VNews — Data Deletion Request
This page explains how users of the VNews mobile application (Package ID: com.vcontent.vnews) and website (vhubs.site/vnews) can request the deletion of their personal information, manage on-device data, and understand our data retention schedules.
VNews does not provide user accounts. You do not register, create a profile, or log in with personal credentials (such as an email address, password, or username) to read news briefings, switch regional editions, search coverage, or use the interactive Dig Deeper exploration feature.
Because VNews does not maintain user account profiles, an account-deletion mechanism is not applicable to VNews. There is no user account to delete. However, you maintain complete autonomy over your on-device data, and you have the right to request deletion of any server-held records associated with voluntary correspondence or device notifications.
If you have voluntarily submitted communications, feedback, inaccuracy reports, or push notification preferences that you wish to have deleted, follow these simple steps:
- Send an email: Email our Data Controller directly at vcontentplatforms@gmail.com.
- Set the Subject Line: Use the subject line
VNews Data Deletion Request. - Describe the Record to Delete: Provide sufficient detail to allow us to reasonably locate the record. For example:
- The email address used for previous correspondence or support requests.
- The approximate date, topic, or story headline of any editorial inaccuracy report you submitted.
- Your device installation token if you are requesting deletion of push notification records.
- Do NOT Send Sensitive Data: Do not include passwords, payment information, national identity cards, or government ID numbers. We will never ask for sensitive credentials.
- Review & Confirmation: We will review and process your request within 30 days of receipt and confirm deletion or deactivation by reply email.
In Version 1.0 of VNews, reading data resides exclusively on your local device. The following data is never transmitted to, backed up by, or synchronized with VNews servers:
- In the App: Open Settings and tap Clear Reading History or Clear Cache.
- In Android System Settings: Open Android Settings > Apps > VNews > Storage > Clear Data (or "Clear Storage"). This immediately and permanently deletes all local databases and preferences.
- Uninstalling the App: Uninstalling VNews permanently removes all local databases, caches, and app files from your device.
* Note: Because local data never leaves your device, VNews operators cannot remotely access, inspect, or delete data stored on your phone.
In strict compliance with Google Play User Data policies and data minimization principles, we maintain only the minimum technical records required for operation, security, and editorial integrity:
| Data Category | Purpose | Retention Period | Deletion Capability |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push Notification Tokens (FCM) | Delivery of breaking alerts and regional edition briefings | Retained while installation is active | Deactivated on uninstall / permission revoke, or upon email request |
| Editorial Inaccuracy Reports & Inquiries | Investigating and resolving story errors or publisher takedowns | Retained until report is investigated and audited; non-actionable mail periodically purged | Deleted upon verified email request to Data Controller |
| Crash Diagnostics (Sentry) | Bug fixing and stability diagnostics (sendDefaultPii=false, query breadcrumbs stripped) | 30 to 90 days | Automatically purged by diagnostic infrastructure |
| Engagement Telemetry (Firebase) | Aggregated adoption analytics (no raw search queries or personal identifiers) | Standard operational analytics retention schedules | Pseudonymous and aggregated; not linked to personal identity |
| Technical & Security Server Logs | DDoS mitigation, rate limiting, and system defense (ephemeral client hashes) | 7 to 30 days | Automatically rotated and permanently purged; not linked to user identities |
VNews integrates trusted third-party SDKs strictly calibrated for privacy:
- Google AdMob: Serves non-personalized banner and interstitial advertisements in Version 1.0. AdMob processes coarse IP and Google Advertising ID (GAID) for fraud mitigation and frequency capping. You can reset or delete your advertising identifier at any time through your Android system settings (Settings > Google > Ads > Delete advertising ID). VNews itself does not collect or sell advertising IDs.
- Third-Party Deletion Scope: VNews honors deletion requests for all server records within our direct control. We cannot alter or delete telemetry independently maintained by Google or Sentry under their respective enterprise privacy architectures.
In accordance with applicable privacy laws and Google Play guidelines, VNews may retain limited records following a deletion request only where strictly necessary for:
- Compliance with statutory, tax, or legal regulatory obligations in Ghana.
- Establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims or published editorial corrections.
- Security, fraud prevention, and detection of malicious or automated attacks against our news feeds.
Any retained records are strictly segregated, protected by row-level database security, and never used for marketing or user profiling.
VNews is designed, operated, and intended solely for an adult audience aged 18 and over. The application is not directed at or designed for children. VNews does not maintain a universal technical age-verification gate and does not collect dates of birth.
If a parent or legal guardian believes that personal details of a minor were voluntarily submitted through a support inquiry or feedback submission, please contact our Data Controller at vcontentplatforms@gmail.com with the subject line Child Data Deletion Request. We will review and promptly delete any such personal information from our active records.