Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy describes how Wander Atlas (“Wander Atlas,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and shares information when you visit www.wanderatlasblog.com (the “Site”). Wander Atlas is an independent online travel publication operated by Brian. We do not operate a public walk-in office. Privacy requests are handled by email at [email protected].
This notice is written for a real publication that may display Google advertising, use cookies, and receive messages through our contact form. It is not a template with blank company names, sample addresses, or “insert website here” placeholders.
1. Who is responsible for your data
Controller / operator: Wander Atlas, operated by Brian
Website: https://www.wanderatlasblog.com/
Email: [email protected]
If you contact us, Brian is the person who reads the inbox and decides how a request is handled.
2. Information we collect
Information you send us
If you email us or submit the contact form, we receive the name, email address, topic, and message you provide, plus any page URL or attachment you include. We use this only to reply, correct content, or handle a privacy request. We do not sell this information.
Information collected automatically
When you load the Site, servers and third parties may record technical data such as IP address, browser type, device type, language, referring URL, pages viewed, dates and times of visits, and approximate location derived from IP address. Hosting providers keep access logs to operate and secure the Site.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files stored on your device. We and our partners use cookies and similar technologies (pixels, local storage, advertising identifiers) as described in this policy and in our Cookie Policy.
3. How we use information
- To operate, maintain, and improve the Site
- To respond to inquiries and correction reports
- To measure how pages are used so we can fix broken links and weak guides
- To show advertising, including personalized ads where allowed
- To detect abuse, spam, and security incidents
- To comply with law and enforce our Terms of Use
Where data-protection law requires a legal basis, we rely on: (a) our legitimate interests in running an informational travel site and answering mail; (b) your consent, where we ask for it for non-essential cookies or personalized ads; (c) performance of a request you make (for example, answering your email); and (d) legal obligation where we must retain or disclose records.
4. Cookies
We use cookies in the following categories. Details and examples are in the Cookie Policy.
| Category | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly necessary | Load pages, remember cookie choices, keep forms working, security | Yes, for the Site to function |
| Preferences | Remember settings such as a cookie banner choice | No |
| Analytics | Understand aggregate traffic and popular guides | No |
| Advertising | Deliver, measure, and personalize ads, including Google ads | No |
You can delete or block cookies in your browser. Blocking advertising cookies may mean you still see ads, but they may be less relevant. Blocking strictly necessary cookies may break parts of the Site.
5. Google advertising and other third-party ads
Wander Atlas may display advertisements served by Google AdSense and other advertising partners. Those partners act as independent controllers for much of the data they collect through their tags.
Third party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites.
Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to this site and/or other sites on the Internet.
Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices.
Google may use information from this Site in accordance with Google’s Privacy Policy and the explanation at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services. Advertising cookies Google may use include, among others, cookies named NID, IDE (DoubleClick), and related conversion or frequency-capping cookies. Google and its partners may collect identifiers, IP address, user-agent, and page URL to select ads, limit how often you see an ad, and measure clicks and impressions.
We do not control every cookie set by an advertiser that wins an auction on a page. We do not ask readers to click ads. Content and ads are separate: advertising does not decide which destinations we cover or how we describe a rail link. See Advertising.
6. Analytics
We may use privacy-respecting or Google analytics tools to learn which guides are read. Analytics cookies are not required to read the articles. If Google Analytics is enabled, Google may process IP address and device data on our behalf under Google’s terms. You can limit Google Analytics with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on where available.
7. How we share information
We share information with:
- Hosting and infrastructure providers that store files and logs so the Site can load
- Email and form processors that deliver messages you send through the contact form to [email protected]
- Advertising partners, including Google, as described above
- Professional advisers or authorities if required by law or to protect the Site, our readers, or our rights
We do not sell your name or email from the contact form. We do not run a marketing list from that inbox. If advertising laws treat some cookie-based advertising as a “sale” or “sharing” of personal information, California residents can opt out as described in the “Your rights” section.
8. Retention
Contact emails are kept as long as needed to finish the conversation and keep a record of corrections or legal requests, then deleted or archived in the ordinary course of mailbox management. Server logs are kept for a limited security window set by the host. Advertising and analytics retention is controlled by those providers’ own policies.
9. Your data rights
Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights:
- Access — ask what personal data we hold about you
- Correction — ask us to fix inaccurate data
- Deletion — ask us to delete data we control (we cannot delete copies held solely by Google or your browser)
- Restriction or objection — object to certain processing, including processing based on legitimate interests
- Portability — receive a copy of data you provided, where technically feasible
- Withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, withdraw it without affecting prior lawful use
- Do not sell or share — California residents may opt out of sale or sharing of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, including via Google Ads Settings and industry opt-outs
- Non-discrimination — we will not deny the Site to you for exercising privacy rights
To exercise these rights, email [email protected] with the subject “Privacy request” and enough detail for us to find your data (for example, the email address you used on the form). We may need to verify your identity. You may also lodge a complaint with your local data-protection authority. European Economic Area, UK, and Swiss users may contact their supervisory authority; California users may contact the California Attorney General or the California Privacy Protection Agency.
We will respond within the time required by applicable law, generally within 30 days (or 45 days for certain California requests, with notice if we need more time).
10. International transfers
The Site is hosted on infrastructure that may be located outside your country, including the United States and other regions used by hosting and advertising providers. Google and other partners may process data globally. If you write to us from the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, you understand that your message will be received in the inbox we operate and may be stored on mail servers outside those regions.
11. Children
The Site is written for a general adult audience planning independent travel. It is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 where that is the relevant age). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child provided personal data, email us and we will delete it.
12. Security
We use HTTPS and standard hosting protections. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure. Do not send passport scans, payment card numbers, or other sensitive documents through the contact form.
13. Third-party links
Guides link to official transit operators, museums, and tourism boards. Their privacy practices are their own. Follow those links only when you need an official source.
14. Changes
We will update this policy when our practices or the law change. The “Last updated” date at the top will change. Material changes will be posted on this page.
15. Contact
Privacy and data-rights requests:
Wander Atlas (operated by Brian)
Email: [email protected]
Web: https://www.wanderatlasblog.com/contact.html
Related pages: Cookie Policy · Terms of Use · Disclaimer · Advertising