Privacy

Effective date: 16 October 2026. This policy describes how Universe handles information connected with this website. Universe is responsible for deciding the purposes of that handling. Contact us about privacy at contact@universe.gay.

Reading and technical delivery

Loading a page sends technical information to the services delivering it, such as an IP address, requested resource, time, browser information and security-related signals. Such data can support delivery, reliability, protection against misuse and diagnosis of faults. An IP address may indicate an approximate area; it is not a precise account of your location or identity.

Our hosting and content-delivery provider may process technical logs under its applicable terms. Access is limited to operational purposes and authorised providers. Reasonable safeguards reduce risk, but no website can promise that transmission or storage is completely secure.

Language choice and regional suggestion

The language selector stores your chosen language in this browser's local storage, under universe-language. It remains until replaced, removed through browser settings or cleared with site data. It is a preference, not a record of your identity. Browser language settings may also be read to suggest an edition.

If no supported browser language is found, the site may request a broad country indication from the same website's delivery service. It does not request the device's precise-location permission. The country indication is used to suggest a language, not to determine nationality or prevent access to another edition. You can choose any available edition at any time.

Search and sharing tools

The site's search matches your words against guide information in your browser. It does not send those words to our server or an analytics event. Normal page requests still occur when you follow a result.

Copying a link uses the browser clipboard where available. Choosing an external sharing service opens that service with the article title or URL; the service then handles information under its own policy. Your device's share menu is controlled by your browser or operating system. We do not need access to your contact list to offer these links.

Audience measurement and cookies

Google Analytics 4, when enabled for this site, is used for audience statistics. Measurement can involve online identifiers and information about page visits, devices and broad geography. Our measurement configuration is intended for statistics, with advertising personalisation and related advertising storage disabled. Search terms, URL query strings, fragments and personal answers are not deliberately included in page-view events.

Where the regional configuration requires a choice, analytics waits for permission. In other recognised regions, restricted statistical measurement may begin with an accessible option to object. If the region cannot be determined, analytics does not start without permission. The preferences control, when measurement is enabled, lets you change the choice. An express refusal is respected; refusing is intended to stop new analytics transmissions, not merely rename cookies.

Analytics cookies and the saved measurement choice are separate from the saved language. Cookies may persist according to the service's configuration and browser rules; stored preferences remain until changed or cleared. Cloudflare's delivery, security and any enabled aggregate traffic measurement are separate from Google Analytics. Refusing Google Analytics does not disable the technical delivery service.

Messages and requests

If you contact us, the email address, message and information you choose to provide are processed to answer the request, examine a correction or manage the related issue. Do not send unnecessary personal information. We keep correspondence only as long as needed for its purpose, applicable obligations or a related dispute, then delete or minimise it where appropriate.

We do not use a privacy request as permission to publish your identity or personal story. If verification is needed to act on a request, we seek information proportionate to that task rather than collecting unrelated identity details.

Advertising, affiliate links and purchases

Where advertising or affiliate tools are activated, notices identify the relevant commercial relationship and any additional data handling. A third-party destination receives information when you choose to visit it and may apply its own cookies or terms. Activating technology that requires permission also requires the corresponding choice mechanism.

Where a product or service is offered through a checkout, the offer and checkout identify the data needed for payment, fulfilment and support, the parties involved and the applicable conditions. This policy does not describe every possible third-party transaction as though it already occurred.

Purposes, providers and international processing

Information is handled on the basis appropriate to the purpose and applicable law, which may include consent, providing a requested service, a legal obligation or a legitimate interest balanced against individual rights. A cookie notice is not a substitute for assessing the actual processing. You may withdraw consent where it is the basis used; withdrawal does not undo earlier lawful processing.

Hosting, email and enabled measurement providers may process information in countries different from yours. Applicable contractual and legal safeguards must be considered for those transfers. We do not infer your sexual orientation or gender identity from the fact that you read a guide for use in a personal profile or advertising audience.

Your choices and rights

Depending on the applicable law and circumstances, you may ask for access, correction, deletion, information about sharing, restriction, portability or objection, and withdraw consent. Send a request to the privacy contact above, identifying what you want us to examine. Rights can have legal limits, including retention required for a particular obligation. You may also contact the competent data-protection authority in your jurisdiction.

You can remove language and measurement preferences through browser site-data settings, manage cookies and use the measurement control where available. Browser settings affect the device or profile in which they are changed and may not update other devices.

Young readers and policy changes

Guides can be read without creating a personal profile. Young readers should avoid sending personal details that are not necessary for a request. If you believe a child's information has been provided improperly, contact us so we can examine the circumstances and take appropriate action.

Material changes to these practices are reflected here with an updated effective date. New purposes requiring a specific notice or permission are not authorised merely by replacing this text. See our terms for conditions of using the content and tools.