Privacy Policy
1. Who we are
This website ("the Site") provides ship-traffic monitoring and analysis for the Strait of Hormuz. It is operated by the operator of data-tracking.net ("we", "us"), who acts as the data controller for personal data processed through the Site. You can reach us for privacy matters via the feedback form on the Site.
2. What we collect
Data collected automatically. When you visit the Site, our servers and our content-delivery provider (Cloudflare) process your IP address, approximate location derived from it (country/region/city), browser type, device information, pages requested, and timestamps. This happens for every visitor and is necessary to deliver the Site and protect it from abuse.
Analytics. We use Google Analytics 4 and Microsoft Clarity to understand how the Site is used — pages viewed, time on page, interactions, approximate location, and, in Clarity's case, anonymized session replays and heatmaps. These tools set cookies and collect device identifiers. Where required by law (e.g., in the EEA/UK), they run only with your consent.
Feedback form. If you send us feedback, we receive the message you write and technical metadata (IP address and approximate location) to help us respond and prevent abuse.
API usage. If you call the Site's data API, we log the calling IP address, approximate location, endpoints used, and request volume, to operate, secure, and improve the API.
Newsletter (when available). If you subscribe to email updates, we collect your email address and your consent record (time and source of signup). Subscribing is optional and unrelated to using the Site.
Advertising (when active). The Site shows advertising provided by Mediavine ("Journey by Mediavine"). Mediavine and its advertising partners may process device identifiers, cookies, IP-derived location, and interaction data to serve and measure ads. In regions that require it, personalized advertising runs only with your consent, collected through a consent dialog; without consent, only non-personalized ads may be shown. See Mediavine's privacy policy.
What we do not collect. No account is needed to use the Site. We do not knowingly collect special-category data, and the ship-movement data displayed on the Site is not personal data.
3. Why we process it (legal bases)
| Purpose | Legal basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Serving the Site, security, abuse prevention, server logs | Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| Analytics (Google Analytics, Clarity) | Consent where required (Art. 6(1)(a)); otherwise legitimate interest |
| Personalized advertising | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) |
| Feedback handling | Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)) |
| API operation and fair-use enforcement | Legitimate interest; contract where API terms apply |
| Newsletter | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)), withdrawable at any time |
4. Cookies and similar technologies
Strictly necessary (no consent required): Cloudflare security cookies
(e.g. __cf_bm) and browser storage used to remember interface choices —
dismissed notices, closed banners, and your cookie-consent choice itself.
Analytics (consent where required): Google Analytics
(_ga, _ga_*), Microsoft Clarity (_clck,
_clsk, MUID).
Advertising (consent where required, when ads are active): cookies and identifiers set by Mediavine and its certified advertising partners under the IAB Transparency & Consent Framework. The full partner list is available in the ad consent dialog.
Where consent applies, your choice is remembered for up to 12 months, after which we ask again. You can change your mind at any time via the "Cookie preferences" link in the footer, and you can also delete cookies in your browser.
5. Who we share data with
We do not sell personal data. Data is processed by these service providers on our behalf or as independent controllers:
- Amazon Web Services (hosting, United States)
- Cloudflare (CDN, DNS, security)
- Google (analytics; advertising infrastructure when ads are active)
- Microsoft (Clarity analytics)
- Mediavine and its advertising partners (when ads are active)
- Email delivery provider (when the newsletter launches; this policy will be updated to name it)
We may also disclose data if required by law or to protect our rights, and in any transfer of the Site to a successor operator.
6. International transfers
The Site is hosted in the United States, so data of visitors outside the US is transferred there. Our US providers (AWS, Google, Microsoft, Cloudflare) participate in the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and/or rely on Standard Contractual Clauses for such transfers.
7. How long we keep data
- Server and security logs: up to ~30 days
- Feedback messages: as long as needed to handle them, then deleted or anonymized
- API usage logs: up to 13 months (aggregated statistics may be kept longer)
- Google Analytics: 14 months (Google's retention setting)
- Microsoft Clarity: per Microsoft's retention (recordings ≤ 30 days; aggregated data up to 13 months)
- Newsletter data: until you unsubscribe, then removed from the active list
- Consent records: as long as required to demonstrate compliance
8. Your rights
Everyone can contact us via the feedback form about their data.
EEA / UK / Switzerland: you have the right to access, rectify, and erase your data, restrict or object to processing, data portability, and to withdraw consent at any time (without affecting prior processing). You may lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.
California: you have the right to know what personal information we collect, to delete it, to correct it, and to opt out of "sharing" for cross-context behavioral advertising, without discrimination. Use the "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" link in the footer (shown when advertising is active) or contact us. We honor Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals.
Other jurisdictions (e.g. Canada, Brazil, Australia): we apply the rights above to all visitors as a baseline; contact us to exercise them.
We will respond within the timelines required by applicable law (one month under GDPR). We may need to verify your identity for certain requests.
9. Security
The Site is served over HTTPS, access to infrastructure is restricted and key-authenticated, and we minimize the personal data we hold. No internet service can guarantee absolute security, but we take reasonable technical and organizational measures appropriate to the data processed.
10. Children
The Site is a professional maritime-data tool, not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect their data.
11. Changes to this policy
We will post any changes here with an updated date. Material changes (for example, launching the newsletter or advertising) will be reflected in this policy before or at the time they take effect.
12. Contact
The operator of data-tracking.net · via the feedback form on the Site.