Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Welcome to ClareNow ("we", "us", or "our"). We operate an AI-powered news aggregation platform accessible at https://clarenow.com. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information about you when you use our website and services.

By accessing or using ClareNow, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account information — Your email address when you sign in via one-time code (OTP). We auto-generate a display name from your email prefix which you may change at any time.
• Comments and replies — Content you submit on articles, including any personal information contained therein.
• Newsletter preferences — Email address and subscription status if you opt in to our newsletter.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage data — Pages visited, articles read, time on page, and referring URLs.
• Device and browser data — Browser type and version, operating system, screen resolution, and device type.
• IP address — Used to approximate your geographic location (country/region level) and to prevent abuse. We do not store IP addresses beyond 30 days.
• Session identifiers — To maintain your authenticated session. See our Cookie Policy for details.

2.3 Information We Do Not Collect

We do not collect passwords (authentication is OTP-only), payment information, or precise geolocation. We do not purchase data from third-party data brokers.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Service delivery — Authenticating your identity, displaying your comments, and personalising your reading experience.
• Communications — Sending OTP sign-in codes and, if subscribed, our newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time.
• Analytics and improvement — Understanding how content is consumed to improve our platform and AI summarisation quality.
• Safety and trust — Detecting spam, preventing fraud, and enforcing our Terms of Service.
• Legal obligations — Complying with applicable laws, regulatory requirements, or lawful requests from authorities.

4. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers — Trusted sub-processors (hosting, email delivery) bound by data processing agreements.
• Legal requirements — When required by law, court order, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of ClareNow, our users, or the public.
• Business transfers — In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, with advance notice provided to affected users.
• With your consent — For any other purpose with your explicit consent.

5. Data Retention

We retain account data for as long as your account is active. Comments are retained indefinitely unless deleted through moderation or a deletion request. OTP records are purged after use or expiry (10 minutes). Server access logs are rotated after 30 days.

6. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Request erasure of your personal data ("right to be forgotten").
• Object to or restrict certain processing activities.
• Receive your data in a portable, machine-readable format.
• Withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
• Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@clarenow.com.

7. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, contact us immediately and we will delete it promptly.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. We ensure appropriate safeguards — such as standard contractual clauses — are in place where required by applicable law.

9. Security

We implement industry-standard technical and organisational safeguards including HTTPS-only transmission, encrypted storage at rest, hashed credentials, and periodic security reviews. No transmission or storage method is 100% secure. We encourage you to use unique, strong passwords on any linked email accounts.

10. Contact Us

For privacy enquiries, rights requests, or complaints, contact us at info@clarenow.com.
For technical support, contact support@clarenow.com.

We will respond to rights requests within 30 days. For EU/UK residents, unresolved complaints may be escalated to your local supervisory authority.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. Material changes will be announced via a notice on the site and/or email to subscribers. The "Last updated" date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of ClareNow after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.