πŸ“‚ Right to Access

Request information about the personal data we hold about you

✏️ Right to Rectification

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data

πŸ—‘οΈ Right to Erasure

Request deletion of your personal data (right to be forgotten)

⏸️ Right to Restrict

Request limitation of how we process your personal data

πŸ“€ Right to Portability

Request transfer of your data to another service provider

❌ Right to Object

Object to processing of your personal data for specific purposes

🚫 Right to Withdraw

Withdraw consent for data processing at any time

How to Exercise Your Privacy Rights

Quick Contact for Privacy Rights:

  • Email us at news@smarttech-news.com with your specific request
  • Include “Privacy Rights Request” or “GDPR Request” in the subject line
  • Provide your email address and specify which right you want to exercise
  • We will respond within 30 days as required by GDPR regulations

Newsletter and Email Communications

If you subscribe to our technology news newsletter, we will use your email address to send you valuable content and updates:

πŸ“° Newsletter Content

  • Daily/weekly technology news updates and breaking tech stories
  • Featured articles about AI, software, gadgets, and tech innovations
  • Exclusive content and early access to important tech developments
  • Industry analysis and expert commentary on tech trends

πŸ“§ Communication Frequency

  • Weekly newsletter digest (Fridays)
  • Breaking news alerts (major tech announcements only)
  • Monthly roundup of top tech stories
  • Occasional promotional messages (clearly marked as such)

Easy Unsubscribe Options

You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time:

  • One-click unsubscribe: Click the “unsubscribe” link in any newsletter email
  • Direct contact: Email us at news@smarttech-news.com with “Unsubscribe” in the subject
  • Preference management: Update your email preferences through your account settings

Unsubscribe requests are processed within 48 hours during business days.

Children’s Privacy Protection

Age Restriction: Our technology news website is intended for general audiences and is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of age.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at news@smarttech-news.com with “Child Privacy Concern” in the subject line. We will promptly investigate and delete any such information from our systems.

International Data Transfers

Your personal information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States and European Union. We ensure that such transfers comply with applicable data protection laws and include appropriate safeguards:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses: EU Commission-approved clauses for international data transfers
  • Adequacy Decisions: Transfers to countries with equivalent data protection standards
  • Certification Schemes: Industry-recognized privacy and security certifications
  • Binding Corporate Rules: Internal privacy rules for multinational service providers

Privacy Policy Updates and Changes

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, services, or applicable laws. When we make material changes, we will:

  • Update this page with the new “Last Updated” date and version
  • Send email notifications to newsletter subscribers about significant changes
  • Display prominent notices on our website homepage for 30 days
  • Provide change summaries highlighting key modifications and their impact
  • Maintain an archive of previous privacy policy versions for reference

We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed about how we protect your information and respect your privacy rights.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

❓ How do I delete my personal data from SmartTech News?

Email us at news@smarttech-news.com with “Data Deletion Request” in the subject line. Include your email address and specify what data you want deleted. We will process your request within 30 days as required by GDPR and send you confirmation once completed.

πŸͺ What specific cookies does SmartTech News use?

We use Google Analytics cookies (_ga, _gid, _gat), essential WordPress cookies for site functionality, functional cookies for user preferences, and performance cookies for optimization. You can view and manage all cookies through your browser settings or our cookie preference center.

πŸ“§ How can I manage my newsletter subscription?

Click the “unsubscribe” link in any newsletter email, update your preferences through your account settings, or contact us directly at news@smarttech-news.com. Changes are processed within 48 hours during business days.

🚫 Do you sell my personal data to advertisers?

Absolutely not. SmartTech News does not sell, trade, or share your personal data with advertising companies or data brokers. We may use Google Analytics for anonymized website insights, but this data is never sold and is used solely for improving our content and user experience.

⏰ How quickly do you respond to privacy concerns?

We respond to all privacy inquiries within 72 hours during business days. For urgent privacy matters, mark your email as “Urgent Privacy Concern” and we will prioritize your request. GDPR requests are processed within the required 30-day timeframe.

Contact Information and Support

πŸ“§ Privacy Department

The Viking Company
SmartTech News

Technology News & Media

πŸ”— Contact Details

Email: news@smarttech-news.com

Website: smarttech-news.com

Response Time: Within 72 hours

πŸ‡ͺπŸ‡Ί GDPR Inquiries

Subject line: “GDPR Request” + specific request (access, deletion, correction, etc.)

🚨 Urgent Privacy Matters

Subject line: “Urgent Privacy Concern” for priority handling within 24 hours

πŸ“ General Privacy Questions

Subject line: “Privacy Question” for general inquiries about our practices

πŸ“Š Data Protection Officer

For complex privacy matters, include “DPO Request” in your subject line

Privacy Policy Last Updated

This Privacy Policy was last updated on July 1, 2025 and is effective immediately.

This policy complies with GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable data protection regulations worldwide.


';}});