Success Guides ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website successguides.pages.dev (the "Site").
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By using the Site, you consent to the practices described herein. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Site.
Table of Contents
- 1. Information We Collect
- 2. How We Use Your Information
- 3. How We Share Your Information
- 4. Third-Party Services and Data Processing
- 5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
- 6. Your Privacy Rights
- 7. Data Security
- 8. Data Retention
- 9. International Data Transfers
- 10. Children's Privacy
- 11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
- 12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
- 13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
- 14. Contact Us
1. Information We Collect
We collect information in the following ways:
A. Information You Provide Directly
When you interact with our Site, you may voluntarily provide:
Email Newsletter Subscription:
- Email address
- Name (if provided)
- Subscription preferences
Contact Forms:
- Name
- Email address
- Message content
- Any additional information you choose to provide
Comments via Giscus (GitHub Discussions):
- GitHub username
- GitHub profile information (public)
- Comment content
- GitHub account data (managed by GitHub - see Section 4C)
Data Storage: Information you submit through forms is stored using Google Sheets API. See Section 4B for details.
B. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, we automatically collect certain information:
- Usage Data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, referring website, pages visited, time and date of visit, time spent on pages, device information
- Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies. See our Cookie Policy for detailed information.
- Cloudflare Pages Hosting: Our Site is hosted on Cloudflare Pages. Cloudflare may collect certain technical information for security and performance purposes. See Section 4A.
C. Information From Third Parties
We may receive information about you from:
- GitHub (if you use Giscus to comment)
- Affiliate partners (if you click affiliate links)
- Analytics providers
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
To Provide and Maintain the Site:
- Operate and maintain website functionality
- Respond to your inquiries and requests
- Send newsletters you've subscribed to
- Enable commenting features
To Improve Our Services:
- Analyze usage patterns and trends
- Understand user preferences
- Improve content quality and relevance
- Develop new features and guides
To Communicate With You:
- Send newsletters and updates (with your consent)
- Respond to contact form submissions
- Notify you of changes to our policies
- Send administrative communications
For Marketing and Affiliate Purposes:
- Display relevant content and recommendations
- Track affiliate link clicks and referrals
- Measure content performance
- Understand which guides are most valuable
For Legal and Security Purposes:
- Comply with legal obligations
- Protect against fraud and abuse
- Enforce our Terms of Service
- Investigate security incidents
Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR):
- Consent: Email subscriptions, cookie usage (non-essential)
- Legitimate Interest: Site analytics, security, improvement
- Contractual Necessity: Providing requested services
- Legal Obligation: Complying with applicable laws
4. Third-Party Services and Data Processing
Our Site uses several third-party services that collect and process data:
A. Cloudflare Pages (Hosting and CDN)
Service Provider: Cloudflare, Inc.
Data Processed: IP addresses, HTTP headers, system configuration information, network activity metadata
Purpose: Website hosting, content delivery, security (DDoS protection), performance optimization
Data Location: United States and global edge network (300+ cities)
Privacy Policy:https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/
GDPR Compliance: Cloudflare participates in the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework and offers Standard Contractual Clauses
B. Google Sheets API (Form Data Storage)
Service Provider: Google LLC
Data Collected: Information you submit through our contact forms and newsletter signup forms, including:
- Email addresses
- Names
- Form submission timestamps
- Any additional information you provide
Purpose: Storing and managing form submissions for:
- Newsletter subscriber management
- Contact request tracking
- User inquiry management
Data Location: Google Cloud servers (United States and international locations)
Data Access: Only authorized Success Guides administrators have access to this data
Privacy Policy:https://policies.google.com/privacy
Data Security: Google employs enterprise-grade security measures including encryption in transit and at rest
GDPR Compliance: Google offers Data Processing Amendment and Standard Contractual Clauses
Google API Services User Data Policy Compliance:
- We clearly identify ourselves as Success Guides
- We access only the minimum data necessary (form submissions you provide)
- We use your data solely to respond to your inquiries and send newsletters you've requested
- We do not sell, share, or use your data for advertising purposes
- You can withdraw consent and request deletion at any time
C. Giscus (GitHub Discussions Comments)
Service Provider: GitHub, Inc. (owned by Microsoft Corporation)
How It Works: Giscus is a commenting system powered by GitHub Discussions. When you leave a comment on our Site, you authenticate with your GitHub account.
Data Collected by GitHub:
- Your GitHub username
- Your GitHub profile information (publicly available)
- Content of comments you post
- Timestamps of comments
- GitHub account authentication data
Data Storage: All comments are stored in GitHub Discussions on a public GitHub repository
Visibility: Your comments and GitHub username are publicly visible on both our Site and in the GitHub repository
Privacy Policy:https://docs.github.com/site-policy/privacy-policies/github-privacy-statement
Terms of Service:https://docs.github.com/site-policy/github-terms/github-terms-of-service
Important Notice:
By using Giscus to comment, you:
- Agree to GitHub's Terms of Service and Privacy Policy
- Understand your comment will be publicly visible
- Acknowledge that we cannot delete or modify your data (only GitHub can)
- Accept that your GitHub profile information will be displayed
Our Control: We have NO control over how GitHub processes, stores, or manages your data. GitHub acts as an independent data controller for comment data.
D. Affiliate Links and Third-Party Websites
Affiliate Partnerships: Our Site contains affiliate links to third-party products and services (see our Disclaimer). When you click these links:
- The third-party merchant may collect information about your visit
- Cookies may be placed on your device to track referrals
- We may receive information about purchases (typically anonymized)
Third-Party Privacy Policies: We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before providing any information.
6. Your Privacy Rights
You have certain rights regarding your personal information:
Right to Access
Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Right to Correction
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to Deletion
Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
Right to Object
Object to our processing of your information for certain purposes
Right to Restriction
Request that we limit how we use your information
Right to Data Portability
Receive your information in a structured, machine-readable format
Right to Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent for processing based on consent (e.g., marketing emails)
Right to Opt-Out
Opt-out of email communications at any time using the "unsubscribe" link
To Exercise Your Rights:
Contact us at privacy@successguides.pages.dev with:
- Your name and email address
- Description of your request
- Verification information (to confirm your identity)
We will respond within:
- 30 days for general requests
- 45 days for CCPA requests (California residents)
- 30 days for GDPR requests (EU residents)
7. Data Security
We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information:
Technical Safeguards:
- SSL/TLS encryption for data transmission
- Secure hosting infrastructure (Cloudflare)
- Access controls and authentication
- Regular security updates
Organizational Safeguards:
- Limited employee access to personal data
- Confidentiality agreements
- Security training
- Incident response procedures
Third-Party Security:
We rely on our service providers (Google, GitHub, Cloudflare) to maintain their own security standards. We select providers with strong security practices.
No Guarantee
Despite our efforts, no security measures are 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. You transmit information at your own risk.
Breach Notification: In the event of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you and applicable authorities as required by law.
8. Data Retention
We retain your information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy:
| Data Type | Retention Period | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Email Newsletter Subscribers | Until you unsubscribe, plus up to 90 days for compliance purposes | Stored in Google Sheets |
| Contact Form Submissions | Up to 2 years from submission date, or until you request deletion | Stored in Google Sheets |
| Comments via Giscus | Stored indefinitely in GitHub Discussions | We cannot delete - you must contact GitHub |
| Analytics Data | Aggregated analytics data retained for up to 26 months | Anonymized and aggregated |
Legal Requirements: We may retain information longer if required by law or to defend legal claims
Deletion Requests: When you request deletion, we will delete your data within 30 days, except where:
- Legal obligations require retention
- Legitimate business purposes exist
- Data is stored by third parties (e.g., GitHub) beyond our control
9. International Data Transfers
Success Guides is based in the United States. Your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries outside your country of residence, including the United States.
EU to US Transfers:
For European users, we rely on:
- EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (Cloudflare, Google certified)
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission
- Service provider adequacy decisions
Data Protection:
When transferring data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place through:
- Contracts with third-party processors requiring equivalent protection
- Compliance with applicable data transfer regulations
- Due diligence on third-party security practices
Your Consent: By using our Site, you consent to international transfer of your information as described in this Privacy Policy.
10. Children's Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under 13 years of age (or 16 in Europe). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
If You Are a Parent/Guardian:
If you believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately at privacy@successguides.pages.dev. We will delete such information promptly.
Age Verification: We do not verify the age of our users. If we learn we have collected information from a child, we will delete it in accordance with applicable law.
11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA):
A. Categories of Personal Information Collected (Past 12 Months)
| Category | Examples | Collected? |
|---|---|---|
| Identifiers | Name, email address, IP address | Yes |
| Commercial Information | Purchase history, interests | No (affiliate clicks only) |
| Internet Activity | Browsing history, search history, pages visited | Yes |
| Geolocation Data | IP-based approximate location | Yes (via IP) |
| Sensory Data | Audio, visual | No |
| Professional Information | Employment information | No |
| Education Information | Educational records | No |
| Inferences | Preferences, behavior | Yes (analytics) |
B. Sources of Information:
- Directly from you (forms, newsletter signup, comments)
- Automatically (cookies, analytics, server logs)
- Third parties (GitHub for comments, affiliate networks)
C. Business Purposes for Collection:
- Provide and improve the Site
- Communicate with you
- Marketing and analytics
- Security and fraud prevention
- Legal compliance
D. Sale or Sharing of Personal Information
We do NOT sell personal information for monetary consideration.
We may "share" information (as defined under CCPA) for cross-context behavioral advertising through:
- Affiliate marketing links
- Analytics cookies
E. Your CCPA Rights:
Right to Know
Request disclosure of categories and specific pieces of personal information collected
Right to Delete
Request deletion of personal information (subject to exceptions)
Right to Correct
Request correction of inaccurate information
Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing
Click "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" in our footer
Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information
We do not collect sensitive personal information
Right to Non-Discrimination
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights
F. How to Exercise Your Rights:
Email: privacy@successguides.pages.dev
Subject: "CCPA Request - [Right to Know/Delete/Correct]"
Include: Your name, email address, and description of request
Verification: We will verify your identity before processing requests
Response Time: Within 45 days (may extend to 90 days with notice)
Authorized Agents: You may designate an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf. We will require proof of authorization.
G. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
You can opt-out of the "sale" or "sharing" of your personal information by:
- Clicking "Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information" in our footer
- Emailing privacy@successguides.pages.dev
- Using Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signals (we honor GPC)
H. California Shine the Light Law
California residents may request information about disclosure of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes. We do not share information for third-party direct marketing.
12. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)
If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
A. Legal Basis for Processing
We process your information under the following legal bases:
1. Consent
Email marketing, non-essential cookies (Art. 6(1)(a))
2. Contractual Necessity
Providing services you request (Art. 6(1)(b))
3. Legitimate Interest
Site analytics, security, improvement (Art. 6(1)(f))
4. Legal Obligation
Compliance with laws (Art. 6(1)(c))
B. Your GDPR Rights:
Right of Access
Obtain confirmation of processing and copy of data (Art. 15)
Right to Rectification
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data (Art. 16)
Right to Erasure
"Right to be Forgotten" - Request deletion in certain circumstances (Art. 17)
Right to Restriction
Limit how we use your data (Art. 18)
Right to Data Portability
Receive data in portable format (Art. 20)
Right to Object
Object to processing based on legitimate interest (Art. 21)
Right to Withdraw Consent
Withdraw consent at any time (Art. 7(3))
Right Not to Be Subject to Automated Decision-Making
We do not use automated decision-making
C. How to Exercise Your Rights:
Email: privacy@successguides.pages.dev
Subject: "GDPR Request - [Specific Right]"
Response Time: Within 30 days (may extend to 60 days for complex requests)
No Fee: Generally free of charge (we may charge for excessive/repetitive requests)
D. Right to Lodge a Complaint
You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in the EU/EEA country where you reside or where an alleged infringement occurred.
E. Data Protection Officer
For privacy inquiries, contact: privacy@successguides.pages.dev
F. International Data Transfers
As described in Section 9, we transfer data outside the EEA using appropriate safeguards:
- EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework
- Standard Contractual Clauses
- Service provider adequacy decisions
13. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect:
- Changes in our practices
- Changes in applicable laws
- New features or services
- User feedback
Notification of Changes:
- We will update the "Last Updated" date at the top
- For material changes, we will provide prominent notice on the Site or via email
- Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance
Review Regularly: We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
14. Contact Us
Questions, comments, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices?
For Specific Requests:
- GDPR Requests:privacy@successguides.pages.dev (Subject: "GDPR Request")
- CCPA Requests:privacy@successguides.pages.dev (Subject: "CCPA Request")
- Data Deletion:privacy@successguides.pages.dev (Subject: "Delete My Data")
- Unsubscribe from emails: Click "Unsubscribe" in any email or email privacy@successguides.pages.dev
Response Time: We aim to respond to all inquiries within 3-5 business days.