Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how Global Bioenergy Watch (the “Site”) handles information about visitors, registered users, and people who use the AI assistant. It describes what we collect, why we collect it, how long we keep it, and the rights you have over your information. By using the Site, you agree to this policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

2. Information we collect

We collect different types of information depending on how you use the Site:

• Visit data. We record page views, approximate location, referrer/UTM source, browser type, device category, operating system, and IP-derived metadata. This helps us understand which jurisdictions, topics and channels drive interest in bioenergy policy.
• Account data. If you create an account or sign in with email, Google or Microsoft, we store the email address, provider name and any profile name supplied by the authentication provider. We do not collect or store passwords directly; sign-in is handled by our identity provider.
• Assistant conversations. Messages you send to the AI assistant, and the assistant’s replies, are stored so you can continue a conversation across sessions and refer back to prior answers. Threads are tied to your account when you are signed in.
• Usage and preference data. We may record feature usage, export requests, alert preferences, calculator inputs, and filter selections to improve the Site and detect abuse.
• Communication data. If you contact us through our public channels, we collect the information you choose to provide.

3. Cookies and similar technologies

The Site uses cookies and local browser storage to remember your session, preserve assistant thread identifiers, and measure traffic.

• Essential cookies. Required for authentication, security, and basic Site operation. These cannot be disabled without breaking sign-in or related features.
• Analytics cookies. Help us count visits, measure traffic sources, and understand how users move through the Site. These are generally first-party or privacy-focused analytics tools.
• Functional storage. Local storage may be used to cache calculator scenarios, saved filters, or assistant thread identifiers for a smoother experience.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings, but some features may not work correctly if you do. We do not use cookies to sell advertising profiles or share browsing history with unrelated third parties for marketing purposes.

4. AI assistant conversations

The AI assistant is designed to answer questions about bioenergy policy, mandates, country profiles, market data, producers and related topics. When you use it:

• Your questions and the assistant’s responses are stored as conversation threads.
• Signed-in users can view and continue prior threads. Guest sessions are generally ephemeral and not tied to a persistent account.
• Conversations may be processed through an AI gateway to generate answers. Do not send personal data, confidential business information, or regulated data into the assistant unless you accept that it will be processed by these systems.
• We review conversation patterns only for quality, safety, abuse prevention, and service improvement. We do not use individual chat content for advertising.
• You can delete your assistant threads from your account context; deletion removes the thread from active storage in accordance with our retention schedule below.

5. How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and improve the Site, including the policy feed, maps, dashboards, calculators, and AI assistant.
• Authenticate users and enforce access controls for exports, email summaries, and saved preferences.
• Measure traffic, understand audience interests, and optimize content and performance.
• Detect and prevent abuse, spam, unauthorized access, or other harmful activity.
• Communicate with you about updates, alerts, or support requests.
• Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights.

6. Legal basis for processing

Where applicable data-protection law requires a legal basis, we process personal data on the following grounds: (a) performance of our contract with you, such as providing access to authenticated features; (b) compliance with legal obligations; (c) our legitimate interests in operating, securing and improving the Site, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights; and (d) your consent, for example where you opt in to email alerts or analytics cookies.

7. Data retention

We keep information only as long as necessary for the purposes described here. Visit-level analytics data is typically retained for up to 26 months, after which it is aggregated or deleted. Assistant conversation threads are retained while your account exists or while the ephemeral session is active, unless you delete them sooner. Aggregated, non-identifiable statistics may be kept longer for reporting and research.

8. Data sharing

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following limited circumstances:

• Service providers. With trusted vendors that provide hosting, authentication, analytics, email delivery, and AI processing, bound by confidentiality and security obligations.
• Legal requirements. When required by law, court order, or government request, or to protect our rights, safety, and property.
• Business transfers. In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, subject to appropriate safeguards.

9. Data security

We use industry-standard technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including encryption in transit, access controls, row-level security in the database, and regular review of our infrastructure. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Your rights and choices

Depending on your location, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, restrict, or port your personal data, and to object to or withdraw consent for certain processing. To exercise these rights, contact us through our Contact us page. We will respond within the time required by applicable law.

11. Third-party services and links

The Site links to government portals, company websites, job boards, news outlets, LinkedIn, and other third-party services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies, not ours. Authentication providers and AI gateways each process data under their own terms.

12. Children's privacy

The Site is not directed at children under 16, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it.

13. International data transfers

The Site is operated from the United States and may use service providers in other countries. If you access the Site from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States or other jurisdictions with different data-protection laws. We rely on appropriate safeguards, such as standard contractual clauses, where required.

14. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, services, or legal requirements. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Site after changes means you accept the revised policy.

15. Contact

For questions about this Privacy Policy, to exercise your data rights, or to report a privacy concern, please reach out through our Contact us page. You may also request deletion of your account and associated assistant threads through the same channel.