Privacy Policy
Last Updated: 16 July 2026
Effective Date: 16 July 2026
Welcome to The Guts Guide. We respect your privacy and are committed to handling your personal information responsibly, transparently, and in full accordance with applicable privacy laws. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect when you visit our website, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have over your own data.
Please read this document carefully. By continuing to use our website you acknowledge that you have read and understood the practices described here. If you disagree with any part of this policy, please stop using our website immediately.
Quick Summary — Key Privacy Points
- 📋 We collect limited information to improve our free educational content.
- 🍪 We use cookies for analytics, functionality, and advertising purposes.
- 🔒 We do not sell your personal information to third parties.
- 👶 Our website is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect their data.
- 🌍 We serve visitors worldwide and comply with GDPR, UK GDPR, CCPA/CPRA, and other applicable laws.
- ✉️ You may contact us at any time to exercise your privacy rights.
Table of Contents
- 5. Who We Are
- 6. Scope of This Privacy Policy
- 7. Information You Voluntarily Provide
- 8. Information Automatically Collected
- 9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
- 10. Types of Cookies We Use
- 11. How We Use Your Information
- 12. Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)
- 13. Google Analytics
- 14. Google Maps
- 15. Embedded YouTube Videos
- 16. Affiliate Links
- 17. Advertising Partners
- 18. Third-Party Service Providers
- 19. International Data Transfers
- 20. Data Retention
- 21. Security Measures
- 22. Children's Privacy
- 23. Your Privacy Rights
- 24. GDPR Rights (EEA & UK)
- 25. California Privacy Rights (CCPA/CPRA)
- 26. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
- 27. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
- 28. Marketing Communications
- 29. External Websites and Third-Party Links
- 30. Changes to This Privacy Policy
- 31. Contact Us
- 32. Privacy FAQs
5. Who We Are
The Guts Guide is a free, independent educational website that publishes plain-language troubleshooting guides, how-to articles, and explanatory blog posts covering printers, computer peripherals, home networking, Windows operating systems, and related consumer technology topics.
We exist to help everyday people understand and resolve technology problems without needing to contact expensive support lines or hire a technician. Every guide on this website is written for self-service educational use.
What we are not:
- We are not affiliated with, authorised by, or endorsed by any manufacturer, software company, or brand.
- We do not provide remote technical support or repair services.
- We do not sell hardware, software, subscriptions, or services.
- We are not an authorised service centre for any product.
For the purposes of applicable privacy laws, The Guts Guide acts as the data controller in relation to personal information collected through this website.
6. Scope of This Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors to the The Guts Guide website, including any sub-pages, blog posts, guides, and resources accessible through our domain. It covers:
- Personal information collected directly from you when you interact with our website.
- Information automatically collected by our servers, analytics tools, and advertising partners.
- Information shared with us by third-party services you connect to through our website.
This policy does not apply to third-party websites, services, or platforms that we may link to. Those services operate under their own independent privacy policies.
7. Information You Voluntarily Provide
You may choose to provide us with personal information in the following situations. Providing this information is always voluntary unless otherwise stated.
Contact Form
When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and the content of your message. We use this information solely to respond to your enquiry.
Newsletter Subscription
If you choose to subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and, optionally, your first name. Your email address is used solely to send you notifications when new articles and guides are published on The Guts Guide — we do not use it for any other purpose or share it with third parties for marketing. You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in every email we send, or by contacting us directly.
Email Communications
If you contact us directly by email, we retain a record of that correspondence, including your email address and any information you include in the message, for as long as necessary to handle your request.
Comments and Feedback
Where comment functionality is enabled on our website, we may collect your name, email address, and the content of your comment. We moderate comments before publication.
Survey Responses
We may occasionally run optional reader surveys. Responses are collected in aggregate and used to improve our content. Individual survey responses are not publicly disclosed.
8. Information Automatically Collected
When you visit our website, certain information is collected automatically by our servers and third-party analytics and advertising tools. This may include:
| Data Type | Examples | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| IP Address | Your internet connection's public IP | Security, fraud prevention, geographic analytics |
| Browser Information | Chrome 125, Safari 17, Firefox 126 | Compatibility optimisation |
| Device & OS | Windows 11, macOS Ventura, Android 14 | Responsive content delivery |
| Referring URL | The page you visited before arriving here | Understanding traffic sources |
| Pages Visited | Guide titles, article URLs, time on page | Content performance analytics |
| Date & Time | Timestamp of each page view | Traffic pattern analysis |
| Language Setting | en-GB, en-US, de, fr | Localisation of content and ads |
| Cookies & Identifiers | Cookie IDs, analytics client IDs | Session tracking, repeat visit recognition |
| Advertising Identifiers | Google Advertising ID, cookie-based IDs | Ad measurement and personalisation |
Most of this information is collected in aggregated or pseudonymised form and cannot directly identify you as an individual without additional steps.
9. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
Our website uses a range of tracking technologies to provide core functionality and to understand how visitors use our content. These technologies include:
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website you visit. Cookies allow us and our partners to recognise your browser on return visits, remember your preferences, and serve relevant content or advertisements.
Pixels and Tags
A pixel (or tracking pixel) is a tiny invisible image embedded in a page or email. When your browser loads the image, it sends information to the server that issued the pixel. We and our advertising partners may use pixels to measure whether you have viewed a page or interacted with an advertisement.
Local Storage and Session Storage
Some website features use your browser's local storage or session storage to save preferences or temporary data. Unlike cookies, this data is not automatically sent to our servers with each request.
Session Cookies vs Persistent Cookies
Session cookies are deleted when you close your browser. They are used for essential functions such as maintaining your navigation state during a visit. Persistent cookies remain on your device for a defined period or until you manually delete them. We use persistent cookies for analytics, advertising, and preference storage.
10. Types of Cookies We Use
| Category | Description | Examples | Can You Opt Out? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | Required for the website to function. Cannot be disabled without breaking core features. | Session state, navigation | No — essential |
| Functional | Remember your preferences such as dark mode, text size, or previously viewed guides. | Theme preference, sidebar state | Yes |
| Performance | Measure page load times and technical errors to help us improve site speed. | Core Web Vitals metrics | Yes |
| Analytics | Track which pages and guides are read, how long visitors stay, and what content is most useful. | Google Analytics (_ga, _gid) | Yes |
| Advertising | Used by advertising partners to serve relevant ads and measure ad performance. | Google Ads, display network IDs | Yes |
| Preference | Store non-essential preferences you have set, such as cookie consent choices. | Consent management cookie | Partial |
| Security | Help detect and prevent fraud, abuse, and bot traffic. | Cloudflare security token | No — essential |
11. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
Content Improvement
Analytics data helps us understand which troubleshooting guides are most read, which search terms bring visitors to our site, and where content gaps exist so we can publish guides that genuinely help our readers.
Website Security and Fraud Prevention
Server logs, IP addresses, and security cookies help us identify and block malicious traffic, prevent comment spam, and protect the integrity of our website.
Communication
Information you provide through our contact form or newsletter signup is used solely to respond to your enquiry or to send you the newsletter content you requested. We do not add you to mailing lists without your explicit consent.
Analytics and Performance Monitoring
We use Google Analytics and similar tools to monitor traffic patterns, page performance, and audience demographics in aggregate form. This helps us maintain a fast, reliable, and useful website.
Advertising
We display third-party advertisements to help fund our free educational content. Advertising partners may use cookies and other identifiers to serve ads relevant to your interests based on your browsing activity across the web.
Personalisation
Functional cookies may be used to remember preferences you have set, such as your display theme, so you do not have to reset them on every visit.
Legal Compliance
We may process and retain certain information where we have a legal obligation to do so, or where necessary to establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.
12. Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)
GDPR — For Visitors in the EEA and United Kingdom
| Legal Basis | When We Rely on It |
|---|---|
| Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) | Analytics cookies, advertising cookies, newsletter subscription, and other non-essential processing where we ask for and receive your consent. |
| Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) | Responding to a contact form submission or email enquiry where you are seeking information from us. |
| Legal Obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) | Retaining records where required by law, including responding to lawful requests from authorities. |
| Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f)) | Security monitoring, fraud prevention, and improving our website — where our interests do not override your rights and freedoms. |
13. Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC. Google Analytics uses cookies and similar technologies to collect and report on how visitors use our website. The data collected includes pages visited, time spent on each page, geographic location (at country/region level), device type, and traffic source.
Google may transfer and process this data in the United States and other countries. Google Analytics data is pseudonymised — it does not directly identify you by name or email address.
How to Opt Out of Google Analytics
- Install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On.
- Adjust your cookie preferences using our cookie consent tool.
- Enable "Do Not Track" in your browser (note: this is not universally honoured).
- Review Google's privacy policy at policies.google.com/privacy.
14. Google Maps
Some pages on our website may embed Google Maps content, provided by Google LLC. When a Google Maps embed loads in your browser, Google may set cookies and collect information including your IP address and location data. This processing is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
We embed maps only where they add genuine educational value to our content. If you prefer not to interact with embedded maps, you may close or ignore those elements without losing access to the rest of the page.
15. Embedded YouTube Videos
Some of our guides and blog posts include embedded YouTube videos hosted by Google LLC. We use YouTube's privacy-enhanced embed mode wherever possible, which means that YouTube does not set cookies on your device unless you choose to play the video.
Once you press play, YouTube may set cookies and collect data about your viewing activity in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy and YouTube's Terms of Service. We have no control over the data YouTube collects after you interact with an embedded video.
16. Affiliate Links
Some articles and guides on The Guts Guide contain affiliate links. If you click one of these links and make a qualifying purchase from the linked retailer, we may receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
Affiliate links are tracked using cookies placed by the relevant affiliate network. These cookies record that you arrived at a retailer's website via our link so that any commission can be correctly attributed. We do not receive your personal information from retailers as a result of affiliate tracking.
Affiliate relationships do not influence our editorial content. We only reference products and services that we believe are genuinely useful to our readers. All affiliate relationships are disclosed in accordance with FTC and ASA guidelines.
17. Advertising Partners
We display advertisements on our website to help fund the production of free educational content. These advertisements are served by third-party advertising networks, which may use cookies, pixels, and device identifiers to deliver ads relevant to your interests.
Interest-based advertising works by building a profile of your browsing behaviour across different websites over time. You can opt out of interest-based advertising at any time:
Contextual Advertising
18. Third-Party Service Providers
We work with a number of trusted third-party providers to deliver and improve our website. Each provider processes data only as necessary for their stated purpose and under appropriate legal safeguards.
| Service | Provider | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Google LLC | Website traffic analytics and audience measurement | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google Search Console | Google LLC | Search performance monitoring and indexing status | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google Maps | Google LLC | Embedded interactive maps within content | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google Fonts | Google LLC | Web font delivery for consistent typography | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Google Tag Manager | Google LLC | Tag management and script deployment | policies.google.com/privacy |
| YouTube | Google LLC | Embedded instructional video content | policies.google.com/privacy |
| Cloudflare | Cloudflare Inc. | CDN, DDoS protection, and security firewall | cloudflare.com/privacypolicy |
| Email Service Provider | Various | Newsletter delivery and email communication | Varies by provider |
| Affiliate Networks | Various | Affiliate link tracking and commission attribution | Varies by network |
| Ad Networks | Various | Display advertising delivery and measurement | Varies by network |
19. International Data Transfers
Notice for International Visitors
Where we transfer personal data outside the UK or EEA, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
- UK Adequacy Regulations or EU adequacy decisions.
- Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the UK ICO or the European Commission.
- Binding Corporate Rules adopted by the receiving organisation.
- Certification schemes such as the EU–US Data Privacy Framework.
Our use of Google services (Analytics, Maps, Fonts, YouTube) means data may be processed in the United States by Google LLC, which participates in the EU–US Data Privacy Framework and is subject to Standard Contractual Clauses.
20. Data Retention
We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose for which it was collected, or as required by applicable law.
| Data Type | Retention Period | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Contact form submissions | Up to 12 months | To handle and follow up on enquiries |
| Newsletter email addresses | Until you unsubscribe | Ongoing newsletter delivery |
| Server access logs | Up to 90 days | Security monitoring and incident response |
| Analytics data | Up to 26 months (default) | Traffic trend analysis |
| Comment records | Until deletion requested | Published moderated comments |
| Advertising identifiers | Per advertiser policy | Ad measurement and frequency capping |
| Legal records | Up to 7 years | Statutory accounting and legal compliance obligations |
When personal data is no longer required, we securely delete or anonymise it in a manner that makes re-identification impossible.
21. Security Measures
We take the security of your personal information seriously and apply a layered approach covering administrative, technical, and organisational controls.
Technical Measures
- Transport Layer Security (TLS/HTTPS) encryption for all website traffic.
- Cloudflare Web Application Firewall (WAF) and DDoS mitigation.
- Regular security patching of all website software and dependencies.
- Strict access controls limiting data access to authorised personnel only.
Administrative Measures
- Privacy-by-design approach when building or updating website features.
- Regular review of third-party data processor agreements.
- Documented incident response procedures.
Organisational Measures
- Minimal data collection — we only collect what is genuinely necessary.
- Pseudonymisation of analytics data where technically feasible.
- Periodic review of this Privacy Policy and associated practices.
No Method is 100% Secure
22. Children's Privacy
Children's Privacy — COPPA Compliance
Our website does not contain content specifically targeting children, and we do not knowingly use advertising networks configured to target users aged under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal data from a child, we will take immediate steps to delete it from our systems.
In jurisdictions where a higher age threshold applies (for example, age 16 in certain EEA member states), we apply the higher threshold for consent-based processing.
23. Your Privacy Rights
Regardless of where you are located, you have certain rights in relation to your personal information. The specific rights available to you depend on your location and applicable law — detailed breakdowns for EEA/UK and California residents follow in sections 24 and 25.
General rights that apply to all visitors include:
- The right to be informed about how we use your data (fulfilled by this policy).
- The right to withdraw consent for non-essential data processing at any time.
- The right to request deletion of personal data you have directly provided to us.
- The right to opt out of marketing communications at any time.
- The right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details in Section 31. We will respond to all legitimate requests within 30 days (or within any shorter period required by applicable law).
24. GDPR Rights (EEA and United Kingdom)
For Residents of the EEA and United Kingdom
| Right | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Right of Access (Art. 15) | Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you and information on how we use it. |
| Right to Rectification (Art. 16) | Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data. |
| Right to Erasure (Art. 17) | Request deletion of your personal data where there is no compelling reason for us to keep it. |
| Right to Restriction (Art. 18) | Ask us to pause processing of your data in certain circumstances, for example while a correction request is under review. |
| Right to Portability (Art. 20) | Receive a machine-readable copy of data you have provided to us and transfer it to another controller. |
| Right to Object (Art. 21) | Object to processing based on legitimate interests, including profiling for direct marketing purposes. |
| Right to Withdraw Consent (Art. 7) | Withdraw consent for any processing we conduct on that basis, at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing. |
| Right to Complain (Art. 77) | Lodge a complaint with your national supervisory authority — in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk. |
Requests to exercise GDPR rights should be sent to our privacy contact address listed in Section 31. We will verify your identity before processing any request and will respond within one calendar month.
25. California Privacy Rights (CCPA / CPRA)
For California Residents
Right to Know
You have the right to request disclosure of the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the purposes for which it is used, and the categories of third parties with whom it is shared.
Right to Delete
You have the right to request deletion of personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions (for example, where retention is required to complete a transaction or comply with a legal obligation).
Right to Correct
You have the right to request that we correct inaccurate personal information we maintain about you.
Right to Opt Out of Sale or Sharing
You have the right to direct us to stop selling or sharing your personal information with third parties for cross-context behavioural advertising. See Section 26 for details.
Right to Limit Use of Sensitive Personal Information
Where we process sensitive personal information (as defined by CPRA), you may request that we limit that processing to purposes permitted by law.
Right to Non-Discrimination
We will never discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA/CPRA rights. This means we will not deny you services, charge different prices, or provide a lower quality of service because you exercised a privacy right.
To submit a verifiable California privacy request, please contact us at the address in Section 31 or visit our dedicated Privacy Request page. We will acknowledge your request within 10 business days and fulfil it within 45 calendar days (extendable by a further 45 days where reasonably necessary).
26. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. However, under the broad CCPA/CPRA definition, sharing personal data with advertising partners for cross-context behavioural advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information.
If you wish to opt out of the sharing of your personal information with advertising partners for behavioural advertising purposes, you may:
- Submit a request via our Privacy Request page or by emailing our privacy contact address.
- Adjust your cookie preferences using our cookie consent tool to decline advertising cookies.
- Use a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal enabled in your browser, which we will honour.
Once a valid opt-out request is received, we will cease sharing your information with advertising partners for behavioural advertising as promptly as technically possible.
27. Managing Your Cookie Preferences
Cookie Consent Tool
When you first visit our website, a cookie consent banner provides you with the option to accept or decline non-essential cookies. You can revisit and change your preferences at any time by clicking the "Cookie Preferences" link in our website footer.
Browser Settings
All major browsers allow you to control cookies through your browser settings. You can block cookies entirely, delete existing cookies, or set your browser to notify you when a cookie is being placed. Please note that blocking essential cookies may prevent parts of our website from functioning correctly.
Browser cookie settings for common browsers:
- Google Chrome: Settings → Privacy and security → Cookies and other site data
- Mozilla Firefox: Settings → Privacy & Security → Cookies and Site Data
- Apple Safari: Preferences → Privacy → Manage Website Data
- Microsoft Edge: Settings → Cookies and site permissions → Cookies and site data
Withdrawal of Consent
You may withdraw your consent for cookie-based processing at any time. Withdrawing consent does not affect the lawfulness of processing carried out before withdrawal. To withdraw consent, update your preferences in our cookie consent tool or adjust your browser settings as described above.
28. Marketing Communications
We will only send you marketing communications (such as our newsletter) if you have explicitly opted in to receive them. We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act and the UK Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations (PECR).
Every marketing email we send will:
- Clearly identify The Guts Guide as the sender.
- Include an accurate subject line.
- Provide a clearly visible unsubscribe link.
- Include our postal address or contact information.
To unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time, click the unsubscribe link at the bottom of any email we have sent you, or contact us directly. We will process all unsubscribe requests promptly and within 10 business days at the latest.
29. External Websites and Third-Party Links
Our guides and blog posts regularly link to external websites, including manufacturer support pages, official software download pages, and other trusted resources. These external sites are not operated by us and are subject to their own independent privacy policies.
We are not responsible for the content, privacy practices, or data handling of any third-party website. We encourage you to read the privacy policy of any external website before submitting personal information to it.
A link from The Guts Guide to an external website does not constitute an endorsement of that site or any products or services it offers.
30. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We review this Privacy Policy periodically and will update it whenever our practices change or when required by changes in applicable law. Material changes will be notified by:
- Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page.
- Placing a notice on our homepage for a reasonable period following the change.
- Notifying newsletter subscribers by email where the changes are significant.
We encourage you to review this page periodically. Your continued use of our website following any update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Previous versions of this policy are available on request by contacting us at the address below.
31. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us using the details below.
Company: BKT SOLUTIONS LLC
Website: thegutsguide.com
Address: 14801 Panatela Pkwy, Little Rock, AR 72206, United States
Email:info@thegutsguide.com
For EEA residents: our supervisory authority is the relevant national data protection authority in your country of residence. For UK residents, the supervisory authority is the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) — ico.org.uk.
For California residents wishing to exercise CCPA/CPRA rights, you may also submit requests via our Privacy Request page or by emailing our privacy address above.
Related Legal Documents
This Privacy Policy should be read alongside the following documents:
- Disclaimer — limitations on the accuracy and reliability of our educational content.
- Cookie Policy — detailed information about the specific cookies we use (see Section 10 above).
- Affiliate Disclosure — how we earn commissions through affiliate links without compromising editorial integrity.
- Terms of Use — conditions governing your use of this website and its content.
- Editorial Policy — our standards for researching, writing, and maintaining guides.
32. Privacy FAQs
Does The Guts Guide sell my personal information?
No. We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. We may share data with advertising partners for interest-based advertising, and you can opt out of this at any time — see Section 26.
Do I need to create an account to use the website?
No. All troubleshooting guides and articles are available without creating an account or providing any personal information.
What happens if I subscribe to your newsletter and later change my mind?
You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email. We will remove your email address promptly and stop sending you communications.
How long does The Guts Guide keep my contact form data?
We retain contact form submissions for up to 12 months to allow us to follow up if needed. After that period, data is securely deleted.
Can I ask you to delete information you hold about me?
Yes. You can submit a deletion request by emailing info@thegutsguide.com. We will action your request within 30 days, subject to any legal obligations that require us to retain certain records.
Do you use Google Analytics?
Yes. We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use our website. The data is pseudonymised and used in aggregate. You can opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On or by declining analytics cookies in our consent tool.
What is a cookie and can I turn them off?
A cookie is a small file stored by your browser. You can control cookies through our cookie consent tool, your browser settings, or both. Note that disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality.
Is your website safe for children to use?
Our content is written for adults and is not specifically directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you are a parent and have concerns, please contact us immediately.
I am in the EU. Can I complain about how you handle my data?
Yes. You have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection authority in your EU member state. A list of national authorities is available on the European Data Protection Board website at edpb.europa.eu.
I am a California resident. How do I exercise my CCPA rights?
Email info@thegutsguide.com with the subject line "California Privacy Request". We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days. You may also use our Privacy Request page.
Do the ads on your website track me?
Advertising partners may use cookies and similar technologies to deliver interest-based ads. You can opt out of personalised advertising through our cookie consent tool or through industry opt-out tools listed in Section 17.
Do affiliate links affect my privacy?
When you click an affiliate link, the retailer and affiliate network may set a cookie to track that the visit originated from our website. We do not receive your personal details from the retailer as a result of this tracking.
What should I do if I think there has been a data breach?
Please contact us immediately at info@thegutsguide.com. We take security incidents seriously and will investigate and notify the appropriate authorities where required by law.
How often is this Privacy Policy updated?
We review our Privacy Policy at least annually, and whenever our practices change or laws require an update. The "Last Updated" date at the top of this page always reflects the most recent revision.
This Privacy Policy was last reviewed on 16 July 2026. The Guts Guide — Free Educational Printer Troubleshooting Guides. Not affiliated with any manufacturer or brand.