Privacy Policy for Cosmic Horizons
Last updated: April 2026
Cosmic Horizons (“we,” “our,” or “us”) operates the website https://cosmichorizons.org. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit or interact with our website.
1. Who We Are
Website Owner: Mark Cox, Sole Proprietor
Business Name: Cosmic Horizons
Contact Email: [email protected]
Location: Edwardsville, Illinois, USA
Our mission is to provide educational content about science, evolution, space, and technology.
2. Information We Collect
We do not require an account to use this site, and we do not sell personal information. Information we collect falls into two categories:
Automatically collected (always active): Third-party analytics and advertising services — including Google Analytics, Google AdSense, and Cloudflare — automatically collect non-identifiable data when you visit our site. See Sections 3–7 for details.
Voluntarily submitted (optional features): If you use optional features on this site, you may provide personal information:
- Name and email address — if you subscribe to our newsletter or leave a comment
- Message or feedback — if you submit the contact form
Information you voluntarily submit is used only for its stated purpose and is not sold or shared with third parties without your consent.
3. Automatically Collected Data
When you visit cosmichorizons.org, standard information is automatically collected by our analytics and hosting systems:
- IP address and approximate location (city-level only)
- Browser type and device
- Pages visited and time on site
- Referring websites and outbound links clicked
This information is collected through Google Analytics and Cloudflare CDN for performance monitoring, security, and traffic analysis.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies (small data files stored on your browser) to:
- Maintain basic site functionality
- Analyze traffic through Google Analytics
- Improve loading times via Cloudflare’s caching system
You can disable cookies in your browser settings. Doing so may limit some website functionality.
5. Use of Data
We use the information we collect to:
- Analyze traffic and improve content
- Optimize page performance
- Maintain website security and prevent spam or abuse
- Respond to contact form submissions and manage newsletter subscriptions where applicable
We do not sell personal data or share visitor information with advertisers or affiliates at this time.
6. Data Processors and Services We Use
a. Google Analytics
Used for anonymous website analytics and performance metrics.
Data is collected under Google’s Privacy Policy.
You may opt out of Analytics tracking with Google’s Opt-out Add-on.
b. Cloudflare CDN
We use Cloudflare for global content delivery, caching, and DDoS protection.
Cloudflare may log IP addresses temporarily for security and optimization.
Read their Privacy Policy.
7. Advertising and Affiliate Links
This website displays ads served by Google AdSense and may use affiliate links (e.g., Amazon Associates). By using this site, you consent to the use of advertising cookies as described below.
- Ads will be clearly labeled.
- Affiliate links will include disclosure statements.
- Some partners may use cookies to track clicks for commission purposes.
We update this policy whenever advertising practices change. Google AdSense uses cookies, including the DoubleClick cookie, to serve ads based on your prior visits to this site and other sites. You may opt out of personalized advertising at optout.networkadvertising.org.
8. Data Retention and Security
- Analytics data is retained according to Google’s default policy (typically 14 months).
- Cloudflare logs are retained temporarily for performance and security.
- Personal information you voluntarily submit (via contact form or newsletter) is retained only as long as needed to fulfill your request. Passive visitor data is handled entirely by third-party services (Google, Cloudflare) and is not stored on our servers.
- SSL encryption (HTTPS) is active for all connections.
9. Your Rights
If you are located in the European Union (GDPR) or California (CCPA), you have the right to:
- Request access to any personal data we may hold
- Request correction or deletion of data
- Withdraw consent for processing
Requests can be made by contacting us at [email protected].
10. Children’s Privacy
Our website is intended for a general audience aged 13 and older.
We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13.
If you believe we have inadvertently collected a child’s data, please contact us so we can delete it.
11. Links to Other Websites
Our articles may include links to external sites (NASA, scientific journals, media outlets, etc.).
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites.
Please review the privacy policies of any third-party site you visit.
12. Policy Updates
We may update this policy periodically to reflect new features or legal requirements.
The updated version will always appear on this page with a new “Last updated” date.
13. Contact
For privacy-related questions or data requests:
📧 Email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://cosmichorizons.org
📍 Location: Edwardsville, Illinois, USA
Need Help?
If you have questions about this policy or need support, visit our Support page or email [email protected].