1. Who we are
This website is operated by 10min Stories, available at: https://10min-stories.com
Our website publishes short stories across multiple genres (thriller, romance, sci‑fi, paranormal, mystery, and others). We do not require users to create accounts to read content.
2. What personal data we collect and why
2.1. Comments
When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the comments form, the visitor’s IP address, and browser user agent to help detect spam.
An anonymized hash of your email address may be sent to the Gravatar service to check if you use it. Gravatar privacy policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/
After your comment is approved, your profile picture (if any) becomes visible to the public.
2.2. Contact forms
If you send us a message through a contact form, we collect the information you provide (name, email, message content) solely for the purpose of responding.
2.3. Cookies
We use cookies to:
- remember your preferences
- improve website performance
- analyze traffic (Google Analytics)
- support advertising (Google AdSense)
You can disable cookies in your browser at any time.
2.4. Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. Google may collect anonymized data such as:
- pages visited
- time spent on site
- device type
- approximate location
Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
2.5. Advertising (AdSense)
We use Google AdSense to display ads. Google may use cookies to:
- personalize ads
- limit how often ads are shown
- measure ad performance
You can manage ad personalization here: https://www.google.com/settings/ads
2.6. Embedded content
Articles may include embedded content (videos, images, posts). Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the external website directly.
These websites may collect data, use cookies, or track your interactions.
2.7. Newsletter Subscription
If you choose to subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and the story categories you select. This data is used solely to send you notifications when new stories are published in those categories.
The legal basis for this processing is your explicit consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)). You may unsubscribe at any time using the link provided in each email.
Newsletter data is stored securely on our server and delivered through our email provider (Amazon SES). We do not use tracking pixels or cookies in newsletter emails.
3. How long we retain your data
- Comments and their metadata are stored indefinitely.
- Contact form messages are stored for as long as needed to respond.
- Analytics data is retained according to Google’s retention policies.
We do not create user accounts, so no profile data is stored.
Newsletter subscription data (email and selected categories) is retained until you unsubscribe.
4. Who we share your data with
We do not sell or share your personal data with third parties, except:
- Google Analytics (traffic analysis)
- Google AdSense (advertising)
- Anti‑spam services (e.g., Akismet)
These services process data according to their own privacy policies.
Our newsletter emails are sent through Amazon SES, which processes your email address solely for the purpose of delivering the messages.
5. What rights you have over your data
Under GDPR, you may request:
- access to your personal data
- correction of inaccurate data
- deletion of your data
- restriction of processing
- export of your data
To make a request, contact us at: [your email]
These rights also apply to your newsletter subscription data.
6. Where your data is sent
Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
Analytics and advertising data may be processed by Google servers located in the EU or the USA.
7. AI‑generated content
Some stories or images on this website may be generated or assisted by artificial intelligence tools. No personal data is used during content generation.
8. Contact information
For privacy‑related questions, contact us at: contact@10min-stories.com
You may also contact us to request deletion of your newsletter subscription data.
