Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

Overview

WhoRugged.com ("the Site") keeps the data it collects minimal and processes only what's needed to run the site, answer questions, and measure aggregate traffic. This page explains what gets collected, why, and how to opt out.

What We Collect

• Page views. When a page loads and you have not declined the cookie banner, the Site sends a small beacon to our own analytics endpoint recording the path visited, the referring URL (if any), your browser's user-agent string, and approximate country. No cookies are set for this. The data is stored in our own database on Railway and is used only for aggregate traffic analysis.
• Google Analytics 4. Loaded only after you click Accept on the cookie banner. GA4 sets its own cookies (_ga, _ga_*) and collects aggregate traffic data directly on Google's infrastructure. Full breakdown is in the Cookie Policy.
• Post feedback (Yes / No buttons). When you rate a post helpful, we store the rating alongside a salted SHA-256 hash of your IP address. The raw IP is never stored. The hash exists only to stop the same visitor from voting twice on the same post.
• Newsletter email. If you subscribe, we store your email address, whether you have confirmed the subscription, and which post (if any) you subscribed from. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• Consent preference. Stored only in your browser's localStorage as whorugged-consent. Never sent to our servers.

What We Do Not Collect

• Names, phone numbers, or billing information. We do not handle payments on the Site.
• Raw IP addresses (see above).
• Any personal data beyond what is listed above.

Advertising

The Site currently displays no ads and sets no advertising cookies.

If and when advertising is added later, it will be limited to:

• Google AdSense or a comparable network, which may set its own cookies to serve personalized ads. Controlled through the consent banner and at Google's ads settings.
• Direct-sold education-related sponsorships (books, courses, tools, services), which we have vetted and approved.

We do not and will not run advertising for cryptocurrencies, tokens, coin launches, or crypto projects of any kind. Paid or unpaid. No exceptions.

This page will be updated before any advertising goes live, and the consent banner will gain a separate advertising option when it does.

Third-Party Links

The Site links out to external websites (Twitter/X, Telegram, Google, etc.). Their own privacy practices govern what happens once you click through. See their policies for details.

Your Rights

You can request access to, correction of, or deletion of any personal data we may hold about you. Head to the contact page for any privacy-related request, and we will respond within a reasonable window.

Unsubscribing

To leave the newsletter, use the unsubscribe flow or reach out through the contact page.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy from time to time. Material changes will be reflected by an updated revision date at the top of this page.