Legal
Privacy policy
Last updated:
ReedSpot collects very little. This page lists everything that is collected, why, and when it is deleted. If something here is unclear, ask through the contact page.
In one paragraph
Reading ReedSpot requires no account and sets no cookies. We do not run analytics, advertising or tracking pixels, and the pages load no third-party scripts. We keep what you choose to send us, such as a reply or a contact message, plus short-lived server logs that keep the site secure.
When you read
Readers get no cookies and no account. The pages are plain HTML and CSS generated by the server. Your browser fetches a few files from other providers, listed under “Third parties” below.
When you reply to a post
The reply form asks for a name and the text of your reply. It does not ask for an email address. We store the name, the reply and the time it was sent. Guest replies wait for a moderator; approved replies are shown publicly under the post with the name you gave. Replies that are never approved are deleted automatically after 30 days.
When you use the contact form
The contact form asks for your name, your email address, a topic and your message. We use them only to read and answer your message and to handle the request you made. Contact messages are deleted automatically after 90 days.
Server logs and spam protection
To slow down spam, the site counts recent replies and messages per IP address. That count lives only in the server’s memory and is never written to the site’s database.
Like most web servers, ours keeps standard access logs: the IP address, the page requested, the browser’s user agent and the time. We use them for security and to keep the site running. The logs are rotated and deleted after about two weeks.
Cookies
Readers and people who reply get no cookies at all. The only cookie ReedSpot sets is a session cookie for the site’s administrators while they are signed in.
Third parties
- Google Fonts. The Manrope typeface is loaded from fonts.googleapis.com and fonts.gstatic.com.
- Unsplash. Photos on the home page and the features page are loaded from Unsplash’s image service at images.unsplash.com.
- Images in posts. Writers’ portraits, covers and post images are hosted on ReedSpot itself unless a writer links to an image elsewhere.
When your browser fetches a file from one of these providers, that provider receives your IP address and browser information, as with any web request. The site is served over HTTPS with certificates from Let’s Encrypt.
Writers
Writers’ profiles and posts are public by design. A writer can ask for posts or a whole blog to be removed at any time.
Your requests
To ask for a copy of what we hold about you, or to have it deleted, use the contact page and choose “Privacy request”. Tell us the name you used and link the posts you replied to, so we can find your data.
Changes to this page
If the way ReedSpot handles data changes, we will update this page and the date at the top.