Privacy Policy

This privacy policy explains how your personal information is used when visiting this website, when you subscribe to my newsletter, when you use my services or when you contact me.

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled please email [email protected].

When you visit this website

This site uses cookies to record anonymous visitor data and to enable video features on this site to function correctly.

For information on how you can disable cookies, please follow the link for your browser:

Analytics data & cookies

To better understand and improve how the website is used, visitor behaviour and analytical data are anonymously recorded using Google Analytics and, occasionally, Hotjar Analytics.

Google analytics

Google Analytics records anonymous visitor data such as the pages you visit, when you visited them and how long you spend on them, how you arrived on the site and when you left. Other data includes the type of device you are using, your operating system and your general location. Individual user data is collected in a pseudonymised form, meaning that you are never personally identifiable from your visit and your data will never be used or shared in a way that enables you to be identified.

More information is available at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/.

Hotjar analytics

Hotjar is an advanced analytics service that collects data on how visitors use each page for the purpose of improving the website and making it easier to use in the future. Such data includes scrollmapping, which measures how far down a page most visitors get, clickmapping which records where visitors click and move the cursor most often and video recording which tracks the pages and clicks of a visitor’s session.

Hotjar uses cookies and other technologies to collect data on our users’ behavior and their devices (in particular device’s IP address (captured and stored only in anonymised form), device screen size, device type (unique device identifiers), browser information, geographic location (country only), preferred language. Hotjar stores this information in a pseudonymised user profile. Neither Hotjar nor I will ever use this information to identify individual users or to match it with further data on an individual user.

For more information, please see Hotjar’s privacy policy: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/policies/privacy

You can opt-out to the creation of a user profile, Hotjar’s storing of data about your usage of our site and Hotjar’s use of tracking cookies on other websites by following this opt-out link: https://www.hotjar.com/legal/compliance/opt-out

Google services (Youtube)

This website uses embedded video players from Youtube to provide video content.

Using an embedded video player may record playback data, such as the number of times the video was played, for how long and your general location anonymously.

For more information on how Youtube video data is recorded and used please refer to Google’s Privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy.

Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1)

The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website.

First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser’s cache. The “help” feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser’s cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at All About Cookies.

Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website.

The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads:

  • IP Address
  • Operating System type
  • Operating System version
  • Device Type
  • Language of the website
  • Web browser type
  • Email (in hashed form)

Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor’s referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising.

If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit National Advertising Initiative opt out page. You may also visit Digital Advertising Alliance website and Network Advertising Initiative website to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the AppChoices app at Digital Advertising Alliance’s AppChoices app to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out.

For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit Mediavine Partners.

When you subscribe to my newsletter

When you subscribe to my newsletter, you consent to your email address being stored on my mailing list and being used for the purpose of sending you news, articles and stories about projects that I’m working on. No other method of communication with me will cause you to be added to my newsletter mailing list. To receive newsletter emails from me, you must opt in by subscribing to my mailing list.

Your email address will not be shared with others and you may unsubscribe at any time either by emailing [email protected], by sending me a message via my contact form or by clicking the unsubscribe link in a newsletter email that you’ve already received.

Your information will be stored for as long as you are subscribed to the mailing list and removed within one month of your request.

When you leave a comment

This website uses Akismet anti-spam technology to prevent excessive spam comments. When you leave a comment, its content will be processed by Akismet to determine whether or not it is spam. For more information about how Akismet uses the data submitted in a comment, please see their privacy policy.

When you email me or send me a message

When you email me or send me a message via my website, your email address, along with any personal information or attachments that you choose to include, may be stored and processed for the purpose of responding to the enquiry you have made. This may include sending you an automatic notification that your message has been received, sending a response or a series of responses to deal with your request, and, if it’s appropriate to do so, sending a follow up message to find out if the response you received was satisfactory.

Your information will be stored for 7 years, to allow me to respond to any follow up of your message with adequate context.

The basis on which your data is processed depends on the purpose of your message:

When you ask me a question

Unless your enquiry falls into a category defined elsewhere in this privacy policy, I will process your information only where I have legitimate interest to do so, and will only use the information that you provide in a way that you would reasonably expect me to.

When you use my services

When you enter into a contract with me to provide services or buy one of my products directly your information may be processed for the purpose of fulfilling my obligation to you as part of that contract. Your information will be retained for a period of 7 years, to comply with HMRC requirements.

When you buy one of my products

Depending on where you purchase my product from, your contact details may be stored for the purpose of recording and identifying your order.

When you purchase one of my products from Gumroad

When you purchase one of my products via Gumroad, your email address, details of the item you purchased and your location (country only) is stored for the purpose of recording the sale and identifying it in the future (for example, to verify a support request). Your email address may be used to notify you of future updates to the product that you purchased that you are eligible to download.

You may opt out of receiving product updates at any time either by emailing [email protected], sending me a message via my contact form or by clicking the unsubscribe link in a product update email that you’ve already received.

Your rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your use of personal information on this website:

  • The right to be informed
  • The right of access
  • The right to rectification
  • The right to erasure
  • The right to restrict processing
  • The right to data portability
  • The right to object
  • Rights in relation to automated decision making and profiling.

Who to contact if you have any concerns or questions about the use of your information

You can contact me, John French, by emailing [email protected], or sending me a message using my contact form.