Privacy Policy & Cookie Policy

Introduction

Welcome to Ernst Romelo's personal blog and portfolio website. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency about our data practices. This policy complies with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy laws.

Information We Collect

Personal Information

When you interact with our website, we may collect:

• Authentication Data: When you log in using Google, Facebook, or Apple, we receive your name, email address, and profile picture
• Newsletter Subscriptions: Email address and optional name when you subscribe to our newsletter via Mailchimp
• Comments: Your name, profile information, and comment content when you post comments on blog posts
• Contact Information: Name, email, and message content when you contact us through our contact forms

Automatically Collected Information

• Usage Analytics: Page views, time spent on pages, and user interactions via Vercel Analytics
• Performance Data: Website performance metrics via Vercel Speed Insights
• View Counts: Blog post view statistics stored locally in your browser
• Technical Information: IP address, browser type, device information, and operating system

How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• Authentication: To provide secure login and personalized experiences
• Content Management: To enable commenting and user-generated content
• Communication: To send newsletters and respond to your inquiries
• Analytics: To understand website usage and improve user experience
• Security: To protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality, authentication, and security
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our website
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings like theme preferences
• Third-party Cookies: Set by external services like Google, Facebook, and Vercel

Local Storage

We use browser local storage to:

• Store your theme preferences (light/dark mode)
• Track blog post view counts
• Remember your session information

Third-Party Services

We integrate with the following third-party services:

• Firebase (Google): Authentication, database, and file storage
• Vercel Analytics: Website usage analytics
• Mailchimp: Newsletter management and email marketing
• Social Login Providers: Google, Facebook, and Apple for authentication

Each service has its own privacy policy governing how they handle your data. We encourage you to review their policies.

Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are a resident of the European Union, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: Request copies of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of data processing
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data:

• Encryption of data in transit and at rest
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Access controls and authentication requirements
• Secure hosting infrastructure via Vercel and Firebase

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us: