Privacy Policy

Last updated: March 18, 2026

Afghanistan Future (“we”, “us”, or “our”) is an independent and professional media platform founded by Afghan journalists in exile. We are committed to accuracy, impartiality, verification, and amplifying underrepresented voices from Afghanistan, the region, and beyond. Our website is available at https://future-afghanistan.com and is operated from France.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal data when you visit our website, interact with our content, submit forms, or otherwise engage with our services. We comply with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable French data protection laws (including those enforced by the CNIL).

By using our website, you consent to the practices described in this Policy. We encourage you to read it carefully.

1. Data Controller

The data controller responsible for your personal data is:

Afghanistan Future

Address: Pl. de la République, 75010 Paris

Email: info@future-afghanistan.com

You can contact us regarding any privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights.

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect personal data only when necessary and with appropriate legal basis. The types of data we may collect include:

When you visit our site, we or our service providers may collect technical data such as your IP address, browser type, device information, operating system, referring website, pages visited, time spent on pages, and interaction data. This helps us understand site usage and improve our services.

When you submit a contact form (via Contact Form 7) or volunteer form: name, email address, message/content, and any other details you include.
When you post comments: your name, email address (if required), and comment content.
When you sign up for newsletters or other communications (if applicable): your email address and preferences.
Any information provided through our support/donation links (e.g., via PayPal, but we do not process payment details ourselves—see section on third parties).

Through Google Site Kit, we collect aggregated and anonymized usage data (e.g., number of visitors, pages viewed, traffic sources) to analyze and improve our content and user experience.

We do not collect sensitive personal data (such as racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, or health data) through our website unless you voluntarily provide it in a form or comment, in which case we process it only with your explicit consent or as otherwise permitted by law.

3. How We Use Your Personal Data

We process your personal data for the following purposes:

To provide, maintain, and improve our website and media content.
To respond to your inquiries, comments, or volunteer submissions.
To prevent and combat spam (via Akismet).
To analyze website traffic and user behavior (via Google Analytics through Site Kit) for statistical purposes.
To ensure the security of our website (via Wordfence).
To comply with legal obligations or defend our rights.
To communicate with you if you have requested information or updates (where applicable).

We rely on the following legal bases under GDPR:

Your consent (e.g., for non-essential cookies and analytics, managed via Complianz).
Legitimate interests (e.g., operating and securing the website, improving content, preventing spam).
Contractual necessity (if applicable, e.g., responding to volunteer or contact requests).
Legal obligations.

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our website uses cookies and similar technologies. We use the Complianz plugin to obtain your informed consent for non-essential cookies and to manage preferences.

Essential cookies: These are necessary for the website to function (e.g., security, basic navigation).
Analytics cookies: Via Google Site Kit / Google Analytics (for understanding audience and content performance).
Other cookies: Possibly from plugins like Jetpack (for features like sharing or stats) or All in One SEO.

You can manage or withdraw consent at any time via the cookie consent banner or settings provided by Complianz. For more details, see our Cookie Policy (or the cookie section within this policy if combined).

5. Sharing Your Personal Data

We do not sell your personal data. We may share data with trusted third parties only when necessary and with appropriate safeguards:

Google (via Site Kit): for analytics and Search Console data. Google processes data under its own privacy policy.
Akismet (Automattic): for spam detection on comments and Contact Form 7 submissions.
Jetpack (Automattic): for site features and security-related functions.
Wordfence: for website security and firewall protection.
Hosting provider and other technical service providers.

If you use the support/donation button, you will be redirected to PayPal. We do not collect or store your payment information. PayPal processes donations under its own privacy policy.

We may disclose data if required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or property.

All third-party processors are bound by data processing agreements or equivalent safeguards to ensure GDPR compliance. Some processors (e.g., Google, Automattic) are based outside the EU/EEA; transfers are protected by Standard Contractual Clauses or other approved mechanisms.

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined or as required by law:

Contact/volunteer form submissions: retained for the time needed to respond and follow up (typically up to 2 years unless longer retention is justified).
Comments: as long as the comment is published or until you request deletion (subject to moderation needs).
Analytics data: retained in aggregated/anonymized form for statistical purposes (Google’s default retention applies unless configured otherwise).
Security logs (Wordfence): for a limited security-related period.

When data is no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize it.

7. Your Rights (GDPR)

As a data subject, you have the following rights regarding your personal data (subject to applicable exceptions):

Right to access your data.
Right to rectification (correct inaccurate data).
Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”).
Right to restrict processing.
Right to object to processing (including for legitimate interests or direct marketing).
Right to data portability.
Right to withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent).

To exercise these rights, contact us at the email address above. We will respond within one month (or as extended under GDPR rules). You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the French supervisory authority, the CNIL, or your local data protection authority.

8. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal data, including the use of the Wordfence security plugin, secure hosting, and encryption where appropriate. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

9. International Transfers

Since our users are global and some processors (e.g., Google, Automattic) are located outside the EU/EEA, your data may be transferred to countries that do not offer the same level of protection as EU law. We ensure appropriate safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses) are in place.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we become aware that we have collected such data without parental consent, we will take steps to delete it.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The “Last updated” date at the top will be revised accordingly. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

12. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

info@future-afghanistan.com

Pl. de la République, 75010 Paris

+33 7 66 76 40 41