Privacy policy

Privacy Policy

Effective date: 10 June 2026

This policy covers thedwire.com ("The D Wire") and regentwire.com ("Regent Wire"), both operated by WhiteStone Intelligence, a sole-proprietor publisher based in Mumbai, India ("we", "us"). It explains what data we collect, why, and the rights you have over it. We have tried to write it in plain language, because that is how we write everything else.

Contact: hello@thedwire.com (The D Wire) or desk@regentwire.com (Regent Wire). Either address reaches the same operator and works for any privacy request about either site.

The short version

We collect your email address if you subscribe, basic technical data needed to keep the sites running and secure, and account details if you become a member. We do not run advertising trackers, we do not sell or share your data with advertisers or data brokers, and we never see your card number. You can unsubscribe or ask us to delete your data at any time by email.

What we collect, and why

Newsletter subscribers. When you subscribe, we collect your email address and the signup source (which page or form you signed up from). We use this to send you the newsletter you asked for and to understand which pages bring readers in. Signup uses double opt-in: we send a confirmation email and only add you to the list after you click it. We keep a record of your consent (timestamp, IP address at signup, and the text of the form you used) so we can prove you opted in.

Members (paid or registered accounts). If you create an account we collect your email address, a hashed password (we store only a cryptographic hash, never the password itself), and session data that keeps you logged in.

Technical and security data. Our infrastructure records IP-derived rate-limit counters (short-lived counts used to block abusive traffic) and security audit logs (records of significant account and system events, such as logins and failed login attempts). We use these to keep the sites available and secure, to prevent abuse, and to investigate incidents.

Payments. Paid subscriptions are processed by our payment provider (currently Stripe). Your card details go directly to the payment provider and never touch our servers. We receive only confirmation of payment status and the subscription record. The provider's own privacy policy governs the card data it processes.

Analytics. We plan to use Plausible Analytics, a privacy-respecting tool that uses no cookies and collects no persistent identifiers — it gives us aggregate counts (page views, referrers, countries) without tracking individuals. Because of this, our sites do not need, and do not show, a cookie consent banner for analytics.

What we do NOT collect: advertising trackers, third-party ad cookies, cross-site profiles, or data purchased from brokers. We do not sell or share personal data for advertising. We do not collect more than the items listed above.

Who processes data for us

We use a small number of service providers ("processors") who handle data only on our instructions:

• Cloudflare — hosting, database (Cloudflare D1) and security; data is stored on Cloudflare's network, which includes servers in the United States and at global edge locations.
• Beehiiv — newsletter delivery and subscriber list management.
• Resend — transactional email (confirmation emails, receipts, account messages).
• Stripe — payment processing (card data is held by Stripe, not us).
• Plausible Analytics — cookieless, aggregate site analytics (planned).

Legal bases (for readers in the EU/EEA and UK)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on:

• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — for the newsletter. You can withdraw consent at any time via the unsubscribe link in every email or by writing to us.
• Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) — for member accounts and paid subscriptions: we process your data to provide the service you signed up for.
• Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) — for security logging, rate limiting, fraud prevention, and aggregate analytics. These uses are minimal, expected, and do not involve profiling individuals.

International transfers

We are based in India and our providers operate globally; subscriber and account data is stored on Cloudflare's global network, including the United States. Where EU/UK data is transferred internationally, we rely on our processors' safeguards — Standard Contractual Clauses and, where applicable, participation in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework — as documented by Cloudflare, Beehiiv, Resend, Stripe, and Plausible.

How long we keep data

• Newsletter data: until you unsubscribe. After unsubscribing we keep only a minimal suppression record (your email on the do-not-send list) and the consent log, to honor your opt-out and to evidence compliance.
• Account data: for the life of your account, then deleted within 90 days of account closure (except records we must keep for tax or legal reasons, such as payment records).
• Rate-limit counters: short-lived and automatically expired (hours to days).
• Security audit logs: up to 12 months, unless needed for an active investigation.

Your rights

You can ask us, at any time, to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you;
• Correct inaccurate data;
• Delete your data ("right to erasure");
• Export your data in a portable format;
• Object to or restrict certain processing;
• Withdraw consent to the newsletter (the unsubscribe link in every email does this instantly).

Email hello@thedwire.com or desk@regentwire.com with the subject line "Privacy request". We will respond as quickly as we can, and in any case within the timelines required by applicable law (one month under GDPR; up to 90 days under India's DPDP framework). EU/EEA and UK readers also have the right to complain to their local data protection supervisory authority.

Readers in India — DPDP Act

For data principals in India, we process personal data under the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023 and its Rules. Our Grievance Officer for both data protection and general site grievances is the founder of WhiteStone Intelligence, reachable at hello@thedwire.com or desk@regentwire.com (mark the subject "Grievance"). We aim to acknowledge grievances within 72 hours and resolve them within the statutory timelines. You may exercise the rights listed above through the same contact.

Children

Our publications are general-audience news services written for adults. They are not directed at children, and we do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 18 (or under 13 where that is the applicable threshold). If you believe a child has subscribed, email us and we will delete the data promptly.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational safeguards proportionate to the data we hold: passwords are stored only as hashes, access to systems is restricted, traffic is encrypted in transit (HTTPS), and security events are logged. No internet service can promise perfect security, but we deliberately hold very little data — the less we collect, the less can go wrong. If a breach affecting your personal data occurs, we will notify the relevant authorities and affected readers as required by law.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the effective date at the top and, for material changes (such as new categories of data or new processors), we will note the change in the newsletter or on the site before it takes effect. Earlier versions are available on request.

Contact

WhiteStone Intelligence (Mumbai, India)

The D Wire: hello@thedwire.com · Regent Wire: desk@regentwire.com

Postal address available on request and included in every newsletter footer.