Last updated: [May 08, 2026]
The short version: We respect your privacy. We collect only what we need to run this site, deliver our newsletter, and understand how readers use our content. We never sell your personal information. We use affiliate links (clearly disclosed) and analytics tools, both of which are explained in detail below.
1. Who we are
[The Psych Nerd] (“we,” “us,” or “our”) operates the website thepsychnerd.com (the “Site”). We publish research-backed psychology content for educational and informational purposes. Our Site is not a healthcare provider, and we do not collect or process protected health information (PHI) as defined under HIPAA.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you visit our Site, subscribe to our newsletter, download our resources, or interact with us in any way.
If you have questions about this policy, you can reach us at: officialpsychnerd@gmail.com
2. Information we collect
We collect information in three ways: information you give us directly, information collected automatically when you visit the Site, and information we receive from third-party services.
2.1 Information you provide to us
- Email address and name — when you subscribe to our newsletter, download a lead magnet (such as a PDF workbook or guide), or fill out a contact form.
- Message content — when you contact us through our contact form or email us directly.
- Survey or quiz responses — if you complete an interactive assessment or quiz on the Site (such as an attachment style quiz). These responses are not used for clinical purposes and do not constitute personal health information.
- Comments — if you leave a comment on an article, we collect the name and email address you provide, along with the content of your comment.
2.2 Information collected automatically
When you visit the Site, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies:
- Device and browser information — browser type and version, operating system, device type (mobile, desktop, tablet), and screen resolution.
- Usage data — pages visited, time spent on each page, scroll depth, links clicked, referring URL (the page that led you to our Site), and exit pages.
- IP address — used to determine approximate geographic location (country or region level) and for basic security purposes. We do not use IP addresses to identify individual visitors.
- Cookies and similar identifiers — see Section 4 below for full details on the cookies we use.
2.3 Information from third parties
- Email service provider — our email platform (e.g., [ConvertKit / Mailchimp / other]) may provide us with aggregated data about email open rates and click-through rates.
- Analytics services — Google Analytics and similar tools provide aggregated reports on Site traffic and visitor behavior. See Section 5 for details.
- Social media platforms — if you interact with our content on social media, we may receive aggregated analytics from those platforms (e.g., post impressions, demographics). We do not receive your personal social media data unless you voluntarily share it with us.
3. How we use your information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
| Purpose | What data is used | Legal basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|---|
| Deliver our newsletter and email content | Email address, first name | Consent |
| Send you requested resources (PDF guides, workbooks, quiz results) | Email address, first name, quiz responses | Consent / Contract |
| Respond to your inquiries | Name, email, message content | Legitimate interest |
| Understand how readers use the Site so we can improve content and user experience | Usage data, device info, cookies | Legitimate interest |
| Prevent spam, abuse, and security threats | IP address, usage data | Legitimate interest |
| Comply with legal obligations | As required | Legal obligation |
We do not use your information to:
- Sell your personal data to third parties.
- Build individual health profiles or make clinical assessments.
- Send unsolicited marketing from third parties.
- Make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects on you.
4. Cookies and tracking technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use them to understand how readers interact with our content and to provide basic site functionality.
4.1 Types of cookies we use
| Cookie type | Purpose | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Required for the Site to function (e.g., remembering your cookie preferences, maintaining a session) | WordPress session cookies, cookie consent preferences |
| Analytics | Help us understand how visitors use the Site so we can improve content and navigation | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid, _gat) |
| Functionality | Remember choices you make (e.g., comment form details) to improve your experience | WordPress comment cookies |
| Affiliate tracking | Track referrals when you click an affiliate link so we can receive credit for the referral. These cookies are placed by our affiliate partners, not by us. | Impact, ShareASale, or partner-specific cookies |
4.2 How to manage cookies
When you first visit the Site, you will see a cookie consent banner where you can accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can change your preferences at any time by clicking the “Cookie Settings” link in our site footer.
You can also control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies. Please note that blocking all cookies may affect site functionality.
For more information about cookies in general, visit allaboutcookies.org.
4.3 Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to collect aggregated, anonymized data about how visitors use the Site. Google Analytics uses cookies to identify returning visitors (not individual people). We have enabled IP anonymization, which means Google truncates your IP address before storing it.
You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On. For information on how Google collects and processes data, see Google’s privacy and data practices.
5. Third-party services we use
We work with a limited number of third-party services to operate the Site. Each has its own privacy policy governing how it handles your data:
| Service | Purpose | Privacy policy |
|---|---|---|
| [Web hosting provider, e.g., SiteGround, Cloudways, WP Engine] | Hosts the Site and its data | Hostinger |
| Google Analytics | Website analytics | Google Privacy Policy |
| [Email provider, e.g., ConvertKit, Mailchimp, Kit] | Email newsletter delivery and lead magnet fulfillment | Beehive |
| WordPress / Automattic | Content management system; may include Akismet for spam filtering and Jetpack for additional analytics | Automattic Privacy Policy |
| [Affiliate networks, e.g., Impact, ShareASale] | Affiliate link tracking | Impact |
| [Social sharing plugin, e.g., Social Warfare, Grow] | Social media sharing buttons on articles | Social Warfare |
We do not control how these third-party services handle your data once it is shared with them. We encourage you to review their respective privacy policies.
6. Affiliate links and advertising
Some articles on this Site contain affiliate links to online therapy services and other products or services we believe offer genuine value. When you click an affiliate link and make a purchase or sign up for a service, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate partners may use cookies or tracking pixels to identify that you were referred from our Site. These cookies are governed by our affiliate partners’ privacy policies, not ours.
What we do not do:
- We do not share your personal information (name, email, or any data you have given us) with affiliate partners.
- We do not receive any personal data about you from affiliate partners — only aggregated reports about referral conversions.
- We do not allow affiliate partnerships to influence our editorial content. Our recommendations are based on research and editorial judgment, as outlined in our Editorial Standards.
For full details on our affiliate relationships, see our Affiliate Disclosure page.
7. How we share your information
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.
We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers: We share data with the third-party services listed in Section 5 strictly for the purposes described (hosting, email delivery, analytics, spam prevention). These providers are contractually obligated to handle your data responsibly.
- Legal compliance: We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.
- Protection of rights: We may disclose information when we believe it is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others, to investigate fraud, or to respond to a government request.
- Business transfer: If the Site is acquired by or merged with another entity, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We would notify you via email or a prominent notice on the Site before your information becomes subject to a different privacy policy.
8. How long we keep your data
| Data type | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Email subscriber data (name, email address) | Until you unsubscribe, or until we delete inactive subscribers (typically after 12 months of non-engagement) |
| Contact form messages | Up to 12 months after the inquiry is resolved, then deleted |
| Comment data | Indefinitely while the comment remains published on the Site (you may request deletion at any time) |
| Analytics data (aggregated) | 26 months (Google Analytics default), then automatically deleted |
| Server logs | Up to 30 days, depending on our hosting provider |
If you request deletion of your data, we will remove it within 30 days unless we have a legal obligation to retain it.
9. Your rights over your data
Regardless of where you live, we believe you should have meaningful control over your personal information. You have the right to:
- Access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Correction — request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Deletion — request that we delete your personal data.
- Withdraw consent — unsubscribe from our email list at any time by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in any email, or by contacting us directly.
- Object to processing — object to certain uses of your data, particularly for marketing purposes.
- Data portability — request your data in a structured, commonly used format.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at [officialpsychnerd@gmail.com]. We will respond within 30 days.
10. Additional rights for California residents (CCPA/CPRA)
If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) provide you with additional rights regarding your personal information.
Categories of personal information we collect
- Identifiers: name, email address, IP address.
- Internet or network activity: browsing history on our Site, pages visited, interaction with our content.
- Geolocation data: approximate location derived from IP address (country or region level only).
We do not sell or share your personal information
We do not sell your personal information as defined by the CCPA/CPRA. We do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. If this practice ever changes, we will update this policy and provide a conspicuous “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link on the Site.
Your rights under the CCPA/CPRA
- The right to know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose.
- The right to delete your personal information.
- The right to correct inaccurate personal information.
- The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (we do not sell or share, but you may contact us at any time to confirm).
- The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.
To make a verifiable consumer request, email us at [your-email@yourdomain.com] with the subject line “CCPA Request.” We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days.
11. Additional rights for EEA, UK, and Swiss residents (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), United Kingdom, or Switzerland, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR provide you with additional protections.
Legal basis for processing
We process your data based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: You have given clear consent for us to process your personal data for a specific purpose (e.g., subscribing to our newsletter).
- Legitimate interest: Processing is necessary for our legitimate interests (e.g., understanding how readers use the Site, improving content, preventing spam) and those interests are not overridden by your rights.
- Legal obligation: Processing is necessary for compliance with a legal obligation.
Your additional rights under the GDPR
- The right to restrict processing of your personal data.
- The right to data portability (receive your data in a machine-readable format).
- The right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal.
- The right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe your rights have been violated.
Data controller
The data controller for the purposes of the GDPR is:
The Psych Nerd
officialpsychnerd@gmail.com
We do not currently have a Data Protection Officer (DPO). For any GDPR-related inquiries, please contact us at the email address above.
12. International data transfers
Our Site is operated from the United States. If you access the Site from outside this country, your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in countries where our servers or service providers are located. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your jurisdiction.
By using the Site, you consent to the transfer of your information as described in this policy. Where required by applicable law (such as the GDPR), we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, to protect your data during international transfers.
13. Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for adults aged 18 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 16 (or under 13 in jurisdictions where that is the applicable threshold).
If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child without verified parental consent, we will take steps to delete that information promptly. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at officialpsychnerd@gmail.com.
14. Data security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or destruction. These measures include:
- SSL/TLS encryption on all pages of the Site (HTTPS).
- Secure storage of email subscriber data through our email service provider’s encrypted infrastructure.
- Regular software updates and security patches for our content management system and plugins.
- Limited access — only authorized individuals can access personal data, and only for the purposes described in this policy.
No method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach that is likely to result in a risk to your rights and freedoms, we will notify you and any applicable regulator as required by law.
15. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the services we use, or applicable laws. When we make material changes, we will:
- Update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
- Post a notice on the Site’s homepage or via our newsletter for significant changes.
We encourage you to review this page periodically. Your continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
16. How to contact us
If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact us:
Email: officialpsychnerd@gmail.com
Contact form: thepsychnerd.com/contact
We aim to respond to all inquiries within 30 days.
This privacy policy was last reviewed and updated on May 08, 2026. It is reviewed at least once every 12 months.