GEARS FOR BETTER

Privacy Policy

Last Updated:

Gears for Better (the "Site") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and protect it.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following information:

1.1 Web Analytics Data (Cloudflare Pages Analytics)

To improve site performance and optimize user experience, we use Cloudflare Pages Analytics. Cloudflare collects and processes the following data:

  • IP address (anonymized or hashed)
  • Browser type and version
  • Pages visited and timestamps
  • Referrer URL (which site you came from)

Cloudflare Web Analytics is a privacy-first analytics tool that does not use cookies and does not collect personally identifiable information.

1.2 Donations

This site is supported by its readers. If you choose to support us through external platforms such as Ko-fi, their privacy policy will apply. We do not directly collect personal information related to your donation.

1.3 Contact Form

If you use our contact form, we will collect information such as your name, email address, and message content.

2. Purpose of Data Use

The collected information is used for the following purposes:

  • Improving site performance and optimizing user experience
  • Analyzing site usage statistics
  • Responding to inquiries

3. Legal Basis for Data Processing (GDPR)

Under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), we process data based on the following legal bases:

  • Legitimate Interest: Processing analytics data for site improvement.
  • Consent: Where you provide explicit consent for a specific purpose, such as submitting a contact form.

4. Data Sharing and Third Parties

We use the following third-party services:

4.1 Cloudflare, Inc. (Web Analytics & Hosting)

5. Non-Use of Cookies

This site does not use any cookies. For site performance analysis, we use Cloudflare Web Analytics, which does not use cookies.

6. International Data Transfers

Data on this site is processed through Cloudflare's servers. Cloudflare uses data centers in the United States and the EU. For data transfers outside the EU, appropriate safeguards are in place based on GDPR-compliant Standard Contractual Clauses (SCC).

7. Data Retention Period

  • Analytics Data: Retained according to Cloudflare's retention policy
  • Contact Data: Retained for a reasonable period after inquiry resolution

8. Your Rights

8.1 EU/EEA Users (GDPR)

EU/EEA residents have the following rights:

  • Right of Access: Request access to your personal data
  • Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
  • Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): Request deletion of your data
  • Right to Restriction of Processing: Request restriction of data processing
  • Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data
  • Right to Object: Object to data processing
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent for consent-based processing

8.2 California Residents (CCPA/CPRA)

California residents have the following rights:

  • Right to Know: Know what personal information is collected and for what purpose
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information
  • Right to Opt-Out of Sale/Sharing: Stop the sale or sharing of personal information
  • Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

8.3 Japan Users (APPI)

Japan residents have the following rights:

  • Right to Disclosure: Request disclosure of retained personal data
  • Right to Correction, Addition, Deletion: Request correction, addition, or deletion of retained personal data
  • Right to Suspension of Use or Deletion: Request suspension or deletion of retained personal data
  • Right to Stop Third-Party Provision: Request cessation of provision to third parties

9. How to Exercise Your Rights

To exercise the above rights, please contact us through:

We will respond to your request within 30 days.

10. Children's Privacy

This site is not intended for children under 16 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

11. Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated due to regulatory changes or site functionality changes. We will notify you of significant changes on this site. Changes become effective when posted on this page.

12. Contact Us

For questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us:

We will respond to inquiries within 30 days.

13. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of Japan. We strive to respect major privacy regulations, including the EU's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA). If the law in your jurisdiction provides you with additional rights, we will make a good-faith effort to honor them.