This page explains what information I collect when you visit carlislerussell.com, subscribe to the newsletter, or join the WhatsApp community, including why I collect it, who it's shared with, and what you can do about it. I've written it in plain language on purpose. A policy you can't actually read isn't really telling you anything.
For the purposes of UK and EU data protection law, the person responsible for your information (the "data controller") is Carlisle Russell, an individual citizen of the United States currently based in the United Kingdom. I don't operate as a company. When this policy says "I," "me," or "my," it means Carlisle Russell. When it says "you," it means you, a reader, subscriber, or someone who has gotten in touch.
You can reach me at any time at [email protected].
The short version:
I collect your name, email address, and (if you give it) your WhatsApp number so I can send you the newsletter and run the WhatsApp community.
I use basic analytics and cookies to understand how the site is used. The non-essential ones only run if you agree to them.
I never sell your information, and I don't take payments through this site.
I use a small number of trusted services (an email platform, a website host, analytics) to run things, and some of them are based outside the UK.
You can unsubscribe, ask to see your data, or ask me to delete it at any time via email.
The rest of this page is the detail behind those points.
What I collect and why
I only collect what I need to do the things you've asked me to do, plus the minimum required to keep the site running and secure.
What I collect
When
Why
Legal basis (UK GDPR)
Name and email address
When you subscribe to the newsletter
To send you the newsletter and, occasionally, related updates
Your consent
WhatsApp number
When you choose to join the WhatsApp community
To add you to the community and send community messages
Your consent
Anything you write to me
When you use a contact form, reply to an email, or message me directly
To respond to your inquiry (speaking, consulting, collaboration, or general questions)
My legitimate interest in answering you
Usage data — pages visited, device and browser type, approximate location from your IP address, how you arrived at the site
Automatically, as you browse
To understand how the site is used, fix problems, and keep it secure
My legitimate interest in running the site, and your consent for non-essential analytics cookies
I do not collect payment or financial information, because nothing is sold or paid for through this site. I also don't ask you to create an account or set a password.
If you choose not to give me certain information (for example, you'd rather not share a WhatsApp number) you can simply not join that part of the community. The newsletter subscription only requires your email.
Cookies and analytics
Like most websites, carlislerussell.com uses cookies and similar technologies. Some are essential as they make the site work and keep it secure, and they run automatically. Others are non-essential, such as analytics that help me understand which essays people read and how they found the site. Under UK law, those non-essential cookies only run if you agree to them, so you'll see a consent banner the first time you visit, and you can change your choice at any time.
The analytics I use are aggregate and used to improve the work. If you'd rather not be measured at all, you can decline non-essential cookies on the banner, use your browser's privacy controls, or send a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, which I'll treat as a request to opt out of non-essential tracking.
Who I share information with
I keep the list of services involved deliberately small. Each one acts on my instructions as a data processor, and each has its own privacy terms. I share only what's needed for that service to do its job.
Service
What it does
What it handles
Showit
Hosts and powers the website
Site usage data
WordPress (and its hosting and plugins)
Powers the blog
Site and blog usage data
Klaviyo
Sends the newsletter and manages the subscriber list
Your name and email
Meta Platforms (WhatsApp)
Runs the WhatsApp community
Your WhatsApp number and messages (see below)
Google
Analytics and search performance
Usage data
Microsoft (Bing)
Search performance
Usage data
Pinterest
Content discovery
Usage data
TikTok
Content discovery
Usage data
Beyond these, I may disclose information if I'm legally required to (for example, in response to a lawful request from an authority), or to protect the safety, rights, or security of myself or others. I will never sell your personal information, and I don't share it with third parties for their own marketing.
The WhatsApp Community
If you join the WhatsApp community, a few things are worth being clear about. Your WhatsApp number and the messages you send are processed by Meta, on Meta's infrastructure, under WhatsApp's own privacy terms, which I don't control. Depending on how a given community or group is configured, your number or display name may be visible to other members or to community admins. I'd encourage you to review your own WhatsApp privacy settings, and to share only what you're comfortable sharing in a group setting. You can leave the community at any time.
Sending Information Outside the UK
I'm based in the UK, but some of the services above are based in the United States or elsewhere. That means your information may be transferred to, stored in, or processed in countries outside the UK and the European Economic Area.
When that happens, I rely on the safeguards built into those services and recognised under UK law, including the UK's International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA) or the UK Addendum to the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, and, where it applies, the UK extension to the EU-US Data Privacy Framework. The practical effect is that your information is meant to receive a comparable level of protection wherever it's handled.
How Long I Keep Your Information
I don't keep things longer than I need to:
Newsletter and community data (name, email, WhatsApp number) are kept while you're subscribed, and removed within a reasonable period after you unsubscribe or leave, unless I need to keep a minimal record to honour your opt-out.
Inquiries and messages are kept while I'm responding and for a limited period afterward, should the conversation continue.
Usage data are kept for a limited period in aggregate form for analytics.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you have some or all of the following rights over your information. These apply most fully to people in the UK and the EU under the UK GDPR and EU GDPR, but I'll do my best to honour reasonable requests from anyone:
Access: ask for a copy of the information I hold about you.
Correction: ask me to fix anything inaccurate.
Erasure: ask me to delete your information.
Restriction: ask me to pause how I use it.
Objection: object to certain uses, including direct marketing.
Portability: ask for your information in a portable format.
Withdraw consent: where I rely on your consent (the newsletter, the community, non-essential cookies), you can withdraw it at any time without affecting anything done before you did.
To exercise any of these, email me at [email protected]. You can unsubscribe from the newsletter directly using the link at the bottom of any email, and leave the WhatsApp community at any time. I may need to confirm your identity before acting on a request, and I'll respond within the timeframe required by law.
How to Make a Complaint
If something I've done with your information concerns you, please contact me first at [email protected]. I'll acknowledge it and aim to respond within 30 days.
If you're not satisfied with how I've handled it, you have the right to complain to a data protection authority. In the UK, that's the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. If you're in the EU, you can also complain to the supervisory authority in your own country.
If You’re Outside the UK and EU
The newsletter and community reach readers in several countries, and a few additional rules apply depending on where you are:
United States: residents of California and certain other states have specific rights regarding their personal information, including the right to know what's collected and to request deletion. To exercise these, email me. I do not sell your personal information.
Canada: I rely on your express consent before sending you a commercial email, which is why the newsletter uses a confirmed (double) opt-in, identifies me clearly as the sender, and includes an unsubscribe link in every message.
Australia: commercial messages likewise go only to people who've opted in, with clear sender identification and a working unsubscribe.
Children
This site and its content are intended for adults. I don't knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16. If you believe a child has given me their information, please contact me and I'll delete it.
Security
I take reasonable steps to protect your information, and I work with established service providers who do the same. That said, no method of transmitting or storing data is ever perfectly secure, so I can't guarantee absolute security. Please avoid sending me sensitive information through insecure channels.
Changes to this Policy
I may update this policy from time to time. For example, if I change the tools I use or if the law changes. When I do, I'll post the revised version here and update the "Last updated" date at the top. If the changes are significant, I'll try to flag them to subscribers directly.
Contact
Should you have any questions about our privacy practices or this Privacy Policy, or if you would like to exercise any of the rights available to you, please email [email protected].
