Privacy policy

This policy explains what the LaoBrief website collects and why. Effective from: [FOUNDER: effective date].

No reader accounts, no newsletter

You can read LaoBrief without signing up or logging in. We don't keep a list of readers' email addresses.

Umami: cookieless statistics

We use Umami to count visits. Umami sets no cookies and shows only aggregate numbers, such as page views, popular pages and referring sites. It is always on. [FOUNDER: confirm Umami is self-hosted, and its data retention period]

Google Analytics 4: only after you consent

• We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) with Google Consent Mode v2. Everything is set to "denied" by default.
• The GA4 script loads only after you accept in the cookie banner. If you reject, it never loads.
• Your choice is stored in a first-party cookie for 6 months.
• You can change your choice at any time with the "cookie settings" link in the footer.
• GA4 data is kept for [FOUNDER: GA4 data retention setting].

UTM parameters

Links we share on social media may carry UTM parameters (for example utm_source=facebook). They tell us which channel a visit came from, not who you are.

Quiz

When you answer an end-of-article quiz, we store only an anonymous count for each answer.

Search

Your search terms are sent to our server to show results. [FOUNDER: confirm whether search queries are stored, and for how long]

Security and server logs

The site sits behind Cloudflare, which protects it from attacks and helps it load fast. Cloudflare and our server process your IP address and technical request data for security and to limit abuse. Server logs are kept for [FOUNDER: server log retention period].

Links and embedded content

When you follow a link to Facebook or another site, that site's privacy policy applies. Some articles may embed social media posts, which can set their own cookies. [FOUNDER: confirm]

Contact

For privacy questions, contact [FOUNDER: contact email] or see our contact page.