Privacy Policy

Last updated: 19 May 2025

Who I Am

I am Nicole J. Simms, a UK-based writer. My website address is: https://www.nicolejsimms.com

What Personal Data I Collect and Why

I collect and store data submitted through subscriptions, contact forms, and comments. This may include:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Country of access
  • IP address
  • Browser user agent

This data is collected for the following purposes:

  • To send email notifications to subscribers
  • To respond to messages submitted via the contact form
  • To check comments for spam
  • To analyse website traffic and statistics

Legal Basis for Processing Data

The legal basis for processing your personal data includes:

  • Consent: when you subscribe or contact me
  • Legitimate interest: for spam prevention, website analytics, and improving user experience
  • Contractual necessity: to respond to enquiries made through the contact form

Third-Party Services That May Collect Data

Certain third-party services I use may also collect information. These include:

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site, the data shown in the comment form is collected, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string for spam detection.

An anonymised string (hash) may be sent to the Gravatar service to display a profile picture if you use that service. After approval, your comment and profile image (if applicable) will be visible to the public.

Contact Forms

I use Jetpack Forms to allow users to contact me. The data submitted (name, email, message) is sent to my email accounts (Gmail and domain email registered with 123reg).

By submitting a contact form, you consent to:

  • Receiving a reply
  • Allowing me to process and store the data securely

Your message is not shared with third parties and is retained only for correspondence and reference purposes.

Google Analytics

I use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC (“Google”), to help understand how visitors use my website. Google Analytics collects information such as how often visitors come to the site, what pages they visit, and other diagnostic data to improve your experience.

The data collected includes:

  • Your IP address (which Google may anonymize depending on your location and settings)
  • Device and browser information
  • Referring website URLs
  • Pages visited and duration
  • Interaction with content

Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this information. These cookies are stored on your device and help provide insights on website performance and visitor behaviour.

Google acts as a data processor for this information. For more details about Google’s privacy practices, please visit their privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, available here: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.

By using my website, you consent to the processing of your data by Google as described above.

Google AdSense

I use Google AdSense, an advertising service provided by Google LLC (“Google”), to display ads on my website. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to deliver personalized ads based on your interests and website usage.

The data collected may include:

  • Your IP address
  • Device and browser information
  • Your interactions with ads and content
  • Cookies and identifiers used for advertising purposes

Google may combine this data with information from other Google services to provide tailored advertising.

For more information on how Google processes data and your privacy rights, please visit Google’s privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.

You can manage your ad preferences or opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google’s Ads Settings page: https://adssettings.google.com/authenticated.

By using my website, you consent to the use of cookies and processing of your data by Google as described above.

Cookies

If you leave a comment, you may opt to save your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience. These cookies last for one year.

You will be prompted to accept or manage cookies when you first visit the site. You can also disable cookies in your browser settings. Some cookies are essential for the site’s functionality, while others support analytics and advertising (e.g., Google AdSense).

See Cookie Policy page for more details.

Links to External Websites

This website may include links to third-party websites, such as YouTube. These links are provided for your convenience and information. When you click on a link that takes you to an external website, you are subject to that website’s own privacy and cookie policies.

Please be aware that I am not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites. I encourage you to read the privacy statements of any linked websites you visit.

Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles). Embedded content behaves the same as if you visited the external website directly.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, and track your interaction with that content—especially if you’re logged in to that website.

Analytics

I use Jetpack by WordPress.com to track website interactions. See their privacy policy here.

Data Sharing

I do not sell or intentionally share your personal data. However, third-party plugins and services listed above may process or store data under their own privacy policies.

International Data Transfers

Some of the services used may transfer your data outside the UK or EEA (e.g., to the United States). These transfers are made with appropriate legal safeguards in accordance with data protection regulations.

Data Retention

I retain data only as long as necessary for the purposes it was collected:

  • Comments: kept indefinitely unless deletion is requested
  • Subscriber data: stored as long as you remain subscribed
  • Contact messages: retained for reference unless deletion is requested

If you wish to have your data removed, you can request this at any time.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal data I hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Request deletion of your data
  • Withdraw consent at any time (where applicable)
  • Lodge a complaint with the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO)

To exercise your rights, please contact me using the information below.

Where Your Data Is Sent

  • Visitor comments may be checked by automated spam detection services (e.g., Akismet)
  • Contact form data is sent to my Gmail and 123reg domain email

Children’s Privacy

This website is not intended for children under the age of 13. I do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this privacy policy or would like to make a data request, please contact me via the Contact page.