What we collect
- Newsletter signups: name, email, county, area of interest, optional message, plus the IP address and browser user-agent at the moment of submission.
- Spot submissions: name, email, spot details (name, county, GPS, type, amenities, photo URL, description), plus IP and user-agent.
- Site analytics: aggregated, anonymised pageview data via our self-hosted Matomo install at mana.ie/stats. Matomo is configured to anonymise IP addresses and respect Do Not Track. We do not use Google Analytics, Meta Pixel, or any third-party analytics.
Why we collect it
- Newsletter data is used only to send you the Sunday newsletter you signed up for, and to reply to any optional message.
- Spot submissions are used to vet the spot, decide whether to publish it, and credit you if we do (first name + county only, never your email).
- Analytics data is used to understand which articles are useful, which aren't, and what's worth writing more of.
Who we share it with
- Nobody, by default. We don't sell, rent, or pass on your data.
- Our Irish hosting provider, to the extent of standard server logs.
- If we ever introduce a third-party email-newsletter platform (e.g. Buttondown, Mailerlite), we'll update this page first and your existing data won't move without your consent.
How long we keep it
- Newsletter signups: kept until you unsubscribe (one click in every email). Data is then purged within 14 days.
- Spot submissions: kept for 24 months for follow-up and dispute resolution, then purged.
- Analytics: aggregated indefinitely; individual session data is auto-purged after 90 days.
Your rights under GDPR
You have the right to access, correct, delete or export the personal data we hold about you, and to object to our processing of it. Email hello@vanlife.ie with your request. We will respond within 30 days.
If you believe we are mishandling your data, you can complain to the Data Protection Commission of Ireland: dataprotection.ie.
Affiliate links and your privacy
When you click an affiliate link on vanlife.ie, the destination retailer (Amazon, Bunk, Indie via Awin, Roadsurfer via CJ) sets their own cookies on their domain to track the referral and credit us with commission if you buy. We don't see your purchase details, only an aggregated commission report. The retailer's privacy policy applies once you're on their site.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy materially, we'll update the "last updated" date and email everyone whose data we still hold about the change.