Privacy Policy
Your privacy matters. This policy explains how The Sharp Lens collects, uses, stores, and protects your personal information when you use our services.
Introduction
The Sharp Lens ("we," "our," or "us") operates the website tslnews.com and associated digital services. We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
This Privacy Policy describes the types of personal information we collect when you visit our website, subscribe to our newsletters, comment on articles, or interact with our services, and how that information is used, shared, and safeguarded.
By accessing or using our services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please discontinue use of our services.
Information We Collect
We collect information to provide and improve our services. The types of data we collect depend on how you interact with our platform.
| Category | Examples | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Identity Data | Full name, username, display name | You provide directly |
| Contact Data | Email address | You provide directly |
| Technical Data | IP address, browser type & version, device type, operating system, screen resolution | Collected automatically |
| Usage Data | Pages viewed, time on page, click patterns, scroll depth, referring URL | Collected automatically |
| Communication Data | Messages sent via contact forms, feedback submissions | You provide directly |
| Preference Data | Newsletter preferences, topic interests, reading history | You provide / Inferred |
How We Use Your Data
We process your personal data for the following purposes, based on legitimate interest, contractual necessity, or your consent:
- Content delivery — Displaying articles, personalizing content recommendations, and remembering your reading preferences.
- Newsletter services — Sending subscribed newsletters, managing your subscription preferences, and analyzing engagement metrics.
- Communications — Responding to contact form submissions, feedback, and support inquiries.
- Analytics — Understanding how visitors use our site to improve content, design, and performance.
- Security — Detecting and preventing fraudulent activity, unauthorized access, and abuse of our services.
- Legal compliance — Meeting legal obligations including tax, regulatory, and law enforcement requirements.
- Advertising — Serving relevant advertisements through trusted third-party ad partners, based on anonymized usage data.
We will never use your personal data for purposes incompatible with those listed above without first notifying you and, where required, obtaining your consent.
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience. Cookies are small text files placed on your device that help us recognize your browser and remember certain preferences.
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Required for basic site functionality, security, and accessibility | Session |
| Analytics | Help us understand how visitors interact with our content (e.g., Google Analytics) | Up to 2 years |
| Functional | Remember your preferences such as language, theme, and reading settings | Up to 1 year |
| Advertising | Used by ad partners to deliver relevant advertising and measure ad performance | Up to 1 year |
You can manage your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings or our cookie consent banner. Disabling certain cookies may affect your experience on the site.
Data Sharing & Third Parties
We do not sell your personal data. We may share information with trusted third parties only in the following circumstances:
- Service providers — Companies that help us operate our platform, including hosting providers, email delivery services, and analytics tools. These providers are contractually bound to process data only on our behalf.
- Advertising partners — Trusted ad networks may receive anonymized or aggregated data to deliver relevant ads. No personally identifiable information is shared without consent.
- Legal requirements — When required by law, court order, or governmental request, we may disclose information to comply with legal obligations.
- Business transfers — In the event of a merger, acquisition, or asset sale, your data may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the same privacy protections.
Data Retention
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, or as required by law.
- Account data — Retained while your account is active. Deleted within 90 days of account closure upon request.
- Newsletter subscriptions — Retained until you unsubscribe. Records of consent are kept for 3 years for compliance purposes.
- Contact form submissions — Retained for up to 12 months, then permanently deleted.
- Analytics data — Aggregated and anonymized data may be retained indefinitely for trend analysis.
- Server logs — Automatically purged after 90 days.
Security Measures
We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
- SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers.
- Regular security audits and vulnerability assessments.
- Access controls limiting data access to authorized personnel only.
- Encrypted storage for sensitive personal information.
- Incident response procedures to address potential breaches promptly.
Important: While we strive to protect your data, no method of electronic transmission or storage is 100% secure. We encourage you to use strong, unique passwords and remain vigilant against phishing attempts.
Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
| Right | Description |
|---|---|
| Access | Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you. |
| Rectification | Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data. |
| Erasure | Request deletion of your personal data ("right to be forgotten"). |
| Restrict Processing | Request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances. |
| Data Portability | Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format. |
| Object | Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including direct marketing. |
| Withdraw Consent | Where processing is based on consent, withdraw it at any time without affecting prior processing. |
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at privacy@tslnews.com. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
Children's Privacy
Our services are not directed at individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that a child under 16 has provided us with personal data, we will take steps to delete that information promptly.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us at privacy@tslnews.com so we can take appropriate action.
International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries other than your own. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission or equivalent protections under applicable law.
By using our services, you acknowledge that your information may be transferred to our facilities and to third-party service providers located in other jurisdictions.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
- Post a prominent notice on our homepage for at least 7 days.
- Notify newsletter subscribers via email when changes significantly affect how we process personal data.
We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of our services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please reach out to our privacy team:
- Email: privacy@tslnews.com
- Subject line: "Privacy Inquiry" for fastest routing
- Response time: Within 30 days of receipt
For general inquiries unrelated to privacy, please visit our Contact page.
Have a Privacy Concern?
Our team is here to help. Reach out and we'll respond within 30 days.