Gary's IT Blog

Privacy Policy

  1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy explains how we process personal data when you visit and use this website.

We take the protection of your personal data very seriously. We process your data in accordance with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable data protection laws.

This website is primarily aimed at an international audience. However, as the operator is established in the European Union, the GDPR applies to all processing activities on this site, regardless of where visitors are located.

  1. Controller

The controller responsible for data processing on this website is:

Email: regexreggae[at]gmail.com

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or data protection in general, you can contact us at the email address above.

  1. Hosting and server log files

This website is hosted by:

Hostinger International Ltd
61 Lordou Vironos Street
6023 Larnaca
Cyprus

We have concluded a data processing agreement with Hostinger in accordance with Article 28 GDPR. Under this agreement, Hostinger processes personal data only on our documented instructions and in compliance with applicable data protection laws.

When you access our website, the web server automatically logs certain information, including:

  • IP address of the requesting device
  • Date and time of access
  • Visited pages and files
  • Referrer URL (the page you came from)
  • Browser type and version
  • Operating system and similar technical information

These log files are processed for the following purposes:

  • Ensuring the proper operation of the server and the website
  • Ensuring IT security and detecting misuse
  • Statistical evaluation of access (in aggregated form)

The legal basis for this data processing is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to operate a secure and technically stable website.

Log files are usually stored for a short period only and are automatically deleted unless a longer storage is required for evidence purposes (e.g. in case of security incidents).

  1. Contacting us

If you contact us by email or via a contact form (if provided), we process the data you provide (such as your name, email address, and the content of your message) in order to handle your request.

The legal basis for this processing is Article 6(1)(b) GDPR if your request relates to a (potential) contractual relationship, and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR in all other cases. Our legitimate interest is to respond to your enquiry.

We store your messages only for as long as necessary to process your enquiry and in accordance with statutory retention periods, if applicable.

  1. Comments and user-generated content

If you can leave comments or other content on this website (for example on blog posts), we will process the data you submit, including:

  • Comment text
  • Display name (e.g. nickname)
  • Email address (not publicly displayed)
  • IP address at the time of submission
  • Date and time of the comment

We use this data to publish your comment on the website and to protect against misuse (for example, to detect spam or illegal content).

The legal basis is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to operate an interactive blog and to protect our services from misuse.

Comments may be stored for as long as they are publicly visible on the website, unless you ask for deletion or there are overriding legal retention obligations.

  1. Cookies and consent management

6.1 Cookies and similar technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies (such as local storage) to operate our website and to provide certain functionalities. Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device by your browser.

We distinguish between:

  • Essential cookies: These are required for the basic operation of the website (e.g. to save your privacy settings or to enable security-related functions). Without them, the website may not function properly.
  • Non-essential cookies (e.g. for analytics or marketing): These are only used if you have given your consent.

The legal basis for the use of essential cookies is Article 6(1)(f) GDPR. Our legitimate interest is to provide a technically stable and user-friendly website.

The legal basis for non-essential cookies (in particular analytics cookies) is your consent under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR and, where applicable, Article 25 of the German TTDSG.

6.2 Consent management with Complianz

We use the Complianz – GDPR/CCPA Cookie Consent plugin by Complianz B.V., the Netherlands, as our consent management platform (CMP). This tool displays a cookie banner when you first visit our website and allows you to:

  • Consent to the use of non-essential cookies (such as analytics cookies), or
  • Refuse such cookies or withdraw your consent at any time.

Complianz records your consent decision and sets a cookie to store it. This is necessary so that we do not ask for your consent again on every page view and so that we can prove consent, if required.

The legal basis for this processing is Article 6(1)(c) GDPR (compliance with legal obligations regarding consent documentation) and Article 6(1)(f) GDPR (our legitimate interest in legally compliant and user-friendly consent management).

Detailed information about the cookies used on this website and their storage duration is provided in our Cookie Policy, which is generated by Complianz and forms part of this Privacy Policy:

Cookie Policy

  1. Web analytics with Matomo

7.1 Purpose of processing

We use the open-source web analytics software Matomo to analyze the use of our website. This helps us to understand which content is interesting to our visitors, where users come from, and how we can improve our website.

Depending on the configuration, Matomo can operate with or without cookies. We use Matomo in combination with our Complianz consent system, so that analytics tracking only starts after you have actively consented to analytics cookies in the cookie banner.

7.2 Provider and hosting

Matomo is provided as a self-hosted installation on our own server.

We run Matomo on a server under our control. The analytics data are stored exclusively on servers located in Germany. Backups are stored on a server located in France.

7.3 Data processed

When Matomo is active, the following data may be processed:

  • Anonymised IP address of the user (only shortened IP is stored)
  • Date and time of the request
  • Title and URL of the pages visited
  • URL of the previously visited page (referrer)
  • Screen resolution
  • Clicks and scrolling behaviour
  • Files downloaded
  • Approximate location (country/region) based on the anonymised IP address
  • Browser information (type, version) and operating system
  • Language settings

We have configured Matomo so that IP addresses are shortened and stored only in pseudonymised form. We do not use Matomo to identify you personally or to combine the analytics data with other data sources.

7.4 Cookies and legal basis

Matomo may use first-party cookies to distinguish between returning visitors and to build statistics on user behaviour, depending on our configuration.

Because we use Matomo only after you have given your consent via the Complianz cookie banner, the legal basis for processing your data with Matomo is Article 6(1)(a) GDPR (consent).

You can withdraw your consent at any time with effect for the future by changing your settings in the cookie banner / cookie settings (usually accessible via the icon or link in the footer of this website).

7.5 Retention period

Analytics data in Matomo are stored only for as long as necessary for the purposes described above and are automatically deleted after a defined retention period.

We currently retain detailed analytics data for 12 months.

  1. Your rights under the GDPR

As a data subject, you have the following rights with regard to your personal data:

  • Right of access (Article 15 GDPR): You have the right to obtain confirmation as to whether we process personal data about you and, if so, information about these data.
  • Right to rectification (Article 16 GDPR): You have the right to have inaccurate data corrected and incomplete data completed.
  • Right to erasure (Article 17 GDPR): You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data, subject to certain conditions.
  • Right to restriction of processing (Article 18 GDPR): You can request that we restrict the processing of your data under certain circumstances.
  • Right to data portability (Article 20 GDPR): You may request to receive the data you have provided to us in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format, or to have it transmitted to another controller.
  • Right to object (Article 21 GDPR): If we process your data on the basis of legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f) GDPR), you have the right to object to such processing on grounds relating to your particular situation.
  • Right to withdraw consent (Article 7(3) GDPR): If data processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw this consent at any time with effect for the future.

You can exercise these rights by contacting us via the contact details specified in Section 2.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority, in particular in the Member State of your habitual residence, place of work or place of the alleged infringement. In Germany, the competent supervisory authorities are the data protection authorities of the federal states.

  1. Data security

We take appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, loss, misuse or destruction. These measures are regularly reviewed and adapted to the state of the art.

However, please note that data transmission over the internet (for example, when communicating by email) may have security vulnerabilities. Complete protection of data against access by third parties cannot be guaranteed.

  1. International data transfers

If, in the course of operating this website or using service providers (such as hosting providers or analytics tools), personal data are transferred to recipients outside the European Union (EU) or the European Economic Area (EEA), this is done only if an adequate level of data protection is ensured.

This may be guaranteed, for example, by:

  • An adequacy decision of the European Commission, or
  • Standard contractual clauses adopted by the European Commission, possibly combined with additional safeguards.
  1. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time, for example if our website or legal requirements change.

The current version is always available on this page. We recommend that you read this Privacy Policy regularly to stay informed about the processing of your personal data.

Last updated: November 17th, 2025