I'm happy to say that when you visit my blog, I don't use any tracking at all. No analytics, no cookies, no nothing.
I also don’t track opens or clicks on the email newsletter I send. I’ve turned all tracking off in Buttondown, the service I use to send the newsletter.
The only time I store personal data is when you sign up for the newsletter or send me an email.
When you sign up for the newsletter
When you sign up for my newsletter, I store:
- Your email address so I can send you the newsletter.
- Your IP address so I can prevent bots and spammers from subscribing to it.
- Notes to remind me who the email address belongs to if I've had interactions with you.
This data is stored by Buttondown. Buttondown is pretty privacy-conscious, but you can read their Privacy Policy and Data Processing Agreement here:
https://buttondown.com/legal/privacy
https://buttondown.com/legal/data-processing-agreement
In case it’s not clear, I’m the “Data controller”, and Buttondown is the “Data processor”.
I also store:
- A password-protected backup of all subscribers (email address, IP address, and the notes I've mentioned above), in spreadsheet form, on my personal computer. I do this in case I need to restore my list or move to a different email-delivery service.
- Buttondown email notifications about new subscriptions in my email app, Fastmail (info below), so I have proof of when people subscribed.
When you send me an email
If you send me an email, I may store it, indefinitely, in Fastmail, for future reference or in case it might be appropriate to contact you again in the future.
Fastmail is also a privacy-conscious email service, but you can read their Privacy Policy and Data Protection Agreement here:
https://www.fastmail.com/policies/privacy/
https://www.fastmail.com/policies/dpa/
Again, in this context, I’m the “Data controller”, and Fastmail is the “Data processor”.
Other bits and pieces
- I often link to YouTube and other sites that do use cookies and tracking. I don't have any control over that.
- Only subscribe to the newsletter if you're 18 years or older—not because I'd rate it any more than PG, but because I don’t want to manage personal data for younger people, which is more complicated.
- You can unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time by clicking the ‘Unsubscribe’ link at the bottom of one of the emails, and I won’t hassle you for a ‘reason’ why.
- If you have questions about any of this, or you want me to change or delete your data, click Reply by email under one of my posts, and send me an email.
If I make any significant updates to this policy, I’ll post a short update on the blog.