Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 15, 2025

1. Our commitment to your privacy

Welcome to Somalia Today (https://somaliatoday.com). We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data in an open, transparent, and lawful manner. This Privacy Policy explains how we (“Somalia Today,” “we,” “us,” “our”) collect, use, process, and safeguard your personal information when you interact with our Website, in compliance with major data protection laws, including the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).

This policy is designed to help you understand your rights and how you can control the use of your information. By using our Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy.

2. Who is responsible for your data (Data controller)?

Somalia Today is the data controller for the personal information we collect via our Website. This means we are responsible for deciding how and why your personal information is processed.

If you have any questions, you can contact us at any time at: info@somaliatoday.com.

3. The information we collect

We collect information in two primary ways:

a. Information you voluntarily provide to us:

  • Contact information: When you subscribe to our newsletter, use our contact form, or email us directly, we collect your name and email address.

  • User-generated content: When you post comments on articles or participate in surveys, we collect the information you choose to share, such as your username and the content of your submission.

b. Information we collect automatically (Usage data): As you navigate our Website, we may use automatic data collection technologies to gather certain information about your equipment, browsing actions, and patterns. This includes:

  • Log and device data: Your IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, and unique device identifiers.

  • Usage data: The pages you visit on our site, the time and date of your visit, the time spent on those pages, and referring URLs.

  • Location data: We infer your general geographic location (e.g., country, city) from your IP address to provide relevant content and perform analytics.

  • Cookies and tracking technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to operate our site and collect Usage Data. For more details, see Section 6.

4. Our legal basis and purpose for processing your information

Our legal basis for processing your data depends on your location and the specific context.

  • Based on your consent (e.g., Article 6(1)(a) GDPR): We process your data for sending newsletters and marketing communications only when you have explicitly subscribed. You can withdraw consent at any time.

  • Based on our legitimate interests (e.g., Article 6(1)(f) GDPR): We process data to operate and improve our website, respond to inquiries, ensure security, and analyze traffic, provided these interests do not override your fundamental rights.

  • Based on legal obligations (e.g., Article 6(1)(c) GDPR): We may process your data to comply with applicable laws and legal requests.

5. How we use your information

We use the information we collect strictly for the purposes outlined above. We do not sell your personal information for monetary value. However, some data sharing with advertising partners may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” under California law. Please see Section 10 for details on how to opt-out.

6. Cookies, analytics, and tracking technologies

Our Website uses cookies—small text files stored on your device—to enhance your experience.

  • Types of cookies: We use essential cookies (for core functionality), performance cookies (for analytics), and advertising cookies. For non-essential cookies, we will ask for your consent via a cookie banner upon your first visit.

  • Analytics: We use Google Analytics to help us understand how users engage with our Website. This data is aggregated and anonymized wherever possible. You can opt out of Google Analytics here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

  • Your choices: You can manage your cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or in your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect site functionality.

7. Advertising and third-party links

  • Advertising: We may display ads from third-party networks like Google AdSense. Where required by law, we will request your consent before these partners use cookies to deliver personalized ads. You can manage your ad preferences with Google here: https://adssettings.google.com.

  • Third-party links: Our articles contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these sites and encourage you to read their privacy policies.

8. Data security and retention

  • Security: We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures (including SSL/TLS encryption) to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction.

  • Retention: We retain your personal information only for as long as is necessary for the purposes for which it was collected. For example, we keep your email address for our newsletter until you unsubscribe. Anonymized analytics data may be kept for longer periods.

9. International data transfers

Our Website is operated from the United States and Somalia. If you are accessing our site from other regions (like the EU), your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in a jurisdiction with different data protection laws. When we do this, we ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by implementing appropriate safeguards, such as using Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by relevant authorities for transfers out of the EEA.

10. Your data protection rights

Depending on your location, you have certain rights over your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at info@somaliatoday.com.

a. Rights for residents of the European Economic Area (EEA) & UK: If you are an EEA or UK resident, you have the right to:

  • Access, rectify, or erase your personal data.

  • Restrict or object to the processing of your data.

  • Data portability (receive your data in a machine-readable format).

  • Withdraw consent at any time.

  • Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your member state if you believe our processing infringes on data protection laws.

b. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA): If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

  • Know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose.

  • Delete your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

  • Correct inaccurate personal information we hold about you.

  • Opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. As noted, while we don’t sell data for money, the use of advertising cookies may be considered a “sale/sharing.” You can opt out by managing your cookie preferences.

  • Non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

11. Children’s privacy

Our Website is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under this age. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately so we can take steps to remove it.

12. Changes to this privacy policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. How to contact us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your data, please do not hesitate to contact us:

📧 Email: info@somaliatoday.com 🌐 Website: https://somaliatoday.com