PRIVACY
POLICY
RhetorixNodes holds itself to the same standard it applies to its essays — precision over hedging, transparency over legal cover. This policy states exactly what we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and who sees it. Nothing is hidden in qualifiers.
Data We Collect
The following table is the complete record. We do not collect anything not listed here. If we add a new data type in future, this table is updated before collection begins.
| What | Why we collect it | Legal basis | Kept for | Shared with |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Email address | To send the newsletter you subscribed to. No other purpose. | Consent | Until you unsubscribe | Email platform only (see §4) |
| Name (optional) | To personalise newsletter salutation if you provide it. | Consent | Until you unsubscribe | Email platform only |
| IP address | Server logs, abuse prevention. Not linked to your identity. | Legitimate interest | 30 days | Not shared |
| Pages visited, referrer, browser type | Anonymous aggregate analytics. We want to know which essays are read, not who reads them. | Legitimate interest | 13 months then anonymised |
Analytics provider (see §3) |
| Contact form submissions | To respond to your message. | Consent | 12 months after reply | Not shared |
| Payment data (if applicable) | To process a subscription or purchase. | Contract | 7 years (legal requirement) |
Payment processor only We never see card details. |
We do not buy data. We do not receive data from brokers. We do not infer demographic or behavioural profiles. We do not sell, rent, or trade any data with any third party for commercial purposes.
How We Use It
Each piece of data has exactly one purpose, stated in the table above. We do not repurpose data collected for one reason for a different use without asking again.
Newsletter subscribers receive the RhetorixNodes newsletter — new essays, series updates, and analytical notes. Frequency is approximately once per week. Every email contains an unsubscribe link that works immediately.
Analytics data is used in aggregate to understand which essays are being read and from where, so we can improve the platform. We do not build individual reader profiles. We do not track you across other websites.
Cookies & Analytics
RhetorixNodes uses Plausible Analytics — a privacy-first analytics provider that operates without cookies, does not fingerprint users, and does not track individuals across sessions or websites. No cookie consent banner is required because no identifying cookies are set.
The data Plausible collects is fully anonymised before it reaches us. Plausible is GDPR-compliant, does not transfer data outside the EU, and does not use the data for its own commercial purposes.
If you subscribe to the newsletter, a session cookie may be set by the email platform to confirm your subscription. This cookie expires within 24 hours and carries no tracking purpose.
We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, retargeting scripts, or any third-party marketing technology.
Third Parties
The following is the complete list of third-party services that receive any data as a result of your using this platform. No others.
-
Plausible Analytics
Receives anonymised, cookieless analytics data. EU-based. GDPR-compliant. plausible.io/privacy -
Email platform (e.g. ConvertKit / Substack)
Receives email addresses of subscribers. Stores and sends newsletters on our behalf. Data is not used for the platform's own advertising. You can unsubscribe at any time. -
Payment processor (Stripe, if applicable)
Processes payments for subscriptions. We never receive or store card details. Stripe's privacy policy governs payment data: stripe.com/privacy -
Hosting provider
Our web host processes server logs (IP address, request metadata) for operational purposes. Logs are retained for 30 days and not linked to personal identity.
We do not embed social media widgets, advertising networks, or tracking scripts from any platform — including Google, Meta, X/Twitter, LinkedIn, or TikTok.
Your Rights
Under UK GDPR and equivalent legislation, you have the following rights. You can exercise any of them by writing to privacy@rhetorixnodes.com. We respond within 30 days.
- Access. You can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you.
- Rectification. You can ask us to correct inaccurate data.
- Erasure. You can ask us to delete your data. We will do so within 30 days unless we have a legal obligation to retain it.
- Restriction. You can ask us to pause processing your data while a dispute is resolved.
- Portability. You can request your data in a machine-readable format.
- Objection. You can object to processing based on legitimate interest. We will stop unless we can demonstrate compelling grounds.
- Withdraw consent. Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw it at any time. This does not affect processing already done.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk if you believe we have handled your data unlawfully. We would prefer you contact us first.
Data Retention
Retention periods are listed in the data inventory table in §1. The governing principle: we keep data for as long as it serves the purpose it was collected for, and no longer.
Newsletter subscriber data is deleted within 14 days of unsubscription. Contact form submissions are deleted 12 months after the final reply in a thread. Server logs are automatically purged after 30 days. Payment records are retained for 7 years as required by UK accounting law, then deleted.
Anonymous, aggregated analytics data — which cannot be used to identify anyone — is retained indefinitely for platform research. This is not personal data under GDPR.
Security
All data transmitted to and from this platform is encrypted in transit using TLS 1.2 or higher. Subscriber data stored with our email platform is encrypted at rest. We do not store payment details — these are handled entirely by our payment processor.
Access to subscriber data is limited to the RhetorixNodes team. We use strong authentication on all accounts that handle personal data.
In the event of a data breach affecting your personal data, we will notify you within 72 hours of becoming aware, and report to the ICO as required.
Contact
The data controller for RhetorixNodes is Syeda Fareeha Zainab, operating as RhetorixNodes.
For any privacy-related queries, data requests, or concerns, write to privacy@rhetorixnodes.com. We aim to respond within five working days and are legally required to respond within 30 calendar days.
This policy was last updated on 1 July 2026. We will update it when our practices change, and we will notify newsletter subscribers of any material changes before they take effect.