Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 25, 2025

This Privacy Policy describes how Board Game Review ("Company", "we", "our", or "us") collects, uses, and shares information when you visit or use our website www.boardgamereview.online (the "Service"). It explains your privacy rights and how applicable privacy laws—including the EU/UK General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), and other U.S. privacy laws—protect you.

By using our Service, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

Personal Data You Provide

We may collect information that personally identifies you, such as your name, email address, or any details you voluntarily provide when you contact us (e.g., via email or forms).

User-Submitted Reviews

When you submit a review on our website, we collect:

  • Required information: Your name (displayed publicly), email address (never displayed publicly, used only for moderation contact and optional newsletter), review content, rating, and optional pros/cons lists.
  • Anti-spam data: A privacy-friendly hash of your IP address (not the actual IP), browser fingerprint hash, and user agent string. These are used solely to prevent spam and abuse, and cannot be used to identify you personally.
  • Moderation status: Your review is held for moderation before publication to ensure quality and prevent spam.

We retain this data to display approved reviews on our website and to maintain moderation records. Your email address is never sold, shared, or displayed publicly—it is used only to contact you if there are questions about your review, and with your consent, to send you our newsletter.

Newsletter Subscriptions

If you subscribe to our newsletter (either through a dedicated subscription form or by opting in when submitting a review), we collect and store:

  • Email address: Used to send you periodic newsletters containing board game reviews, articles, recommendations, and other content related to our website.
  • Name (optional): If provided, used to personalize newsletter communications.
  • Subscription preferences: Your communication preferences and topics of interest.
  • Engagement data: Information about which emails you open and links you click, used to improve our content and understand what interests our readers.

Newsletter subscriptions are entirely optional and based on your explicit consent. You can unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link included in every newsletter email, or by contacting us directly. We will not send you marketing emails unless you have opted in to receive them.

Usage Data

When you visit our website, we automatically collect information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, pages visited, time and date of your visit, and referring URLs. This information is used for analytics and improving our Service.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to personalize your experience, analyze traffic, and serve ads through Google AdSense. Some cookies are essential for the website to function, while others (analytics and advertising) are optional and require your consent under GDPR.

You can choose to accept or reject non-essential cookies using our cookie banner or by adjusting your browser settings.

2. Use of Your Information

We may use your information for the following purposes:

  • To operate, maintain, and improve the Service;
  • To personalize user experience and analyze how the Service is used;
  • To respond to user inquiries or requests;
  • To moderate and publish user-submitted reviews;
  • To verify email ownership when submitting reviews;
  • To serve advertisements through Google AdSense based on interests and browsing behavior;
  • To comply with legal obligations and enforce our policies;
  • With your explicit consent, to send newsletters, promotional updates, and content recommendations related to board games;
  • To analyze newsletter engagement and improve our content offerings.

3. Google AdSense and Advertising

We use Google AdSense to display ads on our website. Google uses cookies and other technologies to serve personalized ads based on your visits to this and other websites. You can learn more about how Google uses your data here: https://policies.google.com/technologies/ads.

You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google’s Ad Settings page: https://adssettings.google.com/.

Under GDPR, personalized advertising is based on consent. You can withdraw your consent to AdSense cookies at any time via our cookie preferences link.

4. Legal Bases for Processing (GDPR)

We process personal data under one or more of the following legal bases:

  • Consent – for analytics, advertising, and newsletter subscriptions. You have the right to withdraw your newsletter consent at any time by unsubscribing.
  • Legitimate interest – to maintain and secure the website, prevent spam and abuse, moderate user-submitted content, and understand usage trends.
  • Contract performance – to fulfill our agreement to publish your review when you submit one.
  • Legal obligation – when processing is required by law.

5. Your Rights

EU and UK Visitors (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, you have the following rights:

  • Access the personal data we hold about you;
  • Request correction or deletion (“right to be forgotten”);
  • Withdraw consent at any time;
  • Object to processing or request restriction of processing;
  • Request data portability;
  • Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

California Residents (CCPA / CPRA)

If you reside in California, you have the right to:

  • Know what personal information we collect, use, and share;
  • Request deletion of your personal information;
  • Opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of your information (we do not sell data, but ads may qualify as “sharing” under CCPA);
  • Access and correct your data;
  • Not be discriminated against for exercising privacy rights.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at boardgamereview.online@gmail.com.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to provide the Service, comply with legal obligations, or resolve disputes. Specific retention periods:

  • Usage data for analytics: Up to 14 months
  • Approved user reviews: Indefinitely (as published content on our website)
  • Rejected/spam reviews: Up to 90 days (for anti-spam pattern analysis)
  • Anti-spam hashes (IP/fingerprint): Up to 30 days after review submission
  • Email verification codes: Up to 7 days after creation (automatically cleaned up)
  • Newsletter subscriber data: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion

You may request deletion of your approved review or unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by contacting us at boardgamereview.online@gmail.com, or by using the unsubscribe link in any newsletter email.

7. Data Sharing

We may share your data with:

  • Service providers (e.g., hosting, analytics, advertising);
  • Legal authorities, if required by law;
  • Business successors in the event of a merger or transfer.

We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties.

8. International Data Transfers

If you access the Service from outside the United States, please note that your data may be transferred to and processed in the U.S. We ensure that transfers comply with GDPR-approved safeguards (such as Standard Contractual Clauses).

9. Security

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your personal data. However, no system is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Service is not intended for children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If we become aware that a child has provided us with personal data, we will delete it promptly.

11. Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to external sites not operated by us. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Updates will be posted on this page with a new “Last updated” date. If changes are significant, we may also notify you via a notice on our homepage.

13. Contact Us

If you have any questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, please contact us: