Privacy Policy

Effective date: 28 October 2026

Steve Hine (“I”, “me”) operates this website. I am the data controller for any personal data described here. This policy explains what I collect, why, and what your rights are.

Cookies and tracking

This site doesn’t use cookies or advertising, and it doesn’t track you across other websites. It uses Pirsch, a privacy-friendly analytics service, to count visits (see “Website analytics” below). Pirsch stores nothing on your device, so there is no cookie banner.

Website analytics

I use Pirsch Analytics to count visits and see which pages are useful, so I can improve the site. Pirsch doesn’t use cookies or store anything on your device.

When you load a page, Pirsch creates a temporary visitor code by scrambling (hashing) your IP address, your browser’s user agent, the date and a code unique to this site. Your IP address is never stored. Because the date is part of the calculation, you can’t be recognised after 24 hours, or across different websites. Pirsch also records the page you visited, the page that linked to it, your browser, operating system and device type, your screen size, and your approximate location (country and city).

I only see totals, such as the number of visitors to each page, and can’t identify you from them. My legal basis is my legitimate interest in understanding how the site is used. Pirsch processes the data for me on servers in Germany under a data processing agreement.

You can opt out with the button below. It saves a small setting in this browser that tells Pirsch not to count your visits. The setting stays until you clear your browser data, and you can switch counting back on here. You can also object by emailing me.

What I collect

When you contact me. The site has no contact form. If you email me or message me on WhatsApp, I receive whatever you send: typically your name, email address or phone number, and the content of your message.

When you visit. Like any website, the infrastructure it runs on records technical data automatically, such as your IP address, browser type and version, the pages requested, and the date and time. I do not use this to identify individual visitors.

How I use it, and why

• To reply to your enquiry and, if we work together, to discuss and deliver the work. Legal basis: legitimate interests, and taking steps at your request before a contract.
• To keep records of enquiries and work. Legal basis: legitimate interests, and legal obligations such as accounting.
• To keep the site secure and working. Legal basis: legitimate interests.
• To understand how the site is used, through anonymous visit statistics. Legal basis: legitimate interests.

I do not sell personal data, send marketing to people who haven’t asked for it, or make automated decisions about you.

How long I keep it

Enquiries that don’t lead to work are kept for 12 months, then deleted. Records of work done are kept for as long as needed for contract and tax purposes, usually up to 6 years. Technical logs held by the hosting provider are kept for short periods set by that provider. Anonymous visit statistics are kept in Pirsch for as long as I use the service.

Who else handles your data

I use a small number of service providers, who only process personal data to provide their service:

• Cloudflare hosts the site and handles web traffic and security. It processes visitors’ IP addresses and technical data.
• Pirsch Analytics (Emvi Software GmbH, Germany) provides visitor statistics. It uses IP addresses and browser details only to produce anonymous statistics, and doesn’t store IP addresses.
• WhatsApp (Meta), if you choose to message me there. Meta processes your messages under its own privacy policy, and nothing is sent to it unless you click the link and message me.

I may also disclose personal data where the law requires it, to protect my rights or property, or to prevent or investigate wrongdoing.

Transfers outside the UK

Cloudflare and some other providers operate internationally, so your data may be processed outside the UK. Where that happens, I rely on appropriate safeguards, such as the UK’s approved transfer mechanisms, so that your data is treated securely and in line with this policy.

Security

No method of transmission over the internet, or electronic storage, is completely secure. I use commercially reasonable measures to protect your data, but I can’t guarantee absolute security.

Your rights

Under UK data protection law you have the right to:

• Access the personal data I hold about you and receive a copy
• Have inaccurate data corrected
• Ask for your data to be deleted
• Ask me to restrict how I use your data
• Object to my use of your data where I rely on legitimate interests
• Receive your data in a portable electronic format

I may ask you to verify your identity before acting on a request. To use any of these rights, email me at steve@stevehine.co.uk.

If you’re unhappy with how I’ve handled your data, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office at ico.org.uk. I’d appreciate the chance to put things right first.

Links to other sites

The site may link to third-party sites, such as WhatsApp. I have no control over, and accept no responsibility for, their content, privacy policies or practices, so please read theirs.

Children’s privacy

This site isn’t directed at anyone under 13, and I don’t knowingly collect personal data from children. If you’re a parent or guardian and believe your child has sent me data, get in touch and I’ll delete it.

Changes to this policy

I may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted here with the effective date updated.

Contact

For any questions about this policy, email steve@stevehine.co.uk or use the contact page.