What data does Windows News AI collect?
For visitors without an account, we collect minimal data: anonymous usage statistics through Google Analytics, preference settings (such as theme) stored locally in your browser, an anonymous reading-list stored only in your browser, and short-lived technical identifiers used to count article views accurately.
If you sign in with a Windows Forum account or subscribe to our newsletter, we collect the additional information described below.
What data is stored for member accounts?
Signing in uses your existing WindowsForum.com account (OAuth single sign-on). We receive your forum user ID, username, email address, and avatar from Windows Forum. On our servers we then store, linked to your forum user ID:
- Articles you save to your reading list
- Topics you follow for your personalized feed
- Daily reading-activity counters (how many articles you read per day, used for streaks and badges) — we do not store a per-article reading history
- Badges you have earned
- An encrypted session (expires after 30 minutes of inactivity)
Your Windows Forum account itself is governed by WindowsForum.com's own terms and privacy practices.
How are article views counted?
To keep view counts and "Trending" rankings accurate, your browser reports each article view to us. We use a short-lived, hashed identifier derived from your IP address and browser type solely to avoid counting the same view twice; it expires automatically within hours and is not used to build a profile or reading history.
Do you sell user data?
No. We never sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We use data only to operate and improve the service. Third-party services we use (listed below) have their own privacy policies.
How do you use cookies?
We use an essential session cookie (wf_session) for signed-in members, preference cookies/local storage to remember your settings (theme, view mode, saved articles), Google Analytics cookies for usage statistics, and cookies set by Google AdSense and Cloudflare. You can control cookies through your browser; blocking the session cookie will sign you out.
Is my data secure on Windows News AI?
We use HTTPS everywhere, encrypt member sessions at rest (AES-256-GCM), and apply industry-standard security practices and regular updates. No internet transmission is completely secure, so we encourage sensible precautions on your side as well.
How can I request data deletion?
Contact us at to request deletion of member data we hold (saved articles, followed topics, activity counters, badges, newsletter subscription). We process requests within 30 days. Deleting your Windows Forum account also ends our ability to associate stored data with you. Browser-stored data (anonymous reading list, preferences) can be cleared at any time from your own browser.
Does Windows News AI comply with GDPR/CCPA?
We respect user privacy rights under GDPR, CCPA, and similar regulations: access, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent. Use the contact link above to exercise these rights.
What information is collected automatically?
When you visit, we automatically process:
- IP address (anonymized by Google Analytics; briefly hashed by us for view counting and rate limiting)
- Browser type and version, operating system
- Referring website, pages visited, and time spent
- General geographic location (country/region level)
What third-party services do you use?
- Windows Forum (WindowsForum.com): account sign-in (OAuth SSO) and community discussion
- Google Analytics: anonymous usage statistics
- Google AdSense: advertising
- Cloudflare: content delivery, security, and Turnstile bot protection on AI features
- OpenAI, Anthropic (Claude), xAI (Grok), DeepSeek: AI-powered article generation, summaries, and chat
Each service has its own privacy policy governing its data practices.
How long do you retain data?
- Member sessions: expire after 30 minutes of inactivity
- Reading-activity counters: deleted after 180 days
- View-counting identifiers: expire automatically within hours
- Analytics data: aggregated/anonymized by Google after 26 months
- Server logs: deleted after 30 days
- Newsletter subscriptions: until you unsubscribe or request deletion
- Saved articles, follows, and badges: until you remove them or request deletion
How do you handle data with AI services?
When you use AI-powered features (summaries and chat), your queries are processed by third-party AI services (OpenAI, Anthropic, xAI, DeepSeek):
- Queries are sent only when you actively use an AI feature
- We do not store your AI conversation history on our servers
- AI providers process queries under their own privacy policies
- You can simply not use the AI features if you prefer not to share data with these services
- Signed-in members skip the Turnstile bot check on AI features; their forum identity serves as the verification instead
Is Windows News AI safe for children?
Our content is generally appropriate for all ages, but we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Member accounts require a Windows Forum account, which has its own age requirements. Contact us if you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child.
How can I control tracking and cookies?
Use your browser's privacy settings to block or clear cookies and local storage, install privacy extensions, or browse privately. Blocking all cookies may affect functionality (sign-in, saved articles, preferences).