Last updated: October 24, 2026

This website collects limited information to run the site and to see what people read. This page covers what that is, who else receives it, and what you can do about it.

Hosting

This site is hosted on Firebase Hosting, which Google runs. Like any web host, it receives your IP address, browser details and the address of each page you request. Google says Firebase Hosting keeps IP data for a few months.

Analytics

We use two analytics tools to see what people read and to track how far the site reaches. Daily counts from both are kept in a private dashboard.

Google Analytics may collect the page address (including any query string), the page title, the page that referred you, time spent on pages, browser and device information, and general location (city/region). It may also record scrolling and the links you click to leave the site. Google also receives your IP address. Google says it uses it for things like working out that location, and discards it after use. Google Analytics sets two cookies, _ga and _ga_<id>, when a page loads, without a consent prompt. They hold a random ID so it can recognize return visits. Google lists them as lasting up to 2 years, and your browser may shorten that. We have switched off Google signals and ad personalization, so Google does not use these visits to personalize ads.

Umami is a cookieless analytics tool we run ourselves (its address is stats.nyghtowl.com), so no analytics company holds its data. For each page view it receives the full page address (including any query string), the page title, the page that referred you, your screen size and your browser language. Your IP address and browser details reach it too, through Cloudflare, which sits in front of it. Umami turns those into rough location, browser, operating system and device type. Instead of your IP address, it keeps a one-way scrambled visitor ID made from your IP address and browser, which changes at least once a month. Umami itself sets no cookies and stores nothing in your browser.

How long it is kept. Google Analytics deletes detailed visit data after 14 months at most and keeps summary reports. Umami keeps its visit records until we delete them. The dashboard keeps only totals, such as daily page views, and nothing about individual visitors.

Your Choices

  • Blocking cookies stops Google Analytics from recognizing you across visits, but it still counts the page view. A tracker blocker usually stops it entirely, and so does Google’s opt-out browser add-on.
  • Umami uses no cookies, so blocking cookies does not affect it, and not every tracker blocker catches it. To stop it, block stats.nyghtowl.com, or run localStorage.setItem('umami.disabled', 1) in your browser console while on this site.
  • This site does not respond to Do Not Track signals today.

YouTube

Some pages show video thumbnails hosted by YouTube. When those images load, YouTube’s servers receive your IP address and browser details, as with any image request.

This site embeds videos with YouTube’s player, one of the YouTube API Services. It uses privacy-enhanced mode (youtube-nocookie.com), and the player loads only after you press play. Once it loads, YouTube and Google receive your IP address, browser details and viewing activity, and the player may store data in your browser. If your browser allows third-party cookies, any Google or YouTube cookies it already holds may be sent too. YouTube says views in this mode are not used to personalize your YouTube experience, and any ads shown in the player are non-personalized. By playing a video, you agree to YouTube’s Terms of Service. The Google Privacy Policy also applies.

Browser Storage

If you use the light/dark toggle, the site remembers your choice in your browser’s local storage. It never leaves your browser. Apart from the Google Analytics cookies above, this site sets no cookies.

Payments

The “Contribute to the chaos” link on the Tech Stuff page goes to a payment page hosted by Stripe. This site sends nothing to Stripe. If you follow the link, you give your details to Stripe on its own page. If you pay, Stripe shares the payment details with us, including your email address and the amount, so we can see your contribution. We never see your full card number. Stripe collects and processes personal and payment information in accordance with its own privacy policy.

Links to other sites, such as GitHub, LinkedIn or Substack, load nothing until you click them. Once you leave this site, that site’s own privacy policy applies.

Who Receives Data

We do not sell personal information. These services receive data when you use this site:

  • Google: hosting (Firebase Hosting), Google Analytics, and email sent to info@nyghtowl.com
  • Cloudflare: the Umami analytics request on every page view, and email sent to info@nyghtowl.com
  • YouTube (part of Google): video thumbnails, and the player once you press play
  • Stripe: only if you follow the payment link

We may also share information when required by law.

Contact

If you email us, we receive your email address and anything you choose to include. Email to info@nyghtowl.com is handled by our email providers, Cloudflare and Google.

For questions about this policy, contact: info@nyghtowl.com