Closer to the Edge

Effective Date: January 1st, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Closer to the Edge ("we," "our," "us"). Your privacy is important to us, and while we’d love to tell you that we don’t collect any data, the reality is that Substack (our trusty platform) does. Why? Because that’s how the internet works—data helps keep everything running smoothly. That being said, Closer to the Edge will never share your data with anyone. Ever. Substack might, but we take data privacy seriously and will always do our best to ensure your information isn’t misused.

2. What Data is Collected (Thanks, Substack!)

Substack may collect:

• Personal Information: Your name, email address, and anything else you enter when subscribing or commenting.

• Technical Information: IP addresses, browser types, device details, and the usual techy stuff.

• Usage Data: How you interact with our posts, because analytics make the world go ‘round.

• Transaction Information: If you decide to pay for something, Substack will process the payment and handle all the financial details.

3. Why is This Data Collected?

Substack collects this data so that:

• Emails can actually be sent to you when we publish something new.

• The site doesn’t crash unexpectedly (well, most of the time).

• We can see what’s working and what isn’t, making the reading experience better.

• Substack can keep the lights on and maybe, just maybe, make a profit.

4. Who Sees Your Data?

• Closer to the Edge: We see basic subscription info—like your email—but we don’t do anything nefarious with it. If you refer people to us, your name may appear on our public leaderboard where we keep track of referrals.

• Substack: They run the platform, so they have access to your data. Check out their privacy policy to see what they do with it.

• Nobody Else: We don’t sell, rent, trade, or even whisper about your data to anyone. Ever.

5. Data Security (a.k.a. Keeping Your Info Safe)

Substack has security measures in place to protect your data. Is the internet perfectly secure? No. But reasonable steps are taken to ensure your information isn’t floating around in the digital ether unprotected.

6. Your Rights (Yes, You Have Some!)

Depending on where you live, you might have the right to:

• Access, update, or delete your personal information.

• Tell Substack to stop collecting your data.

• Opt-out of emails (though we’ll be sad to see you go).

For any of the above, you can manage your settings through Substack.

7. Cookies and Tracking (No, Not the Fun Kind)

Substack uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to make things function properly. If that bugs you, you can adjust your browser settings accordingly.

8. Third-Party Links (Click at Your Own Risk)

Sometimes, we may link to other sites. If you click on a link and end up somewhere else, their privacy policy applies, not ours. Be smart out there.

9. Children's Privacy (Sorry, Kids)

If you’re under 13, this site isn’t for you. We don’t knowingly collect data from children, so if you’re a parent and think your kid signed up, let us know, and we’ll handle it.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We might update this policy from time to time. If that happens, we’ll post the changes here. Keep an eye out.