Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 7, 2025

Website: websiterating.com Operator: Search Ventures Pty Ltd (ACN 639906353) Jurisdiction: Australia Contact: [email protected]

The Honest Version First

Most privacy policies are designed to cover the company’s ass while confusing you. Here’s what we actually do with your data in plain English, then the legal version below.

What we collect:

Basic analytics (pages you visit, country you’re from, device type)
Your email if you subscribe to our newsletter
Comments if you leave them

What we DON’T do:

Sell your data to anyone
Track you across other websites (beyond standard affiliate cookie tracking)
Store payment info (we don’t process payments directly)

What we DO do:

Use affiliate cookies to track if you buy something we recommended (so we get paid)
Send you emails if you subscribed (you can unsubscribe anytime)
Use analytics to see which articles people read

Now the legal version:

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit websiterating.com, we automatically collect:

IP address (anonymized where possible)
Browser type and version
Operating system
Pages viewed and time spent on pages
Referring website
General geographic location (country/city level)

1.2 Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide:

Email address (if you subscribe to our newsletter)
Name (if you provide it in comments or contact forms)
Any content you submit (comments, messages, etc.)

1.3 Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies and similar technologies for:

Analytics: Understanding how visitors use our site (Clicky Analytics, Cloudflare Analytics)
Affiliate Tracking: Tracking purchases made through our affiliate links so we receive commission
Functionality: Remembering your preferences

Third-party cookies:

Affiliate networks (to track referrals and attribute commissions)
Analytics providers

You can disable cookies in your browser, but some site features may not work properly.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use collected information for:

Site improvement: Understanding what content is useful
Communication: Sending newsletters if you subscribed
Affiliate tracking: Attributing sales to our referrals
Legal compliance: Responding to legal requests when required
Fraud prevention: Detecting and preventing abuse

Affiliate networks: To track and attribute sales (e.g., Impact, CJ Affiliate, direct programs)
Email service providers: To send newsletters (only if you subscribed)
Analytics providers: Clicky Analytics, Cloudflare Analytics
Hosting providers: Where our site and data are stored

3.2 We DO NOT:

Sell your personal information to third parties
Share your email with marketers
Provide your data to companies we review (unless legally required)

3.3 Legal Disclosure

We may disclose information if:

Required by Australian law or legal process
Necessary to protect our rights or property
Required to investigate fraud or security issues
Part of a business sale or merger (you’ll be notified)

4. Affiliate Disclosure and Tracking

We participate in affiliate marketing programs. When you click our affiliate links:

A cookie is placed on your device
If you make a purchase, we receive a commission
The merchant may collect information about your purchase
This tracking typically lasts 30-90 days depending on the program

Affiliate partners we work with include:

VPN providers (NordVPN, ProtonVPN, Mullvad, etc.)
Web hosting companies (Hetzner, Scala Hosting, etc.)
Various software and service providers

For full transparency on our affiliate relationships, see our Disclosure Policy.

5. Your Rights (Australian Privacy Principles)

Under Australian privacy law, you have the right to:

5.1 Access

Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

5.2 Correction

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information.

5.3 Deletion

Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements).

5.4 Opt-Out

Email: Unsubscribe from newsletters using the link in any email
Cookies: Disable cookies in your browser settings
Analytics: Use browser Do Not Track settings

5.5 Complaints

If you believe we’ve mishandled your personal information:

Contact us at [email protected]
If unsatisfied, contact the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC): www.oaic.gov.au

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures:

HTTPS encryption for data transmission
Secure hosting with reputable providers
Regular security updates and monitoring
Limited access to personal information

However: No internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. International Data Transfers

Our site is hosted on servers that may be located outside Australia. Your information may be transferred to and processed in:

United States (hosting, analytics providers)
European Union (some service providers)

We take steps to ensure adequate protection, but acknowledge international data transfers involve inherent risks.

8. Children’s Privacy

Our site is not intended for children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe we’ve collected information from a child, contact us immediately.

9. Third-Party Links

Our site contains links to third-party websites (including affiliate links). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their privacy policies before providing information.

If you subscribe to our newsletter:

We’ll send you updates, articles, and occasionally product recommendations
We will not spam you or share your email
You can unsubscribe anytime using the link in emails
We use third-party email service providers who may process your email address

11. Analytics and Tracking Details

Clicky Analytics

We use Clicky Analytics to understand site usage. Clicky may:

Track your browsing across multiple sites
Use cookies and other tracking technologies
Process data in the United States

Cloudflare

We use Cloudflare for CDN, security, and analytics. Cloudflare may:

Process your IP address and browsing data
Store cookies for security and performance
Process data globally

Review Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance.

For significant changes, we’ll notify newsletter subscribers.

13. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you’re a California resident, you have additional rights under CCPA:

Right to know what personal information is collected
Right to delete personal information
Right to opt-out of sale of personal information (we don’t sell data)
Right to non-discrimination for exercising privacy rights

To exercise these rights, contact: [email protected]

If you’re in the EU/EEA, you have rights under GDPR:

Right to access, rectification, erasure, restriction
Right to data portability
Right to object to processing
Right to withdraw consent
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

Legal basis for processing:

Consent (for newsletters, analytics)
Legitimate interests (for affiliate tracking, site improvement)
Legal obligations (when required by law)

15. Data Retention

We retain information:

Analytics data: Typically 26 months (Clicky Analytics default)
Email addresses: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
Comments/submissions: Indefinitely unless you request deletion
Affiliate tracking cookies: 30-90 days (varies by program)

16. Contact Information

For privacy-related questions, requests, or complaints:

Search Ventures Pty Ltd Email: [email protected] Website: websiterating.com

Australian Privacy Commissioner: Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC) Website: www.oaic.gov.au Phone: 1300 363 992

The Bottom Line

We collect basic data to run the site and track affiliate sales. We don’t sell your data or do anything shady with it. You can request deletion anytime. We’re bound by Australian privacy law.

Questions? Email [email protected]