Effective date: September 24, 2026
This policy explains what information The Straight Pick (“we”, “us”) collects when you visit thestraightpick.com, why, who we share it with, and the choices you have. The Straight Pick is responsible for the personal information collected on this site. For any privacy question or request, use our contact form.
The short version
- You can read everything on this site without giving us any personal information.
- We only receive your name and email if you choose to contact us or leave a comment.
- Our host and the retailers we link to use cookies and similar technology, described below.
- We do not sell your personal information.
Information we collect
Information you give us
- Contact form: your name, email address and message. We use them only to reply to you.
- Newsletter: if you subscribe, your email address, which is used only to send you new guides. Subscriptions are managed by WordPress.com (Automattic); every email has an unsubscribe link and you can leave at any time.
- Comments (if enabled): your name, email address, optional website, the comment itself, and your IP address and browser details, which help detect spam. Your email is never published.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, when you visit, basic technical information is collected by our hosting provider: your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you view, the page that referred you, and the time of your visit. We see this only as aggregated statistics (for example, how many people read a guide). We use it to understand which guides are useful and to keep the site secure.
Cookies
Cookies are small files stored in your browser. This site uses:
- Essential and functional cookies set by our host to deliver the site, prevent abuse, and remember choices such as your comment details if you ask it to.
- Statistics cookies and similar technology used by our host to count visits.
- Affiliate cookies: when you click a link to a retailer (for example, Amazon), that retailer may set a cookie in your browser so it can credit us if you make a purchase. These cookies belong to the retailer and are governed by its privacy policy, not this one.
- Advertising cookies (only if we show ads): if we display ads, our advertising partners may use cookies to show and measure ads, which may include ads based on your interests. Where the law requires it, we’ll ask for your consent first, and you can change your choice at any time using the cookie settings link shown on the site.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site will still work, although some features (like remembered comment details) won’t.
How we use information
- To run, secure and improve the site and our guides.
- To reply when you contact us, and to publish comments you submit.
- To detect spam and abuse.
- To earn affiliate commissions and, if we show ads, advertising revenue, which keeps the site free.
If you are in the European Economic Area or the UK, our legal bases are: our legitimate interests in running a secure, useful website (statistics, security, spam prevention, replying to you); your consent where we ask for it (for example, advertising cookies); and legal obligations where they apply.
Who we share information with
We don’t sell your personal information or share it for money. Information is handled by these service providers, each under its own privacy policy:
- WordPress.com (Automattic Inc.) hosts this site, processes visit statistics, delivers our contact form, and checks comments and form submissions for spam using its Akismet service. See Automattic’s privacy policy.
- Retailers and affiliate networks (for example, Amazon) receive information about your visit to their site when you click one of our links.
- Advertising partners, only if we display ads, as described under Cookies.
We may also disclose information if required by law, or to protect our rights and the safety of others.
Embedded content: guides may include embedded videos, images or maps from other websites. These behave as if you visited that other website, and it may collect data about you.
How long we keep it
- Contact messages: up to 24 months, then deleted.
- Published comments: for as long as the comment stays on the site, or until you ask us to remove it.
- Visit statistics: retained by our host in accordance with its own policy.
International transfers
Our host and partners may process information in the United States and other countries. Where information about people in the EEA or UK is transferred, it is protected by the safeguards our providers put in place, such as Standard Contractual Clauses.
Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access the personal information we hold about you, correct it, delete it, object to or restrict how we use it, withdraw consent, and receive a portable copy. California and other U.S. state residents may also have the right to know what we collect and to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information for targeted advertising. We don’t sell personal information. If we show interest-based ads, you can opt out through the cookie settings link on the site.
To make a request, send it through our contact form. We will respond within 30 days and won’t treat you differently for exercising your rights. If you are in the EEA or UK, you can also complain to your local data protection authority.
Children
This site is not directed at children under 13 (under 16 in the EEA and UK), and we don’t knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has sent us information, contact us and we’ll delete it.
Security
The site is served over an encrypted connection (HTTPS), and access to our accounts is protected. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.
Changes to this policy
If we change how we handle information (for example, when we start showing ads or launch a newsletter), we’ll update this page and the effective date above.
Contact
Questions or requests: use our contact form. We reply to every privacy request.