Privacy & Cookie Policy

Last updated: August 31, 2026

At Modern Machiavelli, we take privacy seriously.

This Privacy & Cookie Policy explains what personal data may be processed when you visit ModernMachiavelli.com, subscribe to our newsletter, leave a comment, contact us or interact with features on the website.

We process personal data only where there is a lawful basis to do so and aim to collect no more information than is reasonably necessary for the relevant purpose.

1. Who is responsible for your Data?

The controller responsible for processing personal data on ModernMachiavelli.com is the website operator identified in our Impressum.

Our contact person for privacy and data-protection matters is:

Lisa Maria
Email: nikolausmachiavelli@gmail.com

The complete legal details of the website operator are available in our Impressum.

2. Data we may process

Depending on how you use Modern Machiavelli, we may process different categories of personal data.

Website and Server Data

When you visit our website, our hosting infrastructure may automatically process technical information such as:

IP address;
date and time of access;
requested page or file;
browser and browser version;
operating system;
referring website;
device information;
technical error and security information.

We process this information where necessary to deliver the website, maintain its security, diagnose technical problems and protect our systems against misuse.

The legal basis is generally our legitimate interest under Article 6(1)(f) GDPR in operating a secure and reliable website.

Contact Enquiries

If you contact us by email or through a contact form, we may process information including your name, email address, message and any other information you voluntarily provide.

We use this information to respond to your enquiry and manage subsequent communication.

Depending on the nature of the enquiry, processing may be based on Article 6(1)(b) GDPR where it concerns a contract or steps before entering into one, or Article 6(1)(f) GDPR based on our legitimate interest in responding to correspondence.

If you subscribe to a Modern Machiavelli newsletter, we process the information necessary to send it to you, normally including your email address and, where provided, your name.

Newsletter subscriptions are based on your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR.

Where applicable, we may use a double opt-in procedure to confirm subscriptions and document consent.

You can unsubscribe at any time through the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us.

Withdrawal of consent does not affect processing carried out lawfully before the withdrawal.

Comments

If comments are enabled and you leave a comment, we may process the information you submit together with technical information used to prevent spam, abuse or security attacks.

Published comments may remain publicly visible together with the name or username you choose to provide.

Do not include personal information in a public comment that you do not want others to see.

3. Cookies and similar Technologies

Cookies are small files or identifiers stored on or accessed through your device. Similar technologies may also be used to remember preferences, provide website functionality, measure website usage or display external content.

We distinguish between technically necessary cookies and optional cookies.

Necessary Cookies

Necessary cookies may be used for purposes such as:

website security;
session management;
remembering privacy choices;
load balancing;
preventing fraud or abuse;
providing functions requested by the visitor.

Where these technologies are strictly necessary for the website to function, they may be used without prior consent.

Analytics Cookies

Analytics technologies can help us understand how visitors use Modern Machiavelli, which pages are read and how the website can be improved.

Where consent is legally required, these technologies will only be activated after you have given consent.

Marketing and Advertising Cookies

Marketing technologies may be used to measure campaigns, attribute referrals, personalise advertising or understand interactions with promotional content.

Where consent is required, these technologies remain disabled until you actively choose to allow them.

External Media

Some pages may contain embedded content from third parties, including videos, social-media services or other external platforms.

Loading such content may allow the third-party provider to receive technical information about your visit or place cookies on your device.

Where required, external content is blocked until you consent to the relevant category.

4. Your Cookie Choices

Our cookie consent system may allow you to:

Accept all optional cookies;
Reject non-essential cookies;
Choose individual categories.

Rejecting optional cookies should not prevent you from reading the normal editorial content on Modern Machiavelli, although some optional or embedded features may not function.

You may change or withdraw your consent at any time through the Cookie Settings available on the website.

The cookie settings interface may also provide information about individual cookies, providers, purposes and storage periods.

5. Third-party Services

We may use specialist service providers to operate Modern Machiavelli.

These can include providers of:

website hosting and infrastructure;
website security;
spam protection;
email and newsletter delivery;
website analytics;
consent management;
embedded media;
technical maintenance;
affiliate or advertising services.

Where a provider processes personal data on our behalf, we use appropriate contractual and organisational safeguards where required.

We do not sell personal data to advertisers.

6. External and Affiliate Links

Modern Machiavelli contains links to external websites.

When you follow an external link, you leave our website. The operator of the destination website may process information about your visit under its own privacy policy.

Some links may also be affiliate links. This means Modern Machiavelli may receive a commission when a visitor follows an eligible link and subsequently makes a qualifying purchase or performs another qualifying action.

Affiliate relationships do not provide us with unrestricted access to personal information that you provide directly to an external retailer or service provider.

7. International Data Transfers

Some service providers may process personal data outside Austria or the European Economic Area.

Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, we use an appropriate legal transfer mechanism where required, which may include:

an adequacy decision;
the EU-US Data Privacy Framework where applicable;
Standard Contractual Clauses;
another lawful transfer mechanism under the GDPR.

The applicable safeguard depends on the provider and service concerned.

8. How long we keep Data

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected or where longer retention is required by law.

For example:

server logs may be retained temporarily for security and technical purposes;
correspondence may be kept as long as necessary to handle the enquiry;
newsletter data may be retained until you unsubscribe;
limited records may be kept to document previous consent or withdrawal;
contractual and accounting information may be kept for applicable legal retention periods;
cookie durations depend on the individual technology used.

When personal data is no longer required, it is deleted or anonymised where appropriate.

9. Your Rights under the GDPR

Subject to the applicable legal conditions, you may have the right to:

Access personal data we hold about you;
Correct inaccurate or incomplete information;
Request deletion of personal data;
Restrict processing in certain circumstances;
Object to certain processing based on legitimate interests;
Withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent;
Receive portable data where the legal conditions are met;
Object to direct marketing at any time;
Lodge a complaint with a competent data protection supervisory authority.

To exercise your rights or ask a question about your personal data, contact:

Lisa Maria
nikolausmachiavelli@gmail.com

We may request sufficient information to verify your identity before responding to certain requests.

10. Automated Decision-making

We do not use website visitor data to make solely automated decisions that produce legal effects or similarly significant effects for individual visitors within the meaning of Article 22 GDPR.

11. Data Security

We use appropriate technical and organisational measures designed to protect personal data against unauthorised access, loss, disclosure, alteration or destruction.

No internet-based system can guarantee absolute security. We therefore use proportionate safeguards and adapt them as technology and risks develop.

12. Changes to this Policy

Modern Machiavelli may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy when our services, technology, data processing or legal requirements change.

The current version and its last-updated date will always be published on this page.

13. Contact

For questions concerning privacy, cookies or your personal data, contact:

Lisa Maria
nikolausmachiavelli@gmail.com

For information about our research, sourcing, human review and use of artificial intelligence, see our Editorial Standards, AI Policy & Transparency.

For legal information about the website operator, see our Impressum.

For the conditions governing use of Modern Machiavelli, see our Terms of Use.