Our privacy policy was last updated: 15 DEC 2021 View previous
As a website that promotes end-user cybersecurity and user data privacy, avoidthehack! respects the privacy of all visitors.
As a testament to this, we will keep our privacy policy short and easy to understand.
As of 15 DEC 2021 this privacy policy is combined with our previously separate cookies policy.
avoidthehack! uses Matomo for analytics, which is an open source and privacy-friendly analytics software. It is GDPR and CCPA compliant.
We self-host Matomo on our own servers, so what limited information it collects remains in house. Our Matomo configuration collects:
- The first two bytes of your IP address (192.168.xxx.xxx). The rest is anonymized.
- The pages of this website (and only this website) that you visit
- Your browser's referrer header, if one is sent. This is automatically anonymized so that we only collect the domain of the URL, even if your browser offers the full string.
If your browser happens to send a DO NOT TRACK (DNT) request to our website on your behalf, we honor these requests by default.
We don't collect personally identifiable information without consent.
If we do collect personal data, such as your email address, it is only via user consent such as when you fill out our contact form.
We use Commento's commenting system for the comment sections of most of our posts.
This commenting system does allow you to comment anonymously. Please note that if you choose to "login" to post a comment, then a persistent cookie will be stored on your device.
The information we collect via Matomo is used to further improve avoidthehack! for all visitors. Specifically, we use information collected to:
- Optimize this website for speed and ease-of-use
- Ensure site security from potential attackers
What contact information you may give to us is used to provide a response and/or contact you, ex: in response to a question you may ask.
avoidthehack! DOES NOT sell any personal information... because there's nothing to sell.
If you would like to remain anonymous when sending us a message, you do not have to use your real name or email address.
Please be aware that if you do not use your real email address, we won't be able to respond to your message.
Any update to this policy will be made readily available to users on our homepage.
This website, avoidthehack.com (from now on to be called "avoidthehack!") uses cookies.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
* We **DO NOT** use third-party cookies. * All cookies from avoidthehack! are first-party only * We use "essential" cookies, which are essential for proper website functions and nothing else * We use a session cookie that expires automatically after 30 minsCookies are a small text file that is stored on your device. Cookies can be used to collect, store, and share pieces of information about your activities across websites, including on avoidthehack! Additionally, cookies allow avoidthehack! or a third party to recognize you.
Cookies might be used for these purposes:
- To enable certain functions
- To provide analytics
- To store your preferences
- To enable appropriate ad delivery and customized advertising
avoidthehack! uses both session cookies and persistent cookies.
A session cookie is used to identify a particular visit to avoidthehack!. Our session cookie is set to expire after 30 minutes, or after you close your web browser after using avoidthehack!.
These cookies are used to identify you during a single browsing session. We do not store personally identifiable information.
A persistent cookie will remain on your device(s) for a set period of time. This period of time is defined in the cookie itself. We use these cookies to identify you over a longer period of time.
For example, a persistent cookie stored on your device(s) by avoidthehack! allows us to stop displaying the Cookies Notice banner after you've clicked "Understood."
avoidthehack! DOES NOT use third party cookies on the website.
Any cookies stored on your device (whether essential or analytics) are first-party only.
We are all about privacy and security over at avoidthehack!
If you don't like the idea of cookies or certain types of cookies, you have the freedom of changing your browser's settings to delete cookies that have been set. You can also choose not to accept new cookies.
This process differs slightly between web browsers. In order to learn more about how to do this, visit the help pages of your particular browser.
Should you delete cookies, or choose not to accept cookies, you run the risk of some of pages on avoidthehack! not displaying correctly.
Additionally, avoidthehack! will not be able to store your preferences and not at all of the features the website offers may be available.
You can learn more about cookies by visiting the following third party websites:
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