Privacy Policy

(The “No Legalese” Edition)

I am an engineer, not a lawyer. I believe privacy policies should explain what actually happens with your data, rather than confusing you with ten pages of legal jargon.

Here is the plain English version of how this website handles your information.

1. Tracking & Analytics (Google Analytics)

I use Google Analytics to understand how people use this website. I want to know which articles are being read, which book chapters are popular, and if the website isn’t crashing.

  • What I see: Aggregated numbers and general locations. I know that “100 people visited from Germany,” but I don’t know that you specifically were one of them.

    Why cities? I have better things to do than analyzing my popularity in Albuquerque vs. Tokyo. However, especially early on, I check if traffic comes from regions where I actually hang out. It helps me distinguish between “organic global fame” and “people I personally nagged to visit this site.”

  • What Google sees: Google collects data to provide these metrics. Since you are on the Internet, Google probably already knows more about you than both of us would like. However, I do not enable any “cross-site tracking” or “remarketing” features. I don’t care what shoes you looked at on Zalando five minutes ago.

IP handling: I do not see or store your IP address. Google uses it only for approximate location and discards it afterward.

Analytics runs by default (no ad tracking).
I chose this approach to avoid unnecessary consent pop-ups for basic, non-advertising analytics that already occur on most websites anyway.
If you don’t like that, you can opt out using standard browser tools. Here’s how:

How to opt out of analytics:

  • Install the official Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on:
    https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
  • Block or restrict cookies in your browser settings (all modern browsers support this).
  • Use content blockers or privacy-focused browsers that limit analytics by default.

2. Newsletter (AWeber)

If you sign up for my newsletter, you are voluntarily giving me your email address.

  • Where it goes: I use AWeber to manage the mailing list and send emails. Your address is stored on their servers.
  • How it is used: Solely to send you the content you signed up for (updates on books, articles, or alike).
    spoiler: that’s how newsletters work
  • No selling: I do not sell, rent, or share your email with third parties.
  • Unsubscribing: You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link at the bottom of any email.

3. Contact & Direct Communication

If you email me or send me a message on social media, I will—obviously—have access to your name, email address, and message history.

  • Why: So I can reply to you.
  • Retention: I keep email history for context in future conversations. I don’t add these emails to marketing lists unless you explicitly ask.

4. Ads & Cookies

I do not host external advertisements. You won’t find banners for crypto exchanges or diet pills here.

The only “ads” you will see are for my own books and projects. Since these are hardcoded into the site, they don’t require tracking cookies to follow you around the web.

I hope that at least some of the visitors open this page for the books info anyway…

Cookies: The site uses cookies primarily for technical necessities (like remembering if you dismissed a banner) and for the aforementioned Analytics.

A Note on the Future (The “Berlin Clause”)

I currently have no plans to introduce external advertising. However, when I finished high school, I told everyone I never wanted to hear the German language again. I now live in Berlin.

Life has a funny way of verifying absolute statements like “never.” So, while I have zero intention of adding ads, I am avoiding the word “never” out of learned humility. If this policy ever changes, I will update this page clearly.

5. Your Rights (GDPR)

Since I am based in Berlin, we operate under EU laws (GDPR/RODO). You have the right to:

  • Ask what data I have about you.
  • Ask for that data to be deleted (e.g., removing you from the newsletter).
  • Correct your data.
  • Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you feel I’ve mishandled your privacy.

If that’s not clear enough by now: the data controller is Adam Korga (me).

Legal bases for processing: consent (newsletter), legitimate interest (analytics, contact replies).

Contact

If you have any questions about this policy, you can contact me at: contact [at] adamkorga [dot] com.

Last updated: December 16th, 2025