Advertising Policy
Last Updated: November 3, 2025
HistoryLetter is a free educational platform supported by advertising. We are committed to maintaining a balance between providing free access to historical educational content and ensuring a positive, non-intrusive user experience. This Advertising Policy explains how we use advertising on our platform and our standards for ad content.
Google AdSense
HistoryLetter uses Google AdSense as our advertising platform. Google AdSense is a trusted advertising service that displays relevant advertisements to visitors based on our content and visitor interests.
How AdSense Works
- Google automatically displays ads that are relevant to our educational content
- Ads may be personalized based on your browsing history and interests (with your consent)
- We do not manually select individual advertisements
- Google's advertising policies govern what types of ads can appear
Consent and Control
We implement Google Consent Mode v2 and a certified Consent Management Platform (CMP) to ensure compliance with GDPR, CCPA, and other privacy regulations. You have full control over whether personalized ads are shown to you. See our Privacy Policy for more information about cookies and data collection.
We maintain strict standards for ad placement to ensure educational content remains the primary focus:
Content-First Approach
- Educational content always takes priority over advertising
- Ads are positioned to minimize disruption to reading and research
- Letter transcriptions and historical context are never interrupted by ads
- Ad density is kept low to maintain a scholarly atmosphere
User Experience
- Ads do not use auto-playing audio or video
- Pop-up ads and interstitials are not used
- Ads do not obscure or cover content
- Mobile experience is optimized to ensure readability
Advertising has no influence on our editorial decisions or content:
- Content Selection: Letters are selected based solely on educational merit and historical significance
- Historical Analysis: Our contextual information and analysis are completely independent of advertising
- Clear Separation: All advertisements are clearly labeled and visually distinct from editorial content
- No Sponsored Content: We do not publish sponsored content or paid articles
- Academic Standards: Our editorial standards align with academic publishing, not commercial interests
While we do not manually select ads, Google AdSense's policies prohibit certain types of content from appearing on our site:
Google AdSense Prohibited Content
- Illegal content or promotion of illegal activities
- Adult or sexually explicit content
- Violent or graphic content
- Content that promotes hatred or discrimination
- Misleading or deceptive content
- Malware or unwanted software
- Copyright-infringing content
Additional Restrictions for Educational Content
Given our focus on education, we also strive to prevent:
- Ads that contradict established historical facts
- Politically divisive content inappropriate for educational settings
- Content that could be offensive in an academic context
If you encounter an advertisement that you believe is inappropriate for our educational platform:
How to Report
- Take a screenshot of the ad (if possible)
- Note the page URL where the ad appeared
- Note the date and time you saw the ad
- Email this information to [email protected] with subject "Inappropriate Ad Report"
Our Response
We review all ad reports promptly and:
- Investigate the reported advertisement
- Block inappropriate advertisers or ad categories through Google AdSense controls
- Report policy violations to Google
- Respond to your report within 5 business days
Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to serve relevant advertisements. This includes:
- Advertising Cookies: Used to display relevant ads and limit the number of times an ad is shown
- Analytics: Used to measure ad performance and user engagement with ads
- Personalization: Used to show ads based on your interests (only with your consent)
For complete information about how we use cookies and collect data, please review our Privacy Policy.
Opting Out of Personalized Ads
You can control ad personalization through:
- Our Consent Management Platform (CMP) banner
- Google Ads Settings
- Digital Advertising Alliance opt-out tool
- Your browser's privacy settings
How Revenue is Used
Advertising revenue from Google AdSense supports HistoryLetter's operations, including:
- Website hosting and infrastructure
- Content research and development
- Platform maintenance and improvements
- Expansion of the letter collection
Commitment to Free Access
HistoryLetter remains committed to providing free access to all educational content. Advertising revenue allows us to keep the platform free for students, educators, and history enthusiasts worldwide.
Currently, Google AdSense is our only advertising partner. If we partner with additional advertising networks in the future:
- We will update this policy to reflect any changes
- All partners must meet similar standards for ad quality and user privacy
- Users will be notified of significant changes to our advertising practices
- The same principles of editorial independence will apply
Current Policy: HistoryLetter does not currently use affiliate links or publish sponsored content.
Future Consideration: If we introduce affiliate links (such as links to books about historical letters) or sponsored educational content in the future:
- All affiliate relationships and sponsored content will be clearly disclosed
- This policy will be updated to reflect such changes
- Editorial independence will be maintained for all content
- Users will be notified of policy changes
We may update this Advertising Policy to reflect changes in our advertising practices or legal requirements. The "Last Updated" date at the top indicates when this policy was last revised.
Significant changes to our advertising practices will be communicated through:
- Notice on the HistoryLetter homepage
- Updated "Last Updated" date on this page
- Email notification if we have your contact information
If you have questions about our Advertising Policy or concerns about specific advertisements:
This Advertising Policy reflects our commitment to transparency, user experience, and editorial independence while supporting HistoryLetter through advertising revenue.