Anonymous website measurement
We use Vercel Web Analytics, PostHog cookieless analytics, and Google Analytics 4 to measure page views, referrers, devices, countries, and selected conversion actions in aggregate. Google Analytics runs with analytics storage, Google Signals, and advertising personalization denied; it may receive cookieless measurement signals. These analytics do not enable advertising cookies or identified user profiles; the optional advertising described below is separate.
We never send your Local Help question, email address, city field, or free-text form content to analytics. Conversion events contain only non-personal labels such as the page type, guide slug, language, or submission result. PostHog autocapture and session recording are disabled.
Optional advertising
Some practical Guide pages contain a clearly labeled Adsterra Native Banner. The advertising script is blocked by default and loads only after you choose “Show advertisement” in the placement.
After you choose to display ads, Adsterra and its advertising partners may process technical information and use cookies or similar technologies to select, deliver, secure, and measure advertising. Ask-China does not send Local Help form content, station searches, Dining profile information, or email addresses to Adsterra. You can clear the saved choice and advertising storage through your browser settings.
Local Help information
If you submit Local Help, we process the topic, city or area, question, reply email, consent, source page, request identifier, and submission time. Vercel hosts the form endpoint, Resend delivers the message, and the request arrives in the Ask-China Gmail inbox.
Ask-China does not currently copy Local Help requests into a separate customer database. Messages remain in Gmail until they are manually deleted; there is not yet an automated deletion schedule. Technical request data, including an IP address, may be processed transiently by hosting and security systems to deliver the service and limit abuse.
Agent accounts and daily credits
The Travel Agent uses strictly necessary signed cookies to keep an anonymous guest allowance or a passwordless login session. Guests receive 50 daily credits and verified accounts receive 100; counters reset at midnight in China and are stored in Redis under random or HMAC-derived identifiers.
When you request a login code, Resend processes your email address to deliver it. Ask-China stores only a code HMAC for 10 minutes and a minimal HMAC-derived account record; it does not store passwords or server-side chat history. Network addresses are converted to HMAC values for abuse limits. Logging out expires the login cookie, while local chats and approved preferences remain only on your device until you clear them.
Your choices and safe use
You can ask Ask-China to locate and delete a Local Help email by submitting a new request with the same reply address and the earlier ticket identifier when available.
Do not submit passport images, payment-card details, passwords, verification codes, medical records, or other highly sensitive information. For emergencies, contact the appropriate official service directly.