# Privacy Policy - Source: https://www.auricmedia.net/privacy-policy/ - Published: 2018-05-24T15:12:50+00:00 **Last updated: 13 October 2026** Auricmedia (www.auricmedia.net) is a personal, non-commercial archive of articles and source documents, published since 2013. This page explains what data the site processes, why, who receives it and what you can do about it. It is specific rather than generic: everything listed below is actually running on this site, and nothing else is. ## 1. Who is responsible This site is published under the name **Auricman – The Blacksmith Of Truth** by one private individual, who is the data controller for the processing described here. For any question about privacy, or to exercise your rights, contact: Email: **mindcrimesband(at)gmail.com** ## 2. Short summary - You can read the whole site, and play The Daily Anvil, without giving any personal information. - Nothing is sold, and no advertising network operates here. - Google Analytics is **not loaded at all** unless you allow it in the cookie banner. If you choose “Private”, no data is sent to Google. - Videos and other embedded content (YouTube, SoundCloud and others) do not connect to those services until you click to load them. Video thumbnails are delivered through this site’s image service, not by YouTube. - The Daily Anvil, the Hidden Atlas and the daily seal keep your progress only in your own browser. Your verdict is added only to an anonymous daily tally, and nothing that could identify you is stored with it. If you allow functional features, your browser also remembers your last visit so new articles can be marked for you, and keeps your archive passport of reading stamps. - The Anvil Letter, the weekly newsletter, is sent only if you subscribe and confirm your address. Every letter has an unsubscribe link, and your address is used for nothing else. - Claims in The Daily Anvil are prepared from published articles with the help of an AI service, and every claim is checked by a human before it is used. No visitor data is ever sent to the AI service. - Some things always involve a third party because the site cannot work without them: the cookie banner itself, image delivery, spam protection for comments and the hosting provider. They are all named below. - Some older articles show images directly from the websites they quote. Opening such an article connects your browser to those websites. ## 3. The cookie banner and your choice On your first visit a consent banner, provided by Cookie Compliance from [hu-manity.co](https://hu-manity.co/), asks you to choose a data access level: - **Private**: only what is strictly necessary for the site to work. Google Analytics is not loaded. - **Balanced**: adds functional features and site measurement. Google Analytics is loaded, with advertising storage disabled. - **OK**: everything in Balanced, plus the marketing category. No marketing or advertising tools currently run on this site, so in practice OK and Balanced behave the same. Until you make a choice, the site behaves as if you had chosen Private. You can change or withdraw your choice at any time using the small shield icon in the corner of every page. Withdrawing consent does not affect processing that took place before the withdrawal. The banner’s scripts are loaded from hu-manity.co servers on every page, because the banner must be shown before any choice exists. When you save a choice, the banner stores it in your browser. Within the monthly usage limit of the banner’s free plan, it also sends a record of the choice (a random consent ID, the level you chose and a timestamp) to hu-manity.co, so that the choice can be demonstrated later if required. Once that limit has been reached, the choice is stored only in your browser until the next monthly cycle begins. This does not change how the site behaves: Google Analytics and embedded content are still loaded only according to your choice. The banner also has a feature for recording the privacy consent given in the comment form. ## 4. Cookies and browser storage The following may be stored in your browser by this site: NamePurposeWhen it is setDuration hu-consentRemembers your cookie banner choiceWhen you save a choice30 days hu-session, hu-config (browser storage, not cookies)Technical state of the cookie bannerOn every visitSession / until cleared _ga, _ga_SDJTFYDNE9Google Analytics: distinguishes visitors and sessionsOnly if you choose Balanced or OKUp to 2 years ytprefs_gdpr_consentRemembers that you accepted YouTube videosOnly when you click to load or accept a YouTube video30 days amAnvil1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Saves your progress in The Daily Anvil (points, runes and daily streak) so you can continue where you left off. It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else.Only when you play The Daily AnvilUntil you clear your browser storage amAtlas1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Remembers which topics you have opened in the Hidden Atlas, so the page can show how much of the map you have explored. It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else.Only when you open topics in the Hidden AtlasUntil you clear your browser storage or press “Forget my progress” amSeal1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Remembers the relics you have found by breaking the daily seal (your reliquary), the day you last opened a seal and your streak. It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else.Only when you break the daily sealUntil you clear your browser storage or press “Forget my reliquary” amVisit1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Remembers when you last visited and which of the newest articles you have already opened, so the site can show “new since your last visit” and mark new articles. It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else.Only if you choose Balanced or OK in the cookie bannerUntil you clear your browser storage or change your choice to Private (it is then removed on your next page view) amPass1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Your archive passport: which articles you have read and which topics you have opened, so the site can show your reading stamps by topic (for example “you have read 4 of 23”). It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else.Only if you choose Balanced or OK in the cookie bannerUntil you clear your browser storage, press “Forget my passport” or change your choice to Private (it is then removed on your next page view) amForge1 (browser storage, not a cookie)Remembers that you turned on the forge sound with the flame button, so the sound can continue on the next page after your first click there. It stays in your browser and is never sent to this site or to anyone else. Because you ask for this yourself, it does not depend on the cookie banner.Only when you press the flame button to turn the sound onUntil you turn the sound off again with the same button or clear your browser storage comment_author_*, comment_author_email_*, comment_author_url_*Saves your name, email and website for the next commentOnly if you tick the box in the comment formAbout 1 year wordpress_*, wp-settings-*, jetpack-boost-guideLogin and admin settingsOnly for the logged-in site administratorSession / 1 year Browser storage works like a cookie, but its contents are not sent to the server with your requests. After you accept a YouTube video, YouTube itself may store information in your browser. That storage is controlled by Google, not by this site. You can delete cookies and browser storage at any time in your browser settings. ## 5. Analytics **Google Analytics 4** (property G-SDJTFYDNE9), connected through the Google Site Kit plugin, is the only analytics service that sends data outside this site. It is **loaded only after you choose Balanced or OK**. Before that, and at the Private level, your browser makes no connection to Google Analytics. When allowed, it records page views, approximate location (country and city level, derived from your IP address), device and browser type, the referring page and how you move through the site. Advertising storage and personalised advertising are disabled. Google states that Google Analytics 4 does not log or store IP addresses. Data is kept for the retention period set in the Analytics property, at most 14 months. See [Google’s privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy) and [how Google Analytics safeguards data](https://support.google.com/analytics/answer/6004245). **WordPress Popular Posts** counts how many times each article is opened, so that the “most popular” lists can be built. It runs on this site’s own server and stores view counts per article, not profiles of individual readers. No data leaves the site. ## 6. Comments When you leave a comment, the site stores what you type in the comment form (name, email address, optional website and the comment itself) together with your IP address and browser user-agent string. Your email address is never published. To keep out spam, comments are checked by **Akismet**, operated by Automattic. The comment, your name, email address, website, IP address, user-agent and referring page are sent to Akismet for this check. See [Akismet’s privacy information](https://akismet.com/privacy/). An anonymised string created from your email address (a hash) may be sent to the **Gravatar** service, also operated by Automattic, to check whether you have a profile picture there. See [Automattic’s privacy policy](https://automattic.com/privacy/). Comments and their metadata are kept until you ask for them to be removed, so that follow-up comments from the same person can be recognised. You can ask for your comments and the data attached to them to be deleted at any time. ## 7. Images and page delivery Images are delivered through Jetpack’s image service at i0.wp.com, operated by Automattic. It resizes images to fit your screen and converts them to lighter formats. This means your browser requests images from Automattic’s servers, which receive your IP address and browser information. This happens on every page, because the images cannot be shown otherwise. **Images from other websites.** Some older articles, mostly those quoting other sources, show images that are stored on the original website rather than on this site (for example Wikimedia Commons or the websites the article quotes). When you open such an article, your browser loads those images directly from the other website, which receives your IP address, browser information and the address of the page you are reading. These websites are not controlled by this site, and their own privacy policies apply. This site’s server checks regularly whether the images and videos used in articles still exist, and hides the ones that have been removed from their original source. The check is made by the server alone and involves no data about visitors. Pages are cached on this site’s own server to make them faster. This involves no third party. The visual effects of the site (such as the animated fire and glints) run entirely in your browser and process no personal data. ## 8. Embedded content **YouTube.** Videos are shown first as a placeholder, and no connection is made to YouTube until you click “Load video from YouTube” or “Accept YouTube Content”. After you click, the video is loaded from youtube-nocookie.com, YouTube’s privacy-enhanced mode, and Google processes your data as described in [Google’s privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy). Your choice is remembered in your browser for 30 days, so videos on other pages then load directly (see the cookie table). Each placeholder also has a plain link to open the video on YouTube instead. The latest-video thumbnails in the sidebar are fetched through the image service described in section 7, so seeing them does not connect your browser to YouTube. The video player is loaded from YouTube only when you click the thumbnail. **X (formerly Twitter).** The sidebar shows recent posts from the site’s own X account, delivered through the Custom Twitter Feeds plugin. The posts are fetched by this site’s server. Profile pictures in the feed may be loaded from X’s image servers (pbs.twimg.com), which then receive your IP address and browser information. Opening a post takes you to X, where [X’s privacy policy](https://x.com/en/privacy) applies. **Other embeds.** Content embedded from other services, such as SoundCloud, Scribd or Spreaker, is also shown as a placeholder and is loaded only when you click it. The service is then governed by its own privacy policy. **Links to archived copies.** The site’s server checks the links in its articles in the background, without any visitor data. When a linked source has disappeared, the link may open a copy saved by the Internet Archive (web.archive.org) instead. Opening such a link takes you to the Internet Archive, where its own privacy policy applies. ## 9. The Daily Anvil game The Daily Anvil is a daily game in which you judge claims taken from the articles on this site. It works without an account or registration, and you do not need to give any personal information to play. Your progress (points, runes and daily streak) is saved only in your own browser, under the name amAnvil1. It is never sent to this site or to anyone else, and the site has no way of seeing it. If you clear this site’s data in your browser, or play on another device or browser, your progress starts again from the beginning. The day’s claim is loaded from this site’s own server. When you give your verdict, the site adds one to an anonymous tally for that day’s claim (how many players chose STEEL, STILL IN THE FIRE or SLAG) and shows you the totals. Only these three numbers are stored, without any cookie, identifier or IP address, and they are deleted after 30 days. The requests are handled like any other page request (see section 14). The share button uses your device’s own share menu, or copies the text to your clipboard. Nothing is sent to this site, and you decide yourself where, if anywhere, the text is shared. ## 10. The Anvil Letter (newsletter) The Anvil Letter is a free weekly newsletter. It is sent on Sundays, and only in weeks when a new article has been published. It contains the new articles, a few older stories from the archive and links to the site’s own pages. Subscribing is entirely voluntary, and nothing else on the site depends on it. **Signing up.** The newsletter uses the MailPoet plugin, which runs on this site. When you enter your email address in the sign-up form, you receive a confirmation email, and you are subscribed only after you click the link in it (double opt-in). As proof of your consent, the site stores your email address (and your name, if you give it), the date and time of your sign-up and confirmation, the IP address they were made from, the form you used, and your subscription status. **Sending.** The letters are sent through the MailPoet Sending Service, operated by Automattic. To deliver a letter, the service processes your email address, the content of the letter and technical delivery information, such as whether the letter was delivered or bounced. MailPoet states that it does not keep subscriber data for any other purpose. See [MailPoet’s privacy notice](https://www.mailpoet.com/privacy-notice/), which leads to Automattic’s privacy policy. Automattic is based in the United States (see section 17). **Statistics.** Letters may contain a small image and links that pass through this site, which let MailPoet count how many letters were opened and which links were clicked. The tracking is set to MailPoet’s most limited level. It is used only for overall statistics about the newsletter, never to build profiles of readers or to show you advertising, and the newsletter sets no cookies on the site. If you do not want opens to be counted, you can block images in your email program; the letter works without them. **Unsubscribing.** Every letter has an unsubscribe link and a link to manage your subscription. After you unsubscribe, your address is kept only marked as unsubscribed, so that you are not sent letters again by mistake. You can ask for it to be deleted completely at any time by emailing the address in section 1. If you reply to a letter, your reply arrives in the site author’s own email inbox and is used only to answer you. ## 11. How game claims, verdict stamps and “Did you know?” cards are prepared (AI assistance) New claims for The Daily Anvil are prepared automatically on this site’s server from articles already published here, with the help of Google’s Gemini AI service (Gemini API). The same service also suggests article labels (such as Documented or Theory) and verdict stamps (STEEL, STILL IN THE FIRE or SLAG) for articles in the archive, and writes the short question-and-answer “Did you know?” cards shown in the sidebar, using only the claim and verdict note of articles whose stamp (STEEL, STILL IN THE FIRE or SLAG) has already been approved. To find evidence, short search phrases taken from these claims are sent from the server to Wikipedia, Google Fact Check Tools (which lists articles by professional fact-checkers) and OpenAlex (an open index of research publications). Only the text of published articles, these search phrases and public reference material are sent. **No data about visitors or players is ever included.** Under Google’s terms for users in the European Economic Area, Google does not use the submitted texts to improve its products. See the [Gemini API Additional Terms of Service](https://ai.google.dev/gemini-api/terms) and [Google’s privacy policy](https://policies.google.com/privacy). Every game claim, stamp suggestion and “Did you know?” card prepared with AI assistance is read and approved by a human before it is shown on the site, and the site’s author holds editorial responsibility for it. This disclosure is given in line with the transparency rules for AI-generated text in Article 50 of the EU Artificial Intelligence Act. ## 12. People mentioned in articles Articles on this site discuss public events, research and public figures, and may therefore contain personal data about the people they mention, such as names, roles and public statements. This is processed for journalistic purposes and for academic, artistic and literary expression, as allowed by Article 85 of the GDPR and section 27 of the Finnish Data Protection Act. If an article concerns you and you believe information about you is inaccurate or should be removed, contact the email address above. Each request is reviewed individually, weighing your rights against freedom of expression and information. ## 13. Sharing buttons The sharing buttons under articles (email, Reddit, Facebook, X, LinkedIn, Threads and WhatsApp) are plain links provided by Jetpack. Nothing is sent to those services while you read. Only when you click a button are you taken to that service, whose own privacy policy then applies. ## 14. Hosting and server logs The site is hosted by [WMHost](https://www.wmhost.com/). As with any web server, the hosting platform writes access logs containing visitors’ IP addresses, the pages requested, timestamps and browser user-agent strings. These logs are used for security, abuse prevention and troubleshooting, and are rotated automatically after a limited period. ## 15. Why the data is processed (legal bases) ProcessingLegal basis (GDPR) Google AnalyticsYour consent, Art. 6(1)(a) YouTube videos and other embedded content after you click to load themYour consent, Art. 6(1)(a) Saving your comment details in cookiesYour consent, Art. 6(1)(a) Sending The Anvil Letter and the newsletter statisticsYour consent, given when you subscribe and confirm, Art. 6(1)(a) Keeping a record of your newsletter sign-up and confirmation (time and IP address)Legal obligation to be able to demonstrate consent, Art. 6(1)(c) together with Art. 7(1) Recording your cookie banner choiceLegal obligation to be able to demonstrate consent, Art. 6(1)(c) together with Art. 7(1) Publishing and moderating comments, spam protection (Akismet)Legitimate interest in running a discussion free of spam, Art. 6(1)(f) Image delivery (i0.wp.com), images shown from other websites, X feed pictures, server logs, securityLegitimate interest in delivering a fast, secure website, Art. 6(1)(f) Articles that mention people, and preparing game claims, verdict stamps and “Did you know?” cards from published articles with AI assistanceLegitimate interest in publishing and developing the site’s content, Art. 6(1)(f), within the freedom of expression and information protected by Art. 85 and section 27 of the Finnish Data Protection Act Storing or reading information on your device is based on your consent, except where it is strictly necessary to provide the service you asked for, such as remembering your cookie choice or saving your progress when you play The Daily Anvil, explore the Hidden Atlas or break the daily seal. You can object at any time to processing based on legitimate interest by contacting the email address above. ## 16. Who receives data No data is sold, rented or shared for marketing. Data reaches only the following parties, as described above: - **hu-manity.co**: the cookie banner (every visitor). - **Automattic**: image delivery, including video thumbnails (every visitor), Akismet and Gravatar (commenters only), and the MailPoet Sending Service (newsletter subscribers only). - **WMHost**: hosting and server logs (every visitor). - **X**: profile pictures in the sidebar feed. - **Other websites** whose images appear in older articles: visitors who open those articles. - **Google**: Google Analytics, only with your consent, and YouTube, only after you load a video. The Gemini AI service receives only texts of published articles, never data about visitors. - **Other embedded services** (such as SoundCloud or Scribd): only after you click to load their content. ## 17. Transfers outside the EU Several of these providers are based in the United States, so some data (typically an IP address and browser information) may be processed outside the European Economic Area. Such transfers rely on the EU–US Data Privacy Framework for providers certified under it, or on the European Commission’s standard contractual clauses. The Data Privacy Framework was upheld by the EU General Court on 3 September 2025 (case T-553/23, Latombe v Commission); an appeal is pending before the Court of Justice, and this page will be updated if the outcome changes the situation. You can check a company’s certification on the [Data Privacy Framework List](https://www.dataprivacyframework.gov/list). Details are in each provider’s own privacy policy, linked above. Websites whose images appear in older articles may be located anywhere in the world; the connection to them is made by your own browser. ## 18. How long data is kept - Comments and their metadata: until you ask for removal. - Google Analytics data: the retention period set in the Analytics property, at most 14 months. - Cookie banner choice: 30 days in your browser. When a consent record has been sent to the provider (see section 3), the provider keeps it as proof of consent. - The Daily Anvil, Hidden Atlas and daily seal progress: only in your browser, until you clear it. - “New since your last visit” (amVisit1): only in your browser, until you clear it or change your cookie choice to Private. - Archive passport (amPass1): only in your browser, until you clear it, press “Forget my passport” or change your cookie choice to Private. - Forge sound choice (amForge1): only in your browser, until you turn the sound off or clear it. - The Anvil Letter: your subscription data is kept for as long as you are subscribed. After you unsubscribe, your address is kept only marked as unsubscribed, until you ask for it to be deleted. - Server access logs: a limited period set by the hosting provider, then rotated out. - Cookies and browser storage: as listed in the table in section 4. ## 19. Your rights Under the GDPR you have the right to access the personal data held about you, and to have it corrected or erased. You can also restrict or object to its processing, receive a copy in a portable format, and withdraw your consent at any time. To exercise any of these rights, email the address at the top of this page. Requests are answered within one month. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a data protection supervisory authority. In Finland this is the [Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman](https://tietosuoja.fi/en). Authorities in other EU and EEA countries are listed by the [European Data Protection Board](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/about-edpb/members_en). The use of cookies and browser storage is supervised in Finland by the [Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom (National Cyber Security Centre Finland)](https://www.kyberturvallisuuskeskus.fi/en/our-activities/regulation-and-supervision/cookies). ## 20. Children This site is not directed at children and does not knowingly collect personal data from them. The Daily Anvil collects no personal data from anyone who plays it. ## 21. Security and data breaches The site runs over HTTPS and is kept up to date. If a personal data breach is detected, it is handled together with the hosting provider. It is reported to the supervisory authority, and to affected visitors, where the law requires it. ## 22. Automated decision-making No automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects takes place on this site. The AI assistance described in section 11 is used only to prepare game content and stamp suggestions from published articles, never to make decisions about people. ## 23. Changes to this policy If the site starts or stops using a service that handles visitor data, this page is updated and the date at the top is changed. ## Appendix: legal framework This policy is written to meet the following legislation. The links open the official texts. ### European Union - [Regulation (EU) 2016/679, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2016/679/oj). In particular: Art. 6 (lawfulness of processing), Art. 7 (conditions for consent), Art. 13 (information to be provided), Arts. 15–22 (data subject rights), Arts. 33–34 (personal data breaches), Chapter V, Arts. 44–49 (transfers outside the EEA), Art. 77 (right to lodge a complaint) and Art. 85 (processing and freedom of expression and information). - [Directive 2002/58/EC on privacy and electronic communications (ePrivacy Directive)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2002/58/oj), Art. 5(3) (storing or accessing information on a user’s device, including cookies and browser storage), as amended by [Directive 2009/136/EC](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dir/2009/136/oj). - [Regulation (EU) 2024/1689, the Artificial Intelligence Act](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/reg/2024/1689/oj), Art. 50 (transparency obligations for AI-generated content), which applies from 2 August 2026. - [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2023/1795 on the adequate level of protection under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2023/1795/oj). - [Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2021/914 on standard contractual clauses for transfers to third countries](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/eli/dec_impl/2021/914/oj). ### Finland - [Data Protection Act (1050/2018)](https://www.finlex.fi/en/legislation/translations/2018/eng/1050), which supplements the GDPR in Finland, in particular section 27 (processing for journalistic purposes and for academic, artistic or literary expression). - [Act on Electronic Communications Services (917/2014)](https://www.finlex.fi/en/legislation/translations/2014/eng/917), section 205 (storing and using information on a user’s device, i.e. cookies and browser storage), which implements Art. 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive. ### Guidance - [EDPB Guidelines 05/2020 on consent under Regulation 2016/679](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/our-work-tools/our-documents/guidelines/guidelines-052020-consent-under-regulation-2016679_en). - [EDPB Guidelines 2/2023 on the technical scope of Art. 5(3) of the ePrivacy Directive](https://www.edpb.europa.eu/system/files/documents/2024-10/edpb_guidelines_202302_technical_scope_art_53_eprivacydirective_v2_en_0.pdf), which confirm that browser storage such as localStorage, and tracking images in emails, are covered by the same rules as cookies. - [Traficom / National Cyber Security Centre Finland: cookies](https://www.kyberturvallisuuskeskus.fi/en/our-activities/regulation-and-supervision/cookies), the Finnish authority’s guidance on cookies and browser storage. - [Office of the Data Protection Ombudsman (Finland)](https://tietosuoja.fi/en), the data protection supervisory authority for this site. 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