1. Introduction
FAGT Blog (https://fagt.blog/) values your trust and is committed to protecting your privacy. FAGT Blog is an independent online publication focused on gear testing, outdoor content, firearms, and product reviews, operated by the Free Association of Gear Testers.
This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit or interact with our website. By accessing or using FAGT Blog, you agree to the terms outlined in this policy.
2. Data Collected
Data Storage Location
FAGT Blog is operated from Germany. Our website and data are hosted on secure servers located within the European Union. We work with reputable hosting providers that comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).
Registration Data
If you register on our website, we store your chosen username, email address, and any additional personal information added to your user profile. You can view, edit, or delete your personal information at any time (except changing your username). Website administrators may also access and manage this information for maintenance and support purposes.
Purchase Data
FAGT Blog does not sell products directly through this website. Therefore, we do not collect or store payment or purchase-related data. If you are redirected to third-party platforms or affiliate links, those services are responsible for handling your purchase information according to their own privacy policies.
Support Data
If you contact us for support or inquiries, we collect only the information you voluntarily provide (such as your name, email address, and message content). This data is used solely to respond to your request and provide assistance. We do not use this data for marketing purposes.
Comments
When you leave comments on the website, we collect the data shown in the comments form, as well as your IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection and website security.
Contact Form
Information submitted through the contact form on our site is sent to our official email inbox and is used only for customer service and communication purposes. These submissions are not used for marketing and are not sold or shared with third parties.
Analytics Data
We use analytics tools (such as Google Analytics or similar services) to understand how visitors use our website. These tools may collect anonymous information such as pages visited, time spent on the site, and general geographic location. This data does not personally identify you.
If you prefer, you can disable analytics tracking through your browser settings or by using available opt-out tools.
Cases for Using the Personal Data
We use your personal information in the following cases:
Verification and identification of users during website usage;
Providing technical support and responding to inquiries;
Improving website functionality, content, and user experience;
Monitoring website activity to prevent fraud, abuse, or security issues;
Ensuring the overall performance and proper administration of the website;
Communicating important updates related to the website when necessary.
3. Embedded Content
Pages on this site may include embedded content (for example, videos, images, or social media feeds). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if you visited those websites directly.
These third-party websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional tracking technologies, and monitor your interaction with their content. This may include tracking your interaction if you have an account and are logged in to those services.
Below is a list of the services we may use:
We may display content from Facebook (such as posts or page feeds). Facebook may collect data about your interaction with this content in accordance with its own privacy and cookie policies.
Your data will only be shared with Facebook after you provide consent (where required). For more information, please refer to: Facebook Privacy Policy.
Twitter (X)
We may display content from Twitter (X), such as embedded posts or timelines. Twitter (X) may collect data about your interaction with this content according to its own privacy practices.
Your data will only be shared with Twitter (X) after you provide consent (where required). For more information, please refer to: Twitter Privacy Policy.
YouTube
We may embed videos from YouTube on our website. When you interact with embedded YouTube content, YouTube may collect data about you and your activity.
Where possible, we use privacy-enhanced modes to limit data collection. Your data will only be shared with YouTube after you provide consent (where required). For more information, please refer to: YouTube Privacy Policy.
4. Cookies
This site uses cookies — small text files that are stored on your device — to improve your browsing experience, ensure website functionality, and analyze site usage.
Cookies may be used to:
- Store user preferences
- Enable core website functionality
- Improve performance and security
- Provide anonymized analytics data
Where required by law, we will request your consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can manage or withdraw your consent at any time through your browser settings or cookie preferences.
You may also disable cookies entirely through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of this website.
Necessary Cookies (all site visitors)
These cookies are essential for the proper functioning and security of the website and cannot be disabled.
cf_clearance / security cookies: Used by our content delivery network (e.g., Cloudflare) to identify trusted traffic and protect the website from malicious activity.
PHPSESSID: Used to identify your unique session on the website and maintain functionality.
Necessary Cookies (Additional for Logged-in Users)
These cookies are required for user authentication and account functionality.
wp-auth: Used by WordPress to authenticate logged-in users and maintain secure sessions.
wordpress_logged_in_{hash}: Identifies logged-in users and maintains login status.
wordpress_test_cookie: Used by WordPress to check if cookies are enabled in your browser.
wp-settings-[UID]: Stores user preferences for the WordPress admin interface.
wp-settings-{time}-[UID]: Stores additional user interface settings and preferences.
5. Who Has Access To Your Data
If you are not a registered client for our site, there is no personal information we can retain or view regarding yourself.
If you are a client with a registered account, your personal information can be accessed by:
- Our system administrators.
- Our supporters when they (in order to provide support) need to get the information about the client accounts and access.
6. Third Party Access to Your Data
We do not sell, trade, or share your personal data with third parties in a way that reveals your personal information (such as your name or email address), except where it is necessary to provide website functionality, comply with legal obligations, or operate essential services.
Below are the limited cases where third-party services may process data:
Hosting & Infrastructure Providers
Our website is hosted by third-party service providers within the European Union. These providers may process technical data (such as IP addresses and server logs) strictly for the purpose of maintaining website performance, security, and availability.
Analytics Providers
We may use analytics services (such as Google Analytics or similar tools) to understand how visitors interact with our website. These services may collect anonymized usage data, such as pages visited and time spent on the site. This information is used solely to improve our website and does not directly identify users.
Content & Embedded Services
Embedded content (such as videos or social media feeds from platforms like YouTube, Facebook, or Twitter/X) may collect data about your interaction with that content. These third-party services operate under their own privacy policies and may process your data independently.
Email & Communication Services
If you contact us, your information may be processed through our email service providers for the sole purpose of responding to your inquiry. These providers are required to handle your data securely and in accordance with applicable data protection laws.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information to third parties if required to do so by law, regulation, or legal process, or if we believe such action is necessary to protect our rights, users, or the public.
7. How Long We Retain Your Data For
When you submit a support ticket or a comment, its metadata is retained until (if) you tell us to remove it. We use this data so that we can recognize you and approve your comments automatically instead of holding them for moderation.
If you register on our website, we also store the personal information you provide in your user profile. You can see, edit, or delete your personal information at any time (except changing your username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
8. Security Measures
We use the SSL/HTTPS protocol throughout our site. This encrypts our user communications with the servers so that personally identifiable information is not captured/hijacked by third parties without authorization.
In case of a data breach, system administrators will immediately take all needed steps to ensure system integrity, will contact affected users and will attempt to reset passwords if needed.
9. Your Data Rights
General Rights
If you have a registered account on this website or have left comments, you can request an exported file of the personal data we retain, including any additional data you have provided to us.
You can also request that we erase any of the personal data we have stored. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes. In short, we cannot erase data that is vital to you being an active customer (i.e. basic account information like an email address).
If you wish that all of your data is erased, we will no longer be able to offer any support or other product-related services to you.
GDPR Rights
Your privacy is critically important to us. Going forward with the GDPR we aim to support the GDPR standard. AncoraThemes permits residents of the European Union to use its Service. Therefore, it is the intent of AncoraThemes to comply with the European General Data Protection Regulation. For more details please see here: EU GDPR Information Portal.
10. Third Party Websites
FAGT Blog may contain links to third-party websites, services, or external resources. These websites are not operated or controlled by us, and we are not responsible for their content, privacy practices, or security.
When you click on a third-party link, you will be redirected to that external website. We encourage you to review the privacy policy and terms of service of every website you visit, as their practices may differ from ours.
Social media sharing links (such as buttons or icons) do not connect you to third-party services unless you actively click on them. Once you do so, those services may collect data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
This Privacy Policy applies only to FAGT Blog and does not create rights enforceable by third parties. We are not responsible for the collection, use, or disclosure of your information by any third-party websites, advertisers, or services linked from our site.
11. Release of Your Data for Legal Purposes
We may disclose your personal information when required to do so by law or when we believe, in good faith, that such action is necessary to:
- Comply with a legal obligation, court order, or government request
- Protect and defend our rights, property, or legal interests
- Prevent or investigate potential wrongdoing, fraud, or security issues
- Protect the safety of users, the public, or our website
Where appropriate and legally permitted, we may inform you if your personal data is subject to a legal request.
Any disclosure of personal data will be carried out in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, including data protection laws in your jurisdiction.