Privacy and cookies

Who operates this website

OrbitalView is operated by Liam Hollingdale. For privacy questions, account help or requests about your information, email orbitalviewofficial@gmail.com. Include only what we need to identify your request; do not send passwords or identity documents.

Optional Google Analytics

Analytics stays off until you accept it. With your permission, Google Analytics processes visits, engagement, returning browsers, approximate location, browser and device information. We use the reports to understand usage and improve the website. Cookie identifiers distinguish browsers rather than identified people.

The Google tag loads only after acceptance. This website turns off Google Signals and advertising-personalisation signals in its Analytics configuration. We send page paths without query strings and provide only the referring website’s origin. We do not send your account email or identifier to Analytics.

Google processes request information, including IP addresses, when its services are contacted. Read how Google uses information from partner websites and Google’s Privacy Policy, including its information about processing and transfers.

Change your choice

Your Analytics accept or reject choice is stored in this browser for up to 180 days. If accepted, Analytics may set cookies named _ga and _ga_…; the site configures a lifetime of up to 60 days, which can be renewed by a visit.

You can change the choice here or through Privacy settings on the globe. Rejecting after acceptance stops further measurement and removes the Analytics cookies this site can access. It does not erase information already sent to Google. Clearing website storage removes your saved choice.

Google sign-in

Reading public headlines does not require registration. Optional Google sign-in uses Firebase Authentication to process your Google identifier, name, email, profile information and account activity, including creation and sign-in times. This provides and secures the account service you request. OrbitalView does not receive your Google password.

Firebase stores the sign-in session in browser storage so you can remain signed in. This is separate from optional Analytics. Your authentication profile remains until deleted. You can sign out or permanently delete that profile from your account page; deletion does not remove your Google account or information Google retains for its own security and legal purposes. See Firebase’s privacy information.

Advertising and Google AdSense

AdSense ownership verification is present, but advertising requests are currently paused. The site does not currently load Google’s advertising script or display Google ads. Accepting Analytics does not authorise advertising.

If advertising is enabled later, Google and its advertising partners may collect or receive information including IP addresses, browser and device information and identifiers. They may use cookies, web beacons or similar technologies for delivery, measurement and fraud prevention, and, where authorised, personalisation. Advertising consent must be offered separately with suitable controls before ads are enabled. Read Google’s advertising information and information about Google’s partner services.

Hosting, feeds and weather

The hosting provider, including Cloudflare infrastructure, processes technical requests to deliver and secure the site. This can include IP addresses, request times, browser information and security cookies such as __cf_bm. See Cloudflare’s privacy policy. Providers apply their own retention and security practices to information they process.

News feeds and forecast points are fetched by our server. The temperature layer uses fixed capital or representative coordinates; it does not request your device’s precise location. Original article links take you to external publisher websites, which have their own privacy and cookie practices.

Browser storage and the web app

The web app caches its icons and a generic offline screen, not news or account pages. Session storage remembers whether you have seen the intro. Clear OrbitalView’s website data to remove these preferences and caches; removing a Home Screen icon alone may leave browser data in place.

Your saved world and followed stories

My World saves selected countries, topics, followed event identifiers, reading language and the previous visit time in this browser. These requested preferences are separate from Analytics. Signing in saves them to your Firebase-linked account for use across devices. Browser preferences are imported only when you choose to do so; signing out returns to this browser’s guest choices. You can remove any country, topic or followed story in My World or Following. Account deletion also removes stored account preferences.

Daily Orbit uses your choices to prioritise source reporting. Audio starts only when you press Play and uses device/browser voices; some voices may use the browser provider’s remote speech service. Voice availability varies. Optional preview translation uses the browser’s translation API where supported, may download a language pack, and preserves the original text. We do not send preview text to a separate translation service.

The public report archive retains actual source previews and capture membership for seven days. It records public news, not a visitor’s movements around the globe. Rewind displays recorded captures rather than reconstructing missing history.

Contact requests

If you email us, we receive the address and information you provide to respond and investigate the request. Avoid sending unnecessary sensitive information. You can ask about access, correction or deletion of information held by OrbitalView through the contact address above. Requests concerning a publisher’s website or your Google account should be addressed to that provider.

Subscriptions and notifications

Pro is coming soon. Public checkout is disabled and no live subscription payments are being collected. An invitation-only sandbox integration is being prepared for testing. Stripe processes test checkout, payment method and billing management details; OrbitalView stores an account identifier, Stripe customer/subscription identifiers and paid-access status, rather than card numbers. Read Stripe’s privacy information.

Push notifications remain unavailable until delivery testing is complete. When enabled for invited testers, they require an explicit opt-in and browser permission. We store the browser push endpoint and encryption keys, selected categories and countries, and delivery records. These provide the notification service you request; they are not sent to Analytics. Push providers may process technical delivery information. Preferences apply to your subscribed devices, and alerts may be delayed or missed. Colours are automated news priorities, not official emergency warnings.

You can turn off all account notifications from your account page; that removes stored endpoints, preferences and delivery records. Delivery records otherwise expire after seven days. Account deletion checks and closes unfinished checkouts, requires ongoing subscriptions to end, and removes OrbitalView’s billing and notification records before deleting the Firebase profile. A minimal account security marker prevents checkout being reopened during deletion. Stripe may retain records under its own policies. For help or a deletion request, use the contact email above.