Privacy Policy

Reading the site

Analytics. We use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and how people find them. It sets cookies and records things like pages viewed, the referring site, device and browser type, and approximate location (city level). We use it in aggregate only. You can block it with any content blocker or Google's opt-out add-on.

Read counts. After you spend a few seconds on an article, your browser sends an anonymous "viewed" signal that adds one to that article's count. It carries no personal information.

"Was this helpful?" If you vote or leave a comment under an article, we store the vote, any comment you write, and a one-way scrambled code made from your IP address and browser so the same person can't vote twice. We do not store the IP address itself. Comments are emailed to the site owner to read.

Browser storage. The site saves a few small notes in your own browser: that you dismissed a banner, how you voted, and, if you just signed up, the address waiting to be confirmed (so a reminder can show on your next visit). These stay on your device and are not sent to us.

Server logs. Our host, Vercel, keeps standard short-lived request logs (IP address, browser, page requested) for security and troubleshooting.

The newsletter

When you subscribe we store your email address, which emails you chose (weekly, breaking news), where on the site you signed up, and when you signed up and confirmed. Our email provider reports whether each email was delivered or bounced (and, where tracking is on, opened or clicked), so we can fix delivery problems and remove addresses that bounce.

Every email has a one-click unsubscribe link. Unsubscribing stops all newsletter email immediately.

Buying the Playbook

Payments are processed by Stripe. Your card number goes straight to Stripe; we never see or store it. Stripe shares with us your name, email address, billing country or postal code if it was collected, the amount paid, and the last four digits and brand of the card.

We keep a record of the purchase (name, email, amount, date, edition) and a private download link, plus how many times the file was downloaded. We use your email to send the book, to tell you when a corrected or updated edition is available, and to answer refund or support requests. We do not add buyers to the newsletter unless they sign up for it themselves.

Who else handles your information

We use these service providers, and only for the purposes above:

• Vercel: hosts the website.
• Google Firebase: stores subscriber and purchase records and the Playbook file.
• Google Analytics: site statistics.
• Resend: sends email from the site.
• Stripe: takes payments.
• Zoho Mail: receives email you send to us.

We do not sell or rent personal information, and we do not share it with advertisers or data brokers. We would disclose it only if required by law.

How long we keep it

Subscriber records are kept while you are subscribed and for a short time after, so an unsubscribed address is never mailed again. Purchase records are kept for as long as tax and accounting rules require and so your download link keeps working. Analytics data follows Google Analytics' retention settings.

Your choices

You can ask to see, correct, or delete the information we hold about you by emailing hello@fedinfo.org. We'll answer within 30 days. Purchase records we are legally required to keep are kept, but they are used for nothing else.

California residents: we do not sell or share personal information as those terms are defined in California law, and the requests above are available to you regardless of where you live.

Children

The site is written for adults and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect their information.

Changes and contact

If this policy changes, the date at the top changes with it. Questions: hello@fedinfo.org, or by mail at FedInfo.org, 1084 N El Camino Real, B187, Encinitas, CA 92024.