Privacy Policy

We collect information in two ways — information you give us directly, and information collected automatically when you visit the site.

Information you provide:

• Email address — when you subscribe to the NerdStake newsletter or create a member account via Ghost. This is the only personally identifiable information we actively request.
• Contact form data — name, email, and message content when you submit the contact form. Used solely to respond to your enquiry.
• Payment information — if you subscribe to a paid Ghost membership tier, payment is processed by Stripe. NerdStake never stores card details directly.

Information collected automatically:

• Usage data — pages visited, time spent, referral source, browser type, and device type. Collected via Ghost's built-in analytics and/or a privacy-respecting analytics tool.
• Email engagement — whether newsletter emails are opened and whether links are clicked. Used to understand content performance.
• IP address — logged briefly for security and spam prevention purposes. Not stored long-term or used for targeting.

We use the information we collect only for the purposes listed below. We do not use your data for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond what is necessary to operate NerdStake.

NerdStake uses a small number of cookies — small files stored in your browser — to make the site function correctly and to understand how visitors use the content.

• Essential cookies — required for the site to work. Used for member login sessions and security. Cannot be disabled without breaking site functionality.
• Analytics cookies — used to understand which content is most useful to readers. We use privacy-respecting analytics that do not track individuals across sites.
• Affiliate cookies — when you click an affiliate link on NerdStake, the partner's site may set a cookie to track whether you make a purchase. This is standard affiliate tracking. See Section 5 for full disclosure.

You can control cookies through your browser settings at any time. Disabling analytics cookies does not affect your ability to read any content on this site.

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with the service providers that make NerdStake function — listed below.

No other third parties receive your data. We do not use Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics, or advertising tracking of any kind.

When you click an affiliate link, you are directed to the partner's website. That partner may set a tracking cookie in your browser to identify that your visit originated from NerdStake. The cookie typically persists for 30–90 days depending on the partner programme.

NerdStake does not receive your personal data from affiliate partners — only aggregated commission reports. We cannot identify which individual made a purchase through our links.

• Newsletter subscriber data — retained for as long as you remain subscribed. Deleted within 30 days of unsubscription on request.
• Contact form submissions — retained for 12 months to allow for follow-up, then deleted.
• Analytics data — retained in aggregated, anonymous form with no personal identifiers.
• Payment records — retained for 7 years as required by UAE financial regulations and international accounting standards.

Depending on where you are located, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Correction — request that we correct inaccurate data.
• Deletion — request that we delete your personal data. For newsletter subscribers, you can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.
• Portability — request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Objection — object to processing based on legitimate interest.
• Withdrawal of consent — withdraw consent at any time where processing is based on consent (e.g. newsletter subscription).

To exercise any of these rights, email contact@nerdstake.com. We will respond within 30 days.

NerdStake is not directed at children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, contact us at contact@nerdstake.com and we will delete it promptly.

We may update this policy as NerdStake grows or as legal requirements change. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, notify subscribers via the newsletter. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.