Privacy Notice

Last updated: 8 July 2026

This is a personal blog. I try to collect as little about you as possible, and I do not run ads, tracking cookies, or ad networks, and I never sell your data. This notice explains what does get processed when you visit, why, and the choices you have. It is written in plain language on purpose.

Who is responsible

This site (vmariiechko.com) is run by me, Vadim Mariiechko, as an individual. I am the data controller for the processing described here. If you have any question or want to exercise a privacy right, email me at vmariiechko@gmail.com.

Analytics

I use Umami, a privacy-focused analytics tool, to see aggregate numbers like page views, referrers, and rough country of origin. Umami does not set cookies, does not store your IP address, and does not track you across other websites. The data is anonymized and cannot be used to identify you. The script also respects your browser's "Do Not Track" setting.

Legal basis: my legitimate interest in understanding, at an aggregate level, what content is useful (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)). Because no cookies or other information are stored on or read from your device for analytics, no consent banner is required.

If you subscribe to the newsletter, I collect your email address so I can notify you about new posts. This is handled by Buttondown, an email service that acts as my processor. At the moment you sign up, your IP address is also passed to Buttondown so it can screen out spam and abusive sign-ups.

Legal basis: your consent for receiving the emails, which you give by submitting the form (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)); and legitimate interest for the anti-spam check (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)). You can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of every email, which removes you from the list.

Comments

Article pages include a comments section powered by giscus, which stores comments as GitHub Discussions. Loading the comments widget fetches resources from giscus.app and GitHub, and as part of delivering those resources GitHub may receive your IP address. To actually post a comment you sign in with a GitHub account, and from that point GitHub processes your data under its own privacy statement. If you do not sign in, no account or comment data is created.

Preferences stored on your device

The site saves a few preferences in your browser's local storage, such as your chosen color theme, which posts you liked from this browser (so the like button shows the right state), and whether the table of contents is collapsed. This information stays on your device, and you can clear it at any time through your browser settings.

When you like a post, the only thing recorded on my side is an anonymous increase in that post's total like count, through the analytics described above. I cannot see who liked a post, only the number.

Embedded content

Some posts embed YouTube videos using YouTube's privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com), which avoids setting tracking cookies unless you actually play a video. If you play one, Google may process data under its privacy policy.

Hosting

The site is hosted on Netlify. Like any web host, Netlify automatically processes standard request information, including your IP address, to deliver pages and keep the service secure. Legal basis: legitimate interest in serving and protecting the site (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)).

International transfers

Some of the services above (for example Buttondown and Netlify) are based in the United States and may process data outside the European Economic Area. Where that happens, transfers rely on the providers' own safeguards, such as the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework or Standard Contractual Clauses. You can review each provider's privacy policy, linked above, for the specifics.

Data retention

Analytics data is aggregated and anonymized, so it is not tied to you. Your newsletter email is kept for as long as you stay subscribed, and is removed after you unsubscribe. Comment content lives in GitHub Discussions for as long as the post exists or until you delete it on GitHub.

Your rights

If you are in the EU, EEA, or UK, you have the right to access your data, correct it, have it erased, restrict or object to its processing, receive a copy (portability), and withdraw consent at any time. To exercise any of these, email me at vmariiechko@gmail.com and I will respond as promptly as I can.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority.

Children

This site is aimed at a professional, adult audience and is not directed at children under 16. I do not knowingly collect data from children.

Changes to this notice

If the site's tools or practices change, I will update this notice and the "last updated" date above.