Privacy Policy

Last Updated: November 28, 2025
Effective Date: November 28, 2025

1. Who I Am and Scope of This Policy

My name is Adam Szokol and I operate adamszokol.com (the “Site”) as an individual. References to “I,” “me,” “my,” in this Privacy Policy refer to me as the sole owner and operator of the Site.

This Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information when you visit the Site, create an account, register and log in, leave comments, manage subscriptions, purchase products or services, or otherwise interact with me online. It applies to all visitors, registered users, and customers, regardless of location, to the extent permitted by applicable law.

2. Relationship Between This Privacy Policy and My Cookie Policy

Like most modern websites, I use cookies and similar tracking technologies for core functionality, security, analytics, advertising, and embedded content.

I maintain a Cookie Policy, which explains in more detail:

Which cookies and similar technologies are used on my Site.
For what purposes they are used (e.g., essential, analytics, advertising, social media, embedded content).
Which third parties receive data via these cookies.
How you can manage or withdraw your cookie preferences.

My Cookie Policy is an integral and legally binding part of this Privacy Policy. When you read this document, you should also read the Cookie Policy. If there is any inconsistency, I intend the more protective provision for you as a user to apply.

3. Personal Information I Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

I may collect and store the following categories of information that you provide directly:

Account and Registration Data:
When you register or log in, I receive your username, email address, and password (stored as a secure hash).
Profile Information:
You may voluntarily add details such as your display name, profile photo (via Gravatar), biography, website URL, and social media links. Gravatar is operated by Automattic and uses your email address to display an avatar across sites that support Gravatar.
Comments and Community Content:
When you comment on posts, participate in discussions, or interact with content, I collect the comment text, name or display name, email address, optional website URL, IP address, and technical metadata needed for spam detection and moderation. Akismet (by Automattic) processes comment data to identify spam.
Newsletter and Subscription Data:
If you sign up for free or paid subscriptions, I collect the email address and any preferences you specify (for example, which categories of content you want to receive). For paid plans I also receive information about the plan purchased, start date, renewal status, and related metadata.paste.
Purchases and Payments:
When you support my work or buy products/services, payment information is collected and processed by Stripe through WordPress.com/Automattic’s integration. I receive your name, billing address, email address, last four digits of your payment card, card brand, transaction amount, currency, timestamps, and product or subscription details. I do not see or store your full card number, CVV, or full bank details; these are handled directly by Stripe and Automattic’s PCI‑compliant systems.
Direct Communications:
When you email me, use a contact form, or otherwise communicate with me, I collect the content of your message, your email address, and any other information you choose to provide.

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit or use the Site, WordPress.com/Automattic and my analytics tools automatically collect certain technical and usage data, including:

IP address and approximate location (country/region)
Browser type and version, language settings, referrer URL
Device type, operating system, screen resolution
Pages visited, time spent on each page, click paths, actions taken (e.g., likes, follows, comment submissions)
Dates and times of access, error logs, and security‑related events (such as login attempts).

This information is used for security, performance, analytics, and service improvement. In many cases it is processed in aggregated or pseudonymized form.

3.3 Information from Third‑Party Sources

WordPress.com / Automattic:
Because my Site runs with WordPress.com with Jetpack and related services, Automattic collects data about visitors and logged‑in users in accordance with its Privacy Policy.
Google (Analytics, Search Console, and related services via Site Kit):
Google collects usage and performance data such as page views, sessions, referrers, search queries, device information, and approximate location.
Social Platforms and Embedded Content Providers:
When you click links to or view embedded content from platforms such as Meta (Facebook, Instagram), X (formerly Twitter), YouTube, GitHub, LinkedIn, and others, those services may receive information about you (including your IP address, browser details, and the page you visited on my Site) and may set their own cookies.

4.1 Embedded Content

Posts and pages on my Site may include embedded content such as YouTube videos, X timelines or posts, embedded gists, or social media posts from Meta platforms, X, and others. Embedded content behaves as if you visited the third‑party website directly; that site may collect data, use cookies, embed additional trackers, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content (for example, tracking when you play a video or click “like”).

Where technically possible, I may use privacy‑enhanced embedding options (such as YouTube’s privacy‑enhanced mode), but even these solutions can still result in third‑party cookies or tracking when you interact with the embedded content.

4.2 Social Media and External Platforms

I maintain or may link to profiles or content on third‑party platforms. Their processing of your data is governed by their own privacy policies, not by this one.

If you interact with my content on these platforms (e.g., follow, like, comment, or message), those activities are also subject to each platform’s privacy and data‑sharing rules.

5. How and Why I Use Personal Information

I use personal information for the following purposes, relying on appropriate legal bases where required (such as consent, contract necessity, legitimate interests, and legal obligations).

Operating and Securing the Site:
To host and deliver content, manage user accounts, authenticate logins, moderate comments, prevent spam and abuse, secure the Site, detect and respond to suspicious or malicious activity, and maintain backups.
Providing Services and Fulfilling Contracts:
To provide you with access to registered‑user features, manage subscriptions and customer accounts, deliver paid and free content, process payments and refunds via Stripe through Automattic, and provide customer support.
Analytics and Performance:
To understand how visitors use the Site, which content is popular, how people find the Site, and how I can improve navigation, performance, security, and user experience. This includes the use of WordPress.com stats, Jetpack analytics, and Google Analytics.
Communication:
To respond to your messages, send transactional emails (such as account notices, subscription confirmations, and receipts), and—where permitted—to send newsletters or updates about new posts, tools, or services. You may opt out of non‑essential marketing communications at any time.
Advertising and Monetization:
To display advertisements via Jetpack Ads and related Automattic advertising programs, which may use cookies and similar technologies to show contextual or interest‑based ads.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance:
To comply with tax, accounting, and legal obligations, respond to law‑enforcement or regulatory requests (if legally required), and enforce agreements.
Research and Aggregated Statistics:
To create aggregated or de‑identified statistics about Site usage that cannot reasonably be used to identify individuals, which may be used to understand trends or share high‑level information about my audience.

6. Third‑Party Recipients and International Transfers

6.1 Key Service Providers

WordPress.com, Jetpack, Akismet, Gravatar and related services

Automattic Inc.
60 29th Street #343, San Francisco, CA 94110, United States of America

Role: Provides hosting, content management, site stats, security features, comment and like systems, spam protection (Akismet), avatars (Gravatar), newsletters, Jetpack Ads, and many performanc features for my Site.

Jetpack Ads uses multiple advertising and analytics partners. These partners are typically independent controllers of the data they receive, and they are disclosed in Automattic’s and Jetpack’s own privacy and cookie documents.

Privacy Policy: https://automattic.com/privacy/

Domain and hosting provider

Namecheap, Inc.
4600 East Washington Street, Suite 300 (or 305), Phoenix, AZ 85034, United States of America

Role: Provides domain registration, DNS, and hosting infrastructure that my Site relies on.

General Privacy Policy: https://www.namecheap.com/legal/general/privacy-policy/

Hosting Privacy Policy: https://www.namecheap.com/legal/hosting/privacy-policy/

Payment processing, (via Automattic / WordPress.com integration)

Stripe, Inc.
354 Oyster Point Blvd, South San Francisco, CA 94080, United States

Role: Processes card and digital payments on my behalf for one‑time support and subscriptions; stores and secures card details in a PCI‑DSS‑compliant manner. I receive only limited billing details (such as name, email, billing address, and transaction metadata) and using a double controlled data sharing with Automattic Inc. for payment purposes.

Privacy Policy: https://stripe.com/privacy

Google Analytics, Search Console, embedded YouTube and related services)

Google LLC
1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View, CA 94043, United States of America

Role: collect pseudonymous usage and performance data about how visitors use my Site (page views, referrers, device information, etc.).

YouTube (a Google service provided along with Youtube LLC): provides embedded video content; when you view or interact with an embedded YouTube video, Google may collect data and set cookies in accordance with its policies.

Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Google Transparency Center (overview of policies): https://transparency.google/our-policies/privacy-policy-terms-of-service/

Threads, Facebook, Instagram, links/embeds)

Meta Platforms, Inc.
1 Meta Way, Menlo Park, CA 94025, United States of America

Role: If I embed or link to content from Facebook or Instagram (e.g., posts, buttons, or share links), Meta may receive information such as your IP address, browser details, and the page you visited on my Site, and may set cookies or similar identifiers.

Privacy Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/policy/

X Corp. (X, formerly Twitter, links/embeds and “X for Websites”)

X Corp.
865 FM 1209, Building 2 Bastrop, TX 78602, United States of America

Role: If I embed X posts/timelines or include X share/follow buttons, X may collect browsing data (including cookie IDs, IP address, device information, and which pages you visited) and may combine that with information from your X account.

Privacy center and policy: https://privacy.x.com/en

Email and Communication Tools

If I use third‑party email delivery or support tools (for example, a newsletter service or help‑desk tool), those providers will process your email address, message content, and related metadata solely to send and manage communications on my behalf. When I adopt a specific provider, I will list their name, address, and privacy policy in this section or in an updated version of this Privacy Policy.

6.2 International Transfers

Because my Site and many of my providers operate globally, your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own, including the United States and member states of the European Union. I rely on appropriate safeguards where required by law.

7. Data Retention

I keep personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out in this policy, or as required by law:

Account data: Kept while your account is active. If you close your account, I, Stripe and Automattic may retain limited data (such as logs or transaction records) for legal, security, and backup purposes.
Comments and public content: Generally retained indefinitely so that discussions remain intact, unless you request removal or I decide to delete content.
Payment and billing records: Typically retained for at least 7 years for accounting and tax purposes.
Server logs and analytics data: Retention periods vary; some logs may be kept for around 30 days, while aggregated statistics may be kept longer without direct identifiers.

If you request deletion of your personal information, I will evaluate your request and remove data where required, subject to lawful retention obligations.

8. Security

I take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information, including:

Using HTTPS/SSL to encrypt traffic between your browser and my Site.
Relying on WordPress.com’s infrastructure, Jetpack Protect, and additional security plugins to monitor for suspicious behavior and brute‑force attacks.
Storing passwords in hashed form and limiting who can access administrative interfaces.
Applying updates and security patches regularly.

No online service can be completely secure, and I cannot guarantee absolute security of your information, but I aim to follow recognized best practices and rely on reputable providers.

9. Your Rights and How to Exercise Them

Your privacy rights generally include:

Access: You can request information about whether I hold personal data about you and, where appropriate, obtain a copy.
Rectification: You can ask me to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
Erasure: You can request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal retention requirements.
Restriction: You can ask me to restrict certain processing in specific circumstances.
Portability: You can request a machine‑readable copy of data you provided where processing is based on consent or contract and carried out by automated means.
Objection: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests (including direct marketing), and I will honor that objection unless I have compelling legitimate grounds to continue.

Additionally, you rights also include those below:

To know the categories and specific pieces of personal information collected about you.
To request deletion or correction of personal information.
To opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for targeted advertising (to the extent such activities occur through analytics/ads).
To receive your information in a portable format.
To be free from discriminatory treatment for exercising your privacy rights.

While I do not sell your personal information for money, some analytics and advertising activities may be considered a “sale” or “sharing” under certain state laws.

Where required, you can opt out via a “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link or by using a supported Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal.

9.2 How to Contact Me About Your Rights

To exercise any rights or ask questions about your data:

Email: adam@adamszokol.com
Contact Form: https://adamszokol.com/contact

I may need to verify your identity before acting on your request. If I decline all or part of a request, you may appeal by replying and stating that you wish to appeal the decision; I will review and respond within applicable legal timeframes.

10. Children’s Privacy

My Site is not directed to children under 13, and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children in these age groups. If I learn that I have collected such information without appropriate consent, I will take reasonable steps to delete it.

If you believe a child has provided me with personal information, please contact me.

11. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control

Some browsers include a Do Not Track (DNT) signal. My Site currently responds to DNT signals, but the function is limited, so not recommended.

However, I honor recognized Global Privacy Control (GPC) signals as a valid request to opt out of certain data “sales” or “sharing” where required by law.

12. Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example when I add new features, change providers, or as laws evolve. When I make material changes, I will:

Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.
Post a notice on the Site and, where appropriate, notify registered users by email or dashboard notice.

Your continued use of the Site after a revised policy is posted means you accept the changes, so please review this page periodically.

13. How to Contact Me

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests about this Privacy Policy or my data practices, you can contact me:

By email

Primary contact email: adam@adamszokol.com

For general correspondence (mailing address)

Adam Szokol

732 S 6th St, Suite 5901
Las Vegas, NV 89101
United States of America

For legal notices and service of process

Adam Szokol
c/o Incorp Services, Inc.

9107 West Russell Road, Suite 100
Las Vegas, NV
89148-1233

Incorp Services, Inc. is authorized to receive legal correspondence on my behalf at that address.

If you are in the EU/EEA/UK or another region with a designated data‑protection authority, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with that authority about how I or my service providers handle your personal data.

Date: November 28, 2025

/s/ Adam Szokol