Privacy policy

Who operates this site

Errol operates errolz.com, a photography portfolio and IT journal. In this policy, “we” and “our” refer to the site operator. This policy explains how we handle personal information and your choices.

Information we process and why

• Website delivery and security. Hosting systems and Cloudflare process connection information such as IP addresses, request URLs, timestamps, browser headers and security signals to deliver pages, prevent abuse, troubleshoot failures and protect the site. These operational logs are separate from the audience analytics described below.
• Audience analytics. With your explicit optional-analytics consent, we record page loads, photo opens, favourite clicks, referrer domains, approximate country, coarse browser/device categories, timestamps and random browser/session identifiers. We also measure reading engagement; historical records may include download clicks. We use this information to understand content interest and site usage. Basic traffic signals help us distinguish automated activity from visitor activity and improve the accuracy of our analytics.
• Formal privacy requests. The request form collects the request type, declared country/state, reply email, optional name and the details you provide. We store these details privately, including backup copies, to assess and respond to your request and document its handling. See Retention below. Analytics consent is not required to submit one.
• Correspondence. If you contact us, we use the details you provide to respond, handle permission or rights requests and maintain necessary records of that correspondence.

Analytics records do not contain raw IP addresses, full user-agent strings, URL query strings, referrer paths or precise location. Random identifiers are pseudonymous, not a guarantee of anonymity. We do not use browser fingerprinting or track the identifier across other websites.

Browser storage

We use cookies and similar storage to remember your privacy choices, appearance settings and saved favourites. With consent, random identifiers help us estimate visits and returning browsers. A favourite click may also be recorded in analytics. The Cookie policy lists the storage used, its purpose and how long it lasts.

Analytics choices

Optional analytics are off until you explicitly accept. Use Cookie settings in the footer to reject, accept or withdraw. The same opt-in default applies worldwide; regional information is adapted using an approximate country estimate. Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control override a previous acceptance. Refusing does not prevent browsing.

Manage cookie preferences

Withdrawing stops future collection and removes this browser's analytics identifiers; it does not delete earlier server records. Essential connection and security processing continues. For storage names, lifetimes, regional notices and detailed controls, read our Cookie policy.

Approximate location

Cloudflare estimates your country from your internet connection. We do not use GPS or collect precise location for analytics. Country and visitor estimates may be inaccurate, for example when a VPN or shared browser is used.

Service providers and disclosure

The site uses Cloudflare for website delivery and security. The privacy-request form uses Cloudflare Turnstile to check automated abuse; Cloudflare processes browser and challenge signals for that security purpose. If the check is inaccessible, requests can be emailed to [email protected]. Cookie choices and sale/sharing opt-outs do not require a challenge. Cloudflare may process information in countries other than yours. Its practices are described in Cloudflare's privacy policy.

Analytics records are stored on our hosting systems and in backups, with access restricted to authorized personnel. We do not sell personal information or send these analytics records to an advertising or third-party analytics platform. Information may be disclosed to service providers as needed to operate the site, in response to a valid legal obligation, or where reasonably necessary to investigate abuse or protect legal rights. External sites linked from this site have their own policies.

Retention

Analytics records, privacy-request records and their stored copies, including backups, currently have no automatic deletion schedule and remain until deliberately removed. Browser identifier expiry does not delete these records. Operational logs and information held by providers have separate retention practices. Correspondence and permission records may be retained to handle requests, document licences and address disputes or legal obligations.

When we accept a deletion request, we also consider retained copies and backups and explain any limits or delays that apply.

Security and your choices

We use access controls and encrypted connections to help protect information. No website or storage system can be guaranteed secure. Depending on applicable law, you may have rights to request access, correction or deletion, withdraw consent, object to processing or complain to a privacy authority. We assess requests under the law that applies and may need proportionate information to verify them. We may be unable to identify your analytics records without the relevant browser identifier. We do not collect additional identity data solely to link you to those records.

For a request that needs a response, use the formal privacy request form or email us. A sale/sharing opt-out does not require identifying information.

For privacy questions or rights requests, contact Errol at [email protected]. Include the relevant page address and enough information to understand your request. Do not send passwords, authentication codes or unnecessary identity documents.

Children and policy changes

This site is intended for a general audience and is not designed to solicit personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information that should be removed, contact us. We may update this policy when the site's practices change. The updated date will identify the current version; where applicable law requires additional notice or consent, an updated page alone does not replace it.