Privacy notice
Last updated 6 October 2026
- No accounts, no analytics, no advertising and no tracking. We set no cookies.
- Google Trends charts load only if you click to show them. Then Google receives your IP address and may set cookies.
- Traffic passes through Cloudflare, and our server keeps standard access logs for 14 days for security.
- If you suggest a source, we keep what you type for up to 12 months. Your email is optional.
- Your theme choice is stored only in your own browser.
Who is responsible
The Irkutsk Incident Tracker is run by its publisher, who is the controller for the data described here. To contact us about privacy, use the Suggest a source form, choose Privacy request as the type and leave your email so we can reply.
What we collect and why
1. Server access logs
When you open the site, our web server records your IP address, the date and time, the page requested, the response size, the referring page and your browser's user-agent string. We use these logs only to keep the server running and secure, for example to block abuse. They are deleted automatically after 14 days.
Legal basis: our legitimate interest in operating a secure website (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
Cloudflare
The site is delivered through Cloudflare, Inc., which protects it from attacks and speeds up delivery. Every request passes through Cloudflare, so Cloudflare processes your IP address and request details on our behalf. Cloudflare may set a strictly necessary security cookie (such as __cf_bm) if it needs to tell people from bots. Cloudflare is certified under the EU–US Data Privacy Framework. See the Cloudflare privacy policy.
Legal basis: our legitimate interest in a secure, reliable website (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
2. Source suggestions
If you send the Suggest a source form, we store the outlet name, link, type, your note, your email if you give one, and the time you sent it. We do not store your IP address with the suggestion. To prevent spam, the server keeps a short-lived count of submissions per IP address in memory for up to one hour; it is never written to disk.
We use suggestions only to review sources for the tracker and, if you left an email, to reply to you. Suggestions are deleted automatically after 12 months, or sooner if you ask.
Legal basis: your consent, given by sending the form (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw it at any time by asking us to delete your suggestion.
3. Theme preference
If you choose Light or Dark, your browser stores that choice under the key irk-theme in its local storage. It never leaves your device. See Cookies and storage.
4. Google Trends charts (optional)
The “Search interest” section can show two charts from Google Trends. They are not loaded until you click Show Google Trends charts. When you do, your browser connects to Google (trends.google.com and related Google servers). Google then receives your IP address and browser details and may set its own cookies, such as NID. Google is responsible for that processing under the Google Privacy Policy, and data may be transferred to the United States.
If you tick Remember my choice, your browser stores irk-trends in its local storage so the charts load automatically next time. Click Stop loading Google content under the charts, or clear this site's data, to withdraw your consent.
Legal basis: your consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TDDDG). Without your click, nothing is sent to Google.
What we don't do
- We set no cookies of our own.
- We use no analytics, advertising, social-media widgets or tracking pixels.
- The site loads its fonts from our own server. Apart from Cloudflare, which delivers the site, it makes no requests to third parties unless you choose to load the Google Trends charts.
- We never sell or share personal data.
Who else sees data
Our hosting provider, Hetzner Online GmbH, runs the server; the server and the data stored on it are in Germany. Cloudflare, Inc. delivers the site and processes requests as described above. We share data with no one else.
Links to other sites
The tracker links to news outlets and official websites. When you follow a link, that site's own privacy policy applies.
Your rights
Under the GDPR you can ask to see, correct or delete the data we hold about you, to restrict or object to its use, and to receive a copy. Send a Privacy request through the form and we will reply within one month. You can also complain to your local data-protection authority.
Changes
If this notice changes, we will update the date at the top of this page.