Please read: This document is a starting-point template written in plain language. It is not legal advice. Before relying on it, please have an attorney licensed in your state review it against your specific business practices.
Effective date: July 7, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how The Crick Code (accessible at https://www.thecrickcode.com), operated by Betsy Cluff with Brenda Holm (“we,” “us,” “our”), collects, uses, and protects information about you when you visit this website.
What we collect
Information you give us
If you leave a comment on a blog post, we collect the name and email address you provide, and (optionally) the website URL you enter, along with the content of your comment. We use this to display the comment, moderate it, and respond to you.
If you contact us directly by email, we collect your email address and the message you send.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, we use analytics and site-security services that automatically log information when you visit, including:
- your IP address (usually truncated for privacy)
- your browser type and version
- the pages you view and how long you spend on each
- the site you came from (referrer)
- approximate geographic location (city/region)
Cookies
We use cookies (small text files stored in your browser) for:
- Essential functionality — remembering your session while you browse.
- Analytics — Google Analytics (via the ExactMetrics plugin) helps us understand how visitors use the site. Google Analytics uses cookies to distinguish returning from new visitors. IP addresses are anonymized where possible.
- Security — our security plugin sets cookies to protect against brute-force login attempts and to identify legitimate administrators.
You can disable cookies in your browser settings. If you do, some parts of the site may not work as intended.
Third-party services
We use the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy that governs what they do with data you share with them:
- Google Analytics — site usage measurement. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
- Amazon.com — when you click “Buy on Amazon” links, you leave our site and become subject to Amazon’s own privacy practices.
- GoDaddy — our web host. See GoDaddy’s privacy documentation.
- Cloudflare — our host uses Cloudflare as a content delivery and security network, which processes technical connection data.
We do not currently sell, rent, or trade personal information to third parties.
How long we keep information
Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue. Analytics data is retained by Google under Google’s default settings (26 months at time of writing). Direct email is retained until we no longer need it or you request deletion.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- ask what personal information we hold about you
- ask us to correct inaccurate personal information
- ask us to delete your personal information (right to be forgotten)
- ask us to export your personal information in a portable format
- opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information (we don’t do either, but you have the right to say so)
- withdraw consent to processing where processing is based on consent
To exercise any of these rights, email us at betsy.cluff@gmail.com. We will respond within 30 days.
Global Privacy Control (GPC)
If your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, we treat that as a valid opt-out request under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and equivalent laws.
Children’s privacy
This site is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it.
International visitors
Our servers are located in the United States. If you visit from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S., which may have data protection rules different from those of your home country.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the effective date at the top. If the changes are material, we will post a notice on the homepage for at least 30 days.
Contact
Questions about this policy or the way we handle your information? Email betsy.cluff@gmail.com.