Privacy Policy

Who I am

Writer, translator, blogger, content creator. My website lives at https://www.allievane.com.

Who you are – your personal data and why I collect it

Any website needs a minimum of information about its visitors if it wants to be relevant. Here’s why:

• I need to know which of my blog posts people like, so I don’t feel like I’m standing over a canyon shouting into the abyss.
• I need to know if my content plays well with social networks so I can try to put out Ferrari 250’s rather than Volvo 240’s (roadsters instead of clunkers, if you will).
• I need to track visitor behavior on specific pages to see if those pages are doing their jobs.

It’s literally nothing personal. It’s data that doesn’t identify or compromise you, but it’s the way the internet has to work. I absolutely, definitely do not request or store any sensitive or personally identifying information of yours, and that will always stay that way.

Comments

When you choose to leave a comment on one of my posts, the site collects the data shown in the comments form. In addition, your IP address and browser user agent string need to be logged, because it helps fight spam.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Cookies

Cookies are bits of text that websites place in your browser in order to store useful information about you as a website visitor. They can be temporary, in which case your browser will clear them at the end of a browsing session, or permanent, in which case your browser won’t touch them unless you manually delete them.

If you leave a comment on my site, you may opt in to storing your name, email address, and website. This can only be achieved by saving a cookie on your machine. These cookies store the data you provided and make it so you don’t have to fill in your details again and again with every comment you leave. By default, and unlike store-bought cookies, these opt-in cookies last for a year.

In addition, cookies may be required for the site to behave as it should, for instance by adapting its layout and content to your browser and device.

Cookies may also be used by third-party services, such as Google Analytics, as described in the Analytics section below.

Embedded content from other websites

I may spruce up my articles or blog posts with embedded content (this would be videos, images, gifs, all that jazz). The source of this content, i.e. external websites, treats any embedded content as if you, the visitor, had gone on their site directly.

That means these websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, in particular if you have an account with that website and are logged in.

Analytics

Remember how I said it’s useful, and sometimes vital, for me to see how users interact with the site? That all happens thanks to the dreaded A-word.

Analytics.

Analytics help examine things like traffic volume and point of origin, user behavior, how long visitors stay on the site and what they’re interested in while they’re here, etc. These metrics help me create a site that people actually want to be on, and optimize both the site pages and how I get people to know I exist. In compliance with GDPR norms and all equivalent data protection mandates, I take pains to ensure analytics data is anonymized to a maximum degree.

Sometimes, the only way for relevant analytics data to be collected is by placing a cookie in your browser. Cookies DO NOT carry or store personally identifiable information about you or your behavior outside of this site.

You have the right to opt out of cookies, though that may affect the way the site works for you.

You have the right to manage your browser sessions and delete your cookies manually at any time by accessing your browser preferences.

Who this site shares your data with

In addition to cookies, my website may use and share data with the following third-party service providers:

• Google Analytics. This service is the internet’s go-to Analytics provider. It keeps site owners up to date with website usage and visitors’ actions on their site. Google Analytics DOES NOT capture or store any personal information. Google Analytics has its own privacy policy outlined here, and you have the right to opt out of Google retargeting.
• MailChimp. I use this service to keep you up to date with email messages and newsletters that you sign up for. I need to store and use the name and email address you provide me with in order for this communication to work, whether you give me your real name or you go for Wizard McBigStaff or Chesty LaRue. I take your trust seriously and don’t pass this information on to anyone. MailChimp has its own privacy policy here.
• Facebook Pixel. The Facebook Pixel is a bit of code that enables me to see how you interact with my website in the event that I want to remind you I exist by way of Facebook Ads or their younger sister, Instagram Ads. (This is called retargeting, and I probably won’t do it, but just in case.) If you’re a Facebook user, you have the right to opt out of retargeting. If you’re an Instagram user, you have the right to opt out of retargeting too.
• Pinterest Tag. The Pinterest Tag is yet another bit of code that enables me to glean if you find my Pins useful, and likewise to remind you I exist by way of Promoted Pins. (Europe is very behind on Pinterest Advertising, but who knows.) If you’re a Pinterest user, you have the right to opt out of retargeting.
• Affiliate Tracking. I may work with brands and affiliate networks to promote useful or interesting products to my readers. All sponsored content is duly disclosed in accordance with legal requirements. Promoted links may rely on web trackers and cookies in order to collect relevant data pertaining to your behavior upon accessing the linked content. These web trackers DO NOT have access to any personal information you share with me while you’re interacting with my site.

How long the site retains your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This way, your follow-up comments are recognized as yours and automatically approved rather than tied up in a moderation queue.

What rights you have over your data

You have the right to keep any and all personal data of a sensitive nature private. That means you should not share or disclose any sensitive personal information anyplace where it’s likely to be publicly visible, otherwise it will be liable to be stored and used by third parties outside your control.

If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data being held about you, including any data you have provided. You can also request that I erase any personal data being stored about you. This does not include any data that I’m obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

If you’ve opted in to receive email communications such as a newsletter, you have the right to opt out at any time by clicking the Unsubscribe link at the bottom of every email message you receive.

Where the site sends your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

I may make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time, whether due to changing Privacy regulations or because the way I offer or promote my books or services evolves. You will be duly notified of any significant changes that this Privacy Policy undergoes, so that you can always be fully aware of what happens to your data and why.