Last updated: July 10, 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how BrainHook ("we", "us", or "our") collects, uses, and shares information when you visit our website, read our articles, or subscribe to our newsletter. By using BrainHook, you agree to the practices described here.
Effective date: July 10, 2026.
Information we collect
- Newsletter data. When you subscribe, we store the email address you provide so we can send you our newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email or our unsubscribe page.
- Usage data. Like most websites, our servers and analytics tools may automatically record information such as your browser type, device, approximate location (derived from IP address), referring pages, and the pages you view. This helps us understand what readers find valuable.
- Cookies and similar technologies. We and our partners use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to operate the site, remember preferences, measure traffic, and serve relevant advertising. See "Cookies" below.
How we use your information
- To deliver our newsletter and respond to your inquiries.
- To operate, maintain, and improve the website and our editorial coverage.
- To measure and analyze traffic and engagement.
- To display advertising that helps fund our research.
- To detect, prevent, and address fraud, abuse, or technical issues.
Service providers we use
We rely on a small number of trusted providers to run BrainHook. Each processes data only to provide its service to us:
- Google AdSense (Google LLC) — serves advertising and delivers our certified consent message.
- Google Analytics 4 (Google LLC) — measures aggregate site traffic and engagement.
- Resend (Resend, Inc.) — delivers our newsletter and any email you request; we share only the email address you provide, so the messages can be sent.
Cookies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device; web beacons are small markers embedded in pages or emails. We use essential cookies that make the site work, analytics cookies that help us understand usage, and advertising cookies set by our advertising partners. You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings; disabling some cookies may affect how the site functions.
Third-party advertising and analytics
We work with third-party vendors to display advertising and measure performance. These vendors may collect information about your visits to this and other websites — including cookies, device and browser identifiers, and IP address — in order to provide measurement services and serve ads.
- Google AdSense and advertising partners. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to BrainHook and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits across the web. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings, and you can opt out of third-party vendor cookies for personalized advertising at aboutads.info/choices.
- Analytics. We use Google Analytics 4 to understand aggregate traffic patterns. It processes usage data on our behalf, and in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland it runs without storage-based identifiers until you consent.
For more information on how Google handles data in its advertising products, see How Google uses information from sites that use its services.
Personalized, non-personalized, and limited ads
Depending on your consent and where you are, the ads you see fall into one of three categories:
- Personalized ads use cookies and similar identifiers to tailor advertising to your interests based on your activity across sites. They run only where you have not opted out — and, in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland, only after you consent.
- Non-personalized ads are shown based on the current page and coarse signals such as approximate location, without building a profile of you. You may still see these after opting out of personalization.
- Limited ads serve without storing or reading cookies or identifiers on your device — for example, before an EEA, UK, or Switzerland visitor has made a consent choice.
How long we keep your information
We keep information only as long as we reasonably need it:
- Newsletter email address — until you unsubscribe, after which it is removed from active mailing lists (we may retain a minimal suppression record so we don't email you again).
- Analytics data — user- and event-level data in Google Analytics is retained for up to 14 months; aggregate, non-identifying statistics may be kept longer.
- Advertising cookies — retained for the periods set by Google and its partners under their own policies.
- Server and security logs — kept for a limited period to operate and protect the site, then discarded or reduced to aggregates.
Consent for visitors in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland
If you visit from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or Switzerland, we ask for your consent before advertising cookies are used, via a consent message on pages that carry advertising. You can decline, and you can change your choice later using the "Manage privacy choices" control described below. Until you consent, storage-based advertising and analytics identifiers default to off in these regions.
Managing your privacy choices
You can review or withdraw your consent for advertising and analytics cookies at any time using the "Manage privacy choices" control at the bottom of this page and in the site footer, which reopens the consent message. You can also opt out of personalized advertising through Google Ads Settings and aboutads.info/choices, and control or delete cookies through your browser settings.
Sharing your information
We do not sell your personal information. We share information only with the service providers listed above who help us operate the site (email delivery, hosting, analytics, and advertising partners), or when required by law.
Your choices and rights
- Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.
- Reopen the consent message with "Manage privacy choices" to review or withdraw consent.
- Control cookies through your browser settings.
- Opt out of personalized advertising via the links above.
- Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal data. To make a request, contact us at editor@brainhook.net.
Children's privacy
BrainHook is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them.
Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll revise the "Last updated" and effective date above. Significant changes will be reflected on this page.
Contact
Questions about this policy? Email editor@brainhook.net or visit our Contact page.