Cookies

What are cookies and local storage?

Cookies are small text files placed on your device by websites you visit. “Local storage” is a browser feature that stores key-value pairs on your device with more capacity than a typical cookie and without an automatic expiry date. Both can be used for essential functions, preferences, or analytics. This Site focuses on minimal use aligned with privacy expectations.

What we use on this Site

Essential delivery. Our hosting stack may set session or security cookies required to serve pages over HTTPS, resist basic abuse, and maintain server stability. These are typically classified as strictly necessary.

Notice acknowledgement. When you click “Accept” or “Decline” on our cookie banner, we store a value under the localStorage key cmr_ck_v1. This remembers your choice so we do not show the banner on every visit. It is not used for advertising or cross-site tracking. You can clear site data in your browser settings to remove this entry.

Fonts. We may load fonts from Google Fonts with preconnect hints. Google’s processing is governed by its policies; if you prefer to avoid third-party font requests, you can use browser extensions or system fonts, though the visual design may change.

What we do not do

As of this writing, we do not deploy third-party advertising networks that track you across unrelated sites. We do not sell cookie data. If we introduce analytics or embedded media that set additional cookies, we will update this policy and, where required, adjust consent flows.

Your choices

Most browsers let you block or delete cookies and clear local storage. Blocking essential cookies may break parts of the Site. You may opt out of non-essential processing where offered by industry tools applicable in your region. For questions, email support@factstream.info.

Changes

We may revise this policy to reflect technology or legal developments. Check this page periodically. Significant changes will be noted on the Site when practicable.

Contact

Column & Margin, City Walk, Al Safa St, Al Wasl, Dubai, UAE. Privacy and cookie inquiries: support@factstream.info.

Further context on minimal tracking

Editorial organisations face the same incentives as other publishers to maximise engagement metrics, but Column & Margin treats restraint as a feature rather than a bug. Heavy tracking infrastructure can create security surface area and distract from the primary goal: readable, accountable prose. Where we experiment with analytics in the future, we will prefer privacy-preserving aggregates and short retention windows. Readers who block scripts should still be able to access articles in plain HTML form whenever technically feasible. We document keys like cmr_ck_v1 precisely so that technical users can audit behaviour without reverse-engineering minified code. If you notice unexpected storage keys or network requests, please report them; we investigate good-faith security and privacy reports promptly.

Cross-border data flows

Cookie and log data may be processed in jurisdictions where our hosting or font providers operate. We select providers with reasonable security practices and contractual commitments where available. Your use of the Site may involve transfers to the United Arab Emirates and other countries; see our Privacy page for more on international processing.

Retention

The localStorage entry for notice acknowledgement persists until you clear it. Server-side logs associated with HTTP requests follow the retention rules described in our Privacy Policy. We do not intentionally retain cookie identifiers longer than needed for their stated purposes.

Regional frameworks and consent

Readers in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions with comprehensive privacy laws may have specific expectations about consent banners and lawful bases for processing. Where our use of storage is strictly necessary to deliver a service you explicitly request—such as remembering that you closed a notice—we rely on appropriate bases recognised under local law, which may include legitimate interests balanced against your rights. Where consent is required for non-essential cookies, we will obtain it before setting those technologies. Because Column & Margin is edited from City Walk, Al Safa St, Al Wasl, Dubai, UAE, some processing occurs in the UAE; we document transfers in our Privacy Policy and aim to provide understandable information regardless of where you live. Industry initiatives and browser vendors continue to change defaults for third-party cookies; we monitor those developments so that our minimal approach remains aligned with both law and reader expectations. If you believe a specific practice on factstream.info does not match this policy, contact support@factstream.info and we will review in good faith.

Children

This Site is not directed at children. We do not knowingly use cookies to profile children for marketing.