Updated 29 October 2026
This policy explains how 99Science, a science publication based in Accra, Ghana, handles information when you read 99science.com, use its reader features or contact us. It also applies to visits redirected from 99science.org. Separately operated services may provide their own privacy notices.
Contact and privacy requests
99Science is responsible for the information it collects through this publication. Email [email protected] with a privacy question or a request to access, correct or delete your information. Please identify the account or interaction concerned; do not send passwords or payment-card details.
Information collected and why
- Reading and security. Hosting and security systems process information such as IP addresses, requested URLs, browser details, timestamps and error records to deliver pages, prevent abuse and investigate faults.
- Reader accounts. Registration and sign-in use your email address, display name, password hash and account records. These support authentication, account recovery and the features you choose to use. Passwords are not stored as readable text.
- Comments and contributions. Comments, pitches and drafts contain the information you submit. Published comments and contributions can be read, copied and indexed publicly. Account email addresses and unpublished submissions are not intended for public display. Moderation and security records help manage abuse.
- Email. Enquiries and newsletter subscriptions include your address and message or subscription details. Newsletter systems can record delivery, opens and link clicks. You can unsubscribe using the link in a newsletter; essential account or payment messages are separate.
- Purchases, when offered. Paystack handles checkout. 99Science receives transaction references, amounts, payment status and information needed to associate access with your account. Card-entry details are handled by the payment provider rather than stored by this website.
- Audience measurement and advertising. Google Analytics measures visits and interactions. Google AdSense and its advertising partners may process cookie identifiers, device information, IP addresses and browsing activity as explained below.
Cookies, local storage and similar technologies
Essential cookies support sign-in, security and saved privacy choices. Browser storage may also remember reading preferences. Analytics and advertising technologies measure use and support advertising. Their operation depends on your settings, applicable regional consent requirements and the services available on the page.
You can delete or block cookies in your browser. Blocking essential cookies may prevent sign-in or other requested features from working. Deleting a privacy-choice cookie can cause the consent message to appear again.
Google advertising
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a visitor’s previous visits to this website or other websites. Google’s advertising cookies allow Google and its partners to serve ads using activity across this and other sites. Other participating advertising vendors may also use cookies and similar technologies.
You can manage personalized advertising in Google My Ad Center. You can also opt out of participating third-party vendors’ personalized advertising through the Digital Advertising Alliance. These choices do not necessarily remove all advertising and may apply only to a particular browser or device.
Google’s consent message lists the advertising partners, their purposes and links to their privacy information. Read how Google uses information from sites that use its services and Google’s privacy policy.
Privacy choices and consent
For visitors in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and Switzerland, Google’s consent management platform presents choices for advertising and related storage. You can consent, decline or manage individual options and objections to legitimate-interest processing. Use Privacy choices in the footer of a page carrying advertising to reopen the message. You can also open privacy choices from here.
Google Consent Mode communicates these choices to Google advertising and analytics tags, including analytics storage. Before a relevant consent choice, those storage permissions are set to denied in these regions. Google may still receive limited, cookieless measurement signals. A consent choice is distinct from accepting this policy or merely visiting the website.
For visitors in supported US states, a Do not sell or share my personal information link is available on pages carrying advertising. It lets you opt out of Google’s use of personal information for advertising on this site through Google’s privacy message. Advertising-related disclosures may be treated as a sale, sharing or targeted advertising under some state laws. You can also contact us to exercise applicable privacy rights.
Google Analytics processes page visits, device and browser information and interactions to help understand readership and improve the site. You can also use Google’s Analytics opt-out browser add-on. Privacy and advertising choices are generally browser-specific. Contact us for requests that cannot be handled through these controls.
Service providers and disclosures
Infrastructure and delivery services include Google Cloud for hosting, Cloudflare for security and delivery, Purelymail for email, and WordPress-related services such as MailPoet and Automattic/Jetpack where enabled. They process information needed to perform their functions. Google Analytics and AdSense have the roles described above; Paystack processes payments when checkout is available.
Editorial tools may use OpenAI to help prepare or transform material submitted for publication. Do not include confidential information in a pitch or draft unless its handling has been agreed with the editor. Reader passwords and payment-card details are not inputs to the publishing assistant.
Information may also be disclosed when legally required or necessary to investigate fraud, protect security or respond to a rights complaint. An external link or embedded video connects you to a service with its own privacy practices. Advertising vendors and embedded services may process data under their own policies.
Retention and security
Retention depends on the purpose: account records support an active account; public contributions remain part of the publication; correspondence supports enquiries and editorial decisions; transaction records support access, accounting and dispute handling. Security logs and backups may retain information after it disappears from the live service. Deletion requests are assessed against these purposes and applicable legal requirements.
Access controls, encrypted connections and restricted administrative access help protect information. No online service can guarantee absolute security. If you suspect unauthorized use of your account, contact us promptly.
International processing and your rights
99Science is based in Ghana and uses service providers in other countries. Information may therefore be processed outside your country. Applicable safeguards and provider terms govern those transfers where required.
Depending on the law that applies, you may have rights to access, correct, erase or obtain a copy of personal data; restrict or object to processing; withdraw consent; or complain to a data-protection authority. The basis for processing depends on its purpose, including providing a requested service, consent for optional activities where required, security and operational interests, and legal obligations. Withdrawing consent does not undo processing already lawfully carried out.
Children
This is a general-audience science publication. Reader accounts and submissions are not intended for children under 13. If a child has supplied personal information without appropriate permission, a parent or guardian should contact us so it can be investigated and removed where appropriate.
Changes
This page will be updated when the site’s practices change. The date above identifies the latest revision. Material changes affecting existing users will be communicated where required.