Privacy Policy | African Returns

Last updated: 10 Oct 2026

This Privacy Policy explains what information African Returns ("we", "us") collects when you visit our website, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the site you agree to this policy.

1. Information we collect

Information you give us

Comments: when you comment on a story we store the name you enter, your comment, and the time you posted it. Comments are public. Please do not include personal details you don't want shared.
Contact messages: if you use our contact form we store your name, email address and message so we can reply.

Information collected automatically

Anonymous readership statistics: we count how many people read each story and how many are on the site at a given moment. This uses a random identifier created in your browser for the current visit, together with the page address. It is not linked to your name and expires within minutes.
Spam and abuse prevention: to stop spam and abuse we briefly use your IP address (for example to limit how many comments can be posted in a short time). For comments we keep only a one-way scrambled (hashed) version of the IP address, not the address itself.
Server logs: our hosting provider may keep standard technical logs (IP address, browser type, pages requested) for security and troubleshooting.

We do not ask you to create an account, and we do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information.

2. Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. On African Returns:

Essential: the site itself only uses a sign-in cookie for our own staff. It is not set for readers.
Your choices: your cookie preference is saved in your browser's local storage so we don't ask you on every visit.
Advertising: Google and its partners may set or read cookies for advertising (see section 3).
Embedded media: videos and social posts (YouTube, Facebook, Instagram) only load after you click them. Those services may then set their own cookies, governed by their own policies.

You can change your cookie choice at any time with the Cookie settings link at the bottom of every page, and you can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Our Cookie Policy has more detail.

3. Advertising — Google AdSense

We use Google AdSense to show ads. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on our site.

Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of some third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalised advertising at www.aboutads.info.
To learn how Google uses data when you use our site, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
If you choose "Reject non-essential" in our cookie banner, we ask Google to show you non-personalised ads only.

Other advertising partners may be added in future; if so, this policy will be updated.

4. How we use information

to publish and display comments, and to prevent spam and abuse;
to answer your messages;
to understand which stories are being read so we can improve the site;
to show advertising that helps fund African Returns;
to keep the site secure and working.

We do not sell your personal information.

5. Sharing

We share information only with service providers who help us run the site (such as hosting) and, for advertising, with Google as described above. We may also disclose information if required by law or to protect our rights and users.

6. How long we keep information

Comments stay on the story until we or you ask for them to be removed. Contact messages are kept only as long as needed to deal with your message. Anonymous visit identifiers expire within minutes.

7. Your choices and rights

You can ask us to see, correct or delete personal information we hold about you — for example to remove a comment you posted — by contacting us at our contact page. We will respond within a reasonable time. Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local data-protection law.

8. Children

African Returns is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

9. Links to other sites

Our stories may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices.

10. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect information, but no website can guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The "last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed.

12. Contact us

Questions about this policy? Contact us at our contact page.