Privacy policy
Last updated October 11th, 2026
etc blog is a reading site. You can read every post without an account, and we have deliberately kept the amount of personal data we handle small. This policy explains what there is.
Who is responsible
The editors of etc blog (etcblog.org) are responsible for the data described here. You can reach us at editor@etcblog.org or through the contact page.
What we collect, and why
| What | When | Why | How long |
|---|---|---|---|
| Technical request data (IP address, browser type, page requested, time) | Every visit | To deliver pages, keep the site secure and diagnose faults | Server logs are rotated and deleted within 14 days |
| Name, email address and message | Only if you use the contact form | To read and answer your message | Up to 12 months, then deleted |
| Email address | Only if you sign up for email updates | To send occasional notices of new posts | Until you ask us to remove it |
| Text-size preference | Only if you press "Increase text size" | To remember your choice | Stored in your own browser; clear it any time |
We do not use advertising, third-party analytics, tracking pixels or social-media widgets, and we don't build profiles of readers. We never sell or rent personal data.
Legal bases
Where data protection law such as the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on our legitimate interest in running a secure website (technical data), on your consent (email updates – you can withdraw it at any time) and on steps you have asked us to take (answering a message).
Who else sees data
The site is hosted on a rented server and delivered through Cloudflare, a content-delivery and security network, which processes request data (including IP addresses) to protect the site from abuse and to serve pages quickly. These providers act on our behalf and may process data outside your country under appropriate safeguards. We share nothing else, unless the law requires us to.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to ask what data we hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, to object to its use, or to withdraw consent. Write to us and we will respond within one month. You can also complain to your local data-protection authority.
Children
etc blog is written for adults and does not knowingly collect data from children.
Changes
If this policy changes, we'll update the date at the top of the page. Significant changes will also be mentioned in a post.