Advertising Disclosure

Our Commitment to Transparency

Last updated: December 1, 2024

At Silverlode, we believe in maintaining complete transparency with our audience regarding any advertising relationships, affiliate partnerships, or sponsored content. This disclosure explains how we may earn compensation through various promotional activities and partnerships, and how this relates to the content and recommendations on our website.

Affiliate Relationships and Partnerships

Affiliate Program Participation

Silverlode may participate in affiliate marketing programs with select partners. This means that when you click on certain links on our website and make a purchase or sign up for services, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. These affiliate relationships help support our operations and allow us to continue providing valuable content and services.

Affiliate links may be present in service recommendations, tool suggestions, or references to third-party resources. We clearly identify affiliate relationships where they exist and only recommend products or services that we believe would genuinely benefit our audience.

Commission-Based Recommendations

When we recommend software, tools, services, or resources that offer affiliate compensation, our recommendations are based on:

  • Genuine professional experience and evaluation of the product or service
  • Relevance to game development and our theatrical approach
  • Value and quality standards that align with our professional principles
  • Honest assessment of both benefits and limitations

Product Recommendation Policy

We maintain strict editorial independence in our recommendations. The presence of an affiliate relationship does not influence our honest assessment of products or services. We only recommend tools, resources, or services that we genuinely believe could benefit game developers and creative professionals. If we receive compensation for a recommendation, this fact will be clearly disclosed.

Financial Relationship Transparency

We disclose all material financial relationships that could be perceived as affecting the objectivity of our content. This includes not only affiliate commissions but also any other compensation arrangements that might influence our recommendations, such as referral fees, sponsorship agreements, or partnership benefits.

Sponsored Content and Paid Promotions

Identification of Sponsored Material

From time to time, we may publish sponsored content or paid promotional material on our website. All sponsored content is clearly identified as such using labels such as "Sponsored," "Paid Partnership," or "Promotional Content." We maintain editorial control over how sponsored content is presented to ensure it meets our quality standards and provides value to our audience.

Sponsored Post Standards

When we accept sponsored content, we ensure that the material is relevant to game development, creative industries, or professional services that would interest our audience. Sponsored content must meet the same quality and accuracy standards as our regular content. We reserve the right to decline sponsored opportunities that do not align with our values or audience interests.

Brand Partnership Disclosures

We may enter into partnerships with brands, tools, platforms, or service providers relevant to game development and creative work. These partnerships may involve compensation in the form of payment, free access to services, or other benefits. All such partnerships are disclosed when we reference the partner or their offerings.

Content Authenticity Guarantee

Regardless of compensation arrangements, all content on our website reflects genuine professional perspectives and honest evaluations. We do not allow sponsors to dictate editorial content or suppress negative feedback. Our audience trust is paramount, and we will not compromise the integrity of our content for financial gain.

Third-Party Advertising and Networks

Display Advertising Networks

We may use third-party advertising networks to display advertisements on our website. These networks use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your browsing activity and interests. The advertisers and advertising networks have their own privacy policies governing how they collect and use information.

Behavioral Targeting and Personalization

Third-party advertising partners may use behavioral targeting to show you advertisements that match your interests based on your browsing history across multiple websites. This practice involves:

  • Collection of data about your website visits and online activities
  • Use of cookies and similar tracking technologies
  • Creation of user interest profiles for ad targeting
  • Delivery of personalized advertisements based on inferred interests

Cookie Usage for Advertising

Advertising networks use cookies to track ad impressions, measure campaign effectiveness, and prevent showing the same advertisement repeatedly. For detailed information about how we and our partners use cookies, including options to control cookie preferences, please see our Cookie Policy.

Ad Personalization Practices

We work with advertising partners who respect user privacy and comply with applicable advertising standards. These partners may personalize advertisements based on factors such as content you're viewing, your location, device type, and inferred interests. Personalized advertising helps ensure you see relevant content while supporting our ability to provide free resources.

Your Rights and Advertising Controls

Managing Advertisement Preferences

You have several options for controlling the advertisements you see and the data collected for advertising purposes:

Cookie Settings

Adjust your cookie preferences through our Cookie Policy page or your browser settings to limit advertising cookies.

Browser Controls

Most browsers allow you to block third-party cookies, clear existing cookies, and manage privacy settings.

Ad Network Opt-Out

Many advertising networks provide opt-out mechanisms through industry initiatives and their own preference centers.

Do Not Track

You can enable Do Not Track signals in your browser, though not all advertising networks respect these preferences.

Opt-Out Procedures

To opt out of personalized advertising, you can visit your browser settings to disable third-party cookies, use privacy-focused browser extensions, or contact us to request information about specific advertising partners and their opt-out mechanisms. Note that opting out of personalized advertising does not mean you will see fewer ads, but rather that the ads will be less relevant to your interests.

Data Collection for Advertising

When you visit our website, advertising partners may collect information such as your IP address, device identifiers, browsing history on our site, and interaction with advertisements. This information is used to deliver, measure, and improve advertising campaigns. For comprehensive information about data collection and your rights, please review our Privacy Policy.

Rights Under Privacy Regulations

Under UK GDPR and other applicable privacy regulations, you have rights regarding data collected for advertising purposes, including the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict processing of your data. To exercise these rights or learn more about how your data is used for advertising, please contact us or refer to our Privacy Policy.

Regulatory Compliance

We are committed to complying with applicable advertising regulations, including guidelines from the UK Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) and relevant international standards. This includes:

  • Clearly disclosing all material connections and financial relationships
  • Ensuring sponsored content is obviously identifiable as advertising
  • Making disclosures clear and prominent, not buried in footnotes or fine print
  • Maintaining honesty in all promotional communications and claims

If you have questions about any advertising relationships, affiliate links, or sponsored content on our website, please contact us. We welcome inquiries and are committed to maintaining transparent communication with our audience about all commercial relationships.