Privacy Policy

The Odyssey Companion is an independent, unofficial literary guide to Homer's Odyssey. This page explains what data we collect when you use the site, why we collect it, and what choices you have. We have tried to write it the way we write everything else here: plainly.

Who is responsible

This site is operated by the publisher of The Odyssey Companion (see the About page). For any privacy question or request, contact us at hello@odysseycompanion.com.

What we collect

We collect three kinds of data, and only three.

Your email address, if you choose to give it. When email delivery is active, your email is stored by our email service provider, not on this site. We use your email to send the content you signed up for and occasional updates about our own guides - nothing else. Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link, and unsubscribing takes effect immediately.

Usage analytics and campaign measurement. We use Google Ads measurement, Vercel analytics, and may use Google Analytics or a similar service to understand which pages are read, roughly where visitors come from, whether ads or organic posts lead to purchases, and whether the site works well. This measurement runs by default when you use the site; if you prefer not to be measured, use your browser's tracking protection, a content blocker, or Google's ad-settings opt-outs - the site works fully without measurement. Analytics data is retained for a limited period configured in the analytics settings, then deleted.

Purchase information, handled by our checkout provider. Paid products are sold through Gumroad or the checkout provider named at checkout. When you buy something, the transaction happens on their systems under their privacy policy: they process your payment, handle applicable taxes where required, and store your payment details. We never see or store your card number. We receive only what we need to deliver your purchase - typically your email address, a record of what you bought, and, for the shirt bundle, the fit, size, and shipping details needed to fulfill the physical add-on.

Local storage on your device

If you arrive here from a link with campaign parameters (UTM tags), we store those parameters in your browser's localStorage so that, if you later buy something, we can tell which page or channel brought you here. This data stays in your browser, is not used to track you across other websites, and you can clear it at any time through your browser settings.

Cookies

Google services may set cookies or receive consent-mode signals for analytics, ad measurement, and ad optimization. We do not show a cookie banner: measurement is on by default, and you can block it at any time with browser tracking protection or a content blocker without losing any site functionality. Our checkout provider may set cookies on its own checkout pages.

What we never do

We do not sell your personal data. We do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not buy data about you from anyone. We share data only with the service providers described above (email provider, analytics, merchant of record), each of which processes it to provide their service to us, and with authorities where the law genuinely requires it.

Your rights

If you are in the EEA, UK, or a jurisdiction with similar rules (GDPR): you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to correct it, to have it deleted, to receive a copy in a portable format, to restrict or object to certain processing, and to withdraw consent at any time (for example, by unsubscribing). Our legal bases are consent (for email) and legitimate interests (for analytics and site security). You may also lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority.

If you are a California resident (CCPA/CPRA): you have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request its deletion or correction, and to opt out of sale or sharing. As stated above, we do not sell or share your personal information as those terms are defined in the CCPA. We will never treat you differently for exercising your rights.

To exercise any of these rights, email us at the address above. We will respond within the timelines the applicable law requires.

Data retention and transfers

When email delivery is active, we keep your email address until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete it. Purchase records are retained by the merchant of record under its own policy, and by us only as long as tax and accounting law requires. Our service providers may process data in the United States or other countries; where they do, transfers rely on recognized safeguards such as standard contractual clauses.

Children

This site is written for adult readers and is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children.

Changes to this policy

If we change this policy, we will update the date at the top of this page. Material changes to how we handle email subscriptions will be announced by email before they take effect.

Related pages: Disclaimer - Terms - About