Privacy Policy | Beyond Cosmic Horizon

Notice to Visitors: Beyond Cosmic Horizon does not sell personal user data, operate ad trackers, or deploy invasive profiling tools. All analytics and telemetry are processed purely to improve educational speed, maintain server security, and evaluate astronomical content reach.

1. About Beyond Cosmic Horizon

Beyond Cosmic Horizon (beyondcosmichorizon.com) is an open educational astrophysics portal, science archive, and companion platform to our authentic YouTube documentary channel @BeyondCosmicHorizonSpace.

For inquiries regarding content attribution, research citations, or privacy practices, you can contact our editorial and operations team at:

📧 Direct Editorial Email: info.stratdigipros@gmail.com

2. Information We Collect & Process

We believe in minimal data footprint. The only information processed includes:

Aggregated Technical Telemetry: Anonymized data including browser client type, operating system, screen dimensions, referring URL, timestamp of dispatches viewed, and estimated geographical region (country-level).
Local Preferences (Client-Side Storage): We use browser localStorage exclusively to preserve your chosen visual reading preference (e.g., Light Theme vs. Dark Theme). This data never leaves your device.
Direct Inquiries: If you voluntarily reach out via email, we retain your communication history solely to answer your technical or editorial query.

3. Third-Party Integrations & Embeds

To deliver video companion media and monitor system health, we interact with carefully audited third-party service providers:

Google Analytics 4 (GA4): We utilize GA4 (Measurement ID: G-KSXC1RXEF6) with IP anonymization enabled to assess Core Web Vitals (LCP, CLS, INP) and ensure instant page load speeds. Google processes this information under its strict data processing terms.
YouTube Embedded Video Players: Our interactive documentaries are embedded using YouTube's Privacy-Enhanced Mode (youtube-nocookie.com). In this mode, YouTube will not set tracking cookies on your device unless you explicitly click to play the embedded player.
Search Indexing & IndexNow: We participate in the IndexNow protocol (Microsoft Bing, Yandex, Seznam, Naver) to immediately broadcast newly published peer-reviewed dispatches and astronomical discoveries.

4. Cookie Governance & Local Storage

Cookies are minute text strings stored on your device to facilitate basic web browsing. Beyond Cosmic Horizon employs cookies exclusively for necessary functionality and performance metrics:

Strictly Necessary Cookies: Required to maintain secure HTTPS transmission and prevent malicious traffic spikes via Hostinger security rules.
Preference Storage: localStorage.getItem('bch-theme') retains your visual preference between page loads.

You have complete authority over cookies. You may disable, inspect, or delete cookies at any time via your browser settings (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). Disabling cookies will not restrict your access to our research dispatches.

5. Your Rights (GDPR & California Consumer Privacy Act)

Depending on your location (including the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, and State of California), you possess statutory privacy rights:

Right of Access & Portability: The right to request disclosure of any personal telemetry retained.
Right to Erasure / Deletion: The right to request complete deletion of any communications or records.
Right to Non-Discrimination: We never restrict access, charge fees, or degrade educational services based on privacy choices.
"Do Not Sell My Personal Information": Beyond Cosmic Horizon does not sell, lease, or monetize personal information.

To exercise any statutory right, contact info.stratdigipros@gmail.com.

6. Children's Online Privacy (COPPA Compliance)

Beyond Cosmic Horizon provides public science and astronomy education accessible to students of all ages. However, our website does not target or intentionally collect personal information from individuals under the age of 13. If you believe an underage user has provided personal details through email correspondence, please notify us immediately for prompt deletion.

7. Revisions & Future Governance

We may periodically revise this Privacy Policy to reflect updates to astronomical publishing standards, new server architecture, or statutory legal guidelines. Any updates will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date."