Privacy Policy

This policy explains what personal data Ordinary Websites collects, why we collect it, and what rights you have over it. We keep data collection to a minimum: in practice, the only personal data we ask for is your email address when you subscribe to our newsletter.

Who we are

Ordinary Websites (ordinarywebsites.com) is run by Paul Weatherall, a sole trader trading as PW Creative. For the purposes of data protection law (including the UK GDPR and EU GDPR), we are the data controller for the personal data described in this policy.

You can contact us about anything in this policy at [email protected].

What we collect

Newsletter subscribers

When you sign up for our newsletter, we collect:

• Your email address
• Your first name, if you choose to give it
• Sign-up details, such as the date and time you subscribed, the page you subscribed from, and confirmation that you opted in
• Engagement data, such as whether you opened an email and which links you clicked. Our email provider collects this automatically using tracking pixels and link tracking.

Website visitors

Browsing the site does not require you to give us any personal information. Our hosting and security provider automatically processes technical data such as your IP address, browser type and the pages you request, in order to deliver the site, keep it secure and protect it from abuse.

We use Google Analytics 4 to understand how the site is used, such as which pages are visited, roughly where visitors arrive from, and how people move through the gallery. Google Analytics sets cookies on your device and processes your IP address and device information. We only load it where you have given us permission to, and you can withdraw that permission at any time.

Featured websites

Ordinary Websites is a gallery of business websites. For each featured site we store the business name, website address, industry, the tools the site was built with, and a screenshot of the site's public homepage. This is business information rather than personal data, but if a listing includes something you would like removed, see Removal requests below.

How we use your data

We use newsletter subscriber data to:

• Send you the newsletter you signed up for (currently a weekly email of great websites)
• Send occasional updates about Ordinary Websites, such as new features or content
• Understand which content is useful, so we can improve the newsletter
• Keep a record of your consent and honour your unsubscribe requests

Newsletters may occasionally include sponsored content from companies relevant to web designers. We never share your email address with sponsors or advertisers.

We do not sell, rent or trade your personal data, and we do not use it for automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.

Our legal basis

• Consent for sending you the newsletter. You give this when you subscribe, and you can withdraw it at any time by unsubscribing.
• Consent for analytics cookies. These are only set if you agree to them, and you can change your mind at any time.
• Legitimate interests for keeping the website running and secure, and for keeping records that show we have honoured your consent and unsubscribe choices.

Who we share your data with

We use a small number of trusted service providers who process data on our behalf, under contracts that require them to protect it:

We may also disclose data if we are required to by law, or to protect our legal rights.

International transfers

Our service providers, including Google, may store or process your data outside the UK and the European Economic Area, including in the United States. Where this happens, we rely on appropriate safeguards such as the UK International Data Transfer Addendum, the EU Standard Contractual Clauses, or an adequacy decision.

How long we keep your data

• Newsletter subscribers: for as long as you remain subscribed. If you unsubscribe, we delete your details or keep only your email address on a suppression list, so we can make sure we never email you again.
• Inactive subscribers: we may periodically remove subscribers who have not opened any emails for an extended period.
• Analytics data: retained by Google Analytics for the period set in our account, after which it is deleted automatically.
• Technical and security logs: kept by our hosting provider for a limited period in line with its own retention policies.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct data that is inaccurate or incomplete
• Delete your data
• Restrict or object to how we process your data
• Data portability, meaning you can receive your data in a common format
• Withdraw consent at any time, without affecting anything we did before you withdrew it

The quickest way to stop receiving emails is the unsubscribe link at the bottom of every newsletter. For any other request, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within one month.

If you are unhappy with how we have handled your data, you have the right to complain to your local data protection authority. In the UK this is the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk). In the EU, you can contact the supervisory authority in the country where you live.

Removal requests

If you own a business featured on Ordinary Websites and would like your listing updated or removed, email us at [email protected] from an address associated with the business, and we will deal with it promptly.

Cookies

We do not use advertising cookies on this website. We use two kinds of cookie:

• Strictly necessary cookies, set by our hosting provider to protect the site from bots and abuse. These do not identify you personally and do not require your consent.
• Analytics cookies, set by Google Analytics 4 so we can see how the site is used. These are only set if you agree to them, and you can change or withdraw your choice at any time.

Children

Ordinary Websites is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 16. If you believe a child has subscribed, contact us and we will delete their details.

Security

We use reputable providers with strong security practices, encrypted connections (HTTPS) throughout the site, and we limit access to subscriber data to what is needed to run the newsletter. No system is completely secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your data.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date at the top. If we make significant changes, we will let subscribers know by email.

Contact

Questions about this policy or your data? Email [email protected].