Privacy Policy

Introduction

This privacy policy applies to blerbz.com (the “Website”) and the Blerbz App (the “App”), collectively referred to as the “Services.” Blerbz is an AI-powered news intelligence platform that aggregates and ranks news from publicly available sources.

We are committed to transparency about what data we collect and how we use it. This policy is written in plain language so you can understand it clearly.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide

• Payment information — If you purchase premium features, payment is processed by Stripe. We do not store your credit card number; Stripe handles this directly.
• Email address — If you use premium features, we collect your email address solely for account verification and premium feature notifications within Blerbz. We will never send you marketing emails, spam, or share/sell your email address to any third party.
• Preferences — Theme settings, feed preferences, and content customizations you configure in the Services.

Information Collected Automatically

Website: The following data is collected when you visit blerbz.com.

• Analytics data — We use Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics to collect anonymized usage data including pages visited, referral source, browser type, and general geographic region. These tools use cookies and similar technologies.
• Engagement data — When you interact with news stories (clicks, views, shares, saves), we record these interactions to power our ranking algorithms. This data is tied to your session, not to a personal identity.
• Performance data — Vercel Speed Insights collects page load performance metrics to help us improve the experience.

App: The following data is collected when you use the Blerbz App.

• Device information — Device type, operating system version, and app version for compatibility and debugging.
• Engagement data — Same story interaction data as the Website (clicks, views, shares, saves) to power rankings.
• Local storage — Preferences and settings are stored locally on your device.

2. Information We Do Not Collect

We want to be explicit about what we do not collect:

• We do not require account creation or login to use the core Services.
• We do not collect your name, email address, or phone number for general use.
• We do not sell personal information to third parties.
• We do not build advertising profiles about you.
• We do not track your location beyond the general region provided by analytics.

3. How We Use Information

• Ranking & trending — Engagement data (clicks, views, shares) feeds our BLERBZ100 ranking algorithm and viral detection system. This is aggregated and anonymous.
• Improving the Services — Analytics and performance data help us optimize page load times, fix bugs, and improve content relevance.
• Personalizing your experience — Preferences you set (theme, feed layout) are stored locally and used to customize your view.
• Processing payments — Payment information is used solely to complete transactions for premium features, processed by Stripe.

4. Third-Party Services

The Services use the following third-party providers that may receive data as described:

• Google Analytics — Anonymized website usage analytics. Google Privacy Policy
• Vercel — Hosting, analytics, and performance monitoring. Vercel Privacy Policy
• Stripe — Payment processing for premium features. Stripe Privacy Policy
• Upstash / Redis — Caching infrastructure. No personal data is stored; only aggregated content and engagement counts.

5. Cookies & Local Storage

Website: blerbz.com uses cookies as follows.

• Analytics cookies — Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics set cookies to measure site usage. These are anonymized.
• Preference cookies — Your theme, layout, and display settings are stored in your browser's local storage so they persist between visits.

App: The Blerbz App uses local device storage.

• Local storage — Preferences, settings, and cached content are stored on your device. No cookies are used in the App.

You can clear cookies and local storage at any time through your browser or device settings. This may reset your preferences.

6. Data Retention

• Engagement data — Aggregated engagement metrics are retained as part of our ranking system. Individual session data is not retained beyond its use in ranking calculations.
• Analytics data — Retained by Google Analytics and Vercel according to their respective data retention policies.
• Preferences — Stored locally on your device until you clear them.
• Payment records — Retained by Stripe as required by applicable financial regulations.

7. Data Security

We implement security measures to protect information processed by the Services:

• HTTPS encryption on all connections
• Security headers (HSTS, Content-Security-Policy, X-Frame-Options)
• API authentication for backend services
• Rate limiting to prevent abuse
• No storage of sensitive payment data on our servers

8. Children's Privacy

The Services are not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

9. Your Rights

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

• Request information about what data we process about you
• Request deletion of any personal data we hold
• Opt out of analytics tracking by using browser privacy settings, ad blockers, or the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
• Clear all locally stored preferences at any time via your browser or device settings

Because we collect minimal personal data and do not require accounts, most user data is anonymous or stored only on your own device.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or for legal reasons. When we make material changes, we will update the effective date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

11. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or your data, you can reach us on X/Twitter (@blerbznews) or visit our about page.