Privacy Policy
Last updated: 4 May 2026
This Privacy Policy explains what data MercatoWire (operating at mercatowire.com) collects when you visit the site, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights under applicable data-protection laws.
Who we are
MercatoWire is published by an independent editor based in India. For data-protection purposes, we are the data controller for the personal information we collect on this site.
Contact: [email protected]
What we collect
We collect the minimum data required to operate the site, measure traffic, and serve advertising.
Information collected automatically
- Server logs, IP address (truncated for analytics), browser type, device type, referring page, pages visited, and timestamps. Cloudflare provides edge caching and DDoS protection and may log traffic data on our behalf.
- Analytics cookies, we use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand which articles readers engage with. GA4 collects pseudonymous identifiers, page views, session duration, and approximate geographic location (country / region level).
- Advertising cookies, we use Google AdSense to serve display advertising. AdSense uses the DoubleClick cookie and other identifiers to serve and personalise ads. Other ad partners may use similar technologies.
Information you provide
- Newsletter signup (when launched), your email address, used solely to send the MercatoWire newsletter. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email.
- Contact form / email, when you write to us at any of our contact addresses, we retain your message and email address only for as long as needed to respond.
We do not operate user accounts. We do not process payments on this site. We do not collect health, financial, biometric, or other sensitive personal data.
How we use your data
| Purpose | Lawful basis (GDPR / UK GDPR) | Lawful basis (DPDPA) |
|---|---|---|
| Operating the site (server logs, security) | Legitimate interest | Legitimate use |
| Analytics (GA4) | Consent (cookie banner) | Consent |
| Advertising (AdSense, affiliates) | Consent (cookie banner) | Consent |
| Newsletter | Consent (explicit signup) | Consent |
| Responding to your contact email | Legitimate interest | Legitimate use |
For California residents: we do not “sell” personal information as defined under CCPA. Advertising partners may treat ad-targeting as a “share” under CPRA; you can opt out via the cookie banner or via Google’s Ads Settings (https://adssettings.google.com).
Cookies
When you first visit MercatoWire, you will see a cookie banner offering Accept / Reject / Customise. Strictly necessary cookies (Cloudflare’s __cf_bm for bot mitigation, our own preference cookies) are always set. Analytics and advertising cookies are set only after you click Accept or set custom preferences.
You can withdraw consent at any time by clearing cookies in your browser or using the “Cookie preferences” link in the site footer.
Who we share data with
- Google, for GA4 analytics and AdSense advertising. Google’s privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
- Cloudflare, for edge hosting and DDoS protection. Cloudflare’s privacy policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/
- Affiliate partners, when you click an affiliate link, the partner sees the click; we receive commission. Each affiliate partner has its own privacy policy.
We do not sell, rent, or lease your data to third parties.
How long we keep data
| Data | Retention |
|---|---|
| Server logs | 30 days |
| Analytics (GA4) | 14 months (default) |
| Newsletter email | Until you unsubscribe |
| Email correspondence | 24 months from last reply |
Your rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you have rights to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Rectify inaccurate data
- Request deletion (“right to be forgotten”)
- Restrict or object to processing
- Data portability (where applicable)
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Lodge a complaint with your data-protection authority (in India: Data Protection Board; in UK: ICO; in EU: your national supervisory authority; in California: California Attorney General)
To exercise any right, email [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
International transfers
Cloudflare and Google process data globally, including in the United States. Where required, we rely on standard contractual clauses or other approved transfer mechanisms.
Children
MercatoWire is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us and we will delete it.
Changes to this policy
When we update this policy, we update the “Last updated” date above. Material changes will be flagged on the homepage for at least seven days.
Contact
For any privacy question or to exercise a right: [email protected].
For our designated DMCA agent and intellectual-property notices, see our DMCA Policy.