StevieTheWanderer

Privacy Policy

Last Updated and Effective: March 3, 2026

Introduction

StevieTheWanderer (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is operated by Stevie Crawford, based in Ontario, Canada. This website — steviethewanderer.com — is a Japan-focused travel cinematography and logistics resource featuring destination guides, cinematic video content, travel planning tools, and related editorial material.

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and what rights you have regarding your data. It applies to all visitors and users of steviethewanderer.com, regardless of where you are located.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data transparently. By using this website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this policy. If you disagree with any part of it, please discontinue use of the site.

Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Newsletter subscription: Your email address, submitted through our newsletter sign-up form. We use a double opt-in process, meaning you must confirm your subscription via a verification email before we add you to our mailing list.
Contact form submissions: Your name and email address, along with any message content you include when reaching out to us through the site’s contact form.

We do not collect payment information, passwords, government identification numbers, or other sensitive personal data through this website.

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit steviethewanderer.com, certain information is collected automatically through cookies, server logs, and analytics tools. This may include:

Device and browser information: Browser type and version, operating system, device type, screen resolution, and language preferences.
Usage data: Pages visited, time spent on pages, referring URLs, click patterns, and navigation paths through the site.
Network information: IP address (which may be anonymized depending on the service), approximate geographic location derived from IP address, and Internet Service Provider.
Cookie identifiers: Unique identifiers stored in cookies placed by our site and third-party services (detailed in the Cookies section below).

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. We use both first-party cookies (set by our site) and third-party cookies (set by external services). Below is a specific breakdown of the cookies active on this site.

WordPress and LiteSpeed Cache Cookies

Our site runs on WordPress, hosted by Hostinger, and uses LiteSpeed Cache for performance optimization. These cookies are essential for the site to function properly and include:

wordpress_logged_in_* — Identifies logged-in users (administrative use only; not set for regular visitors).
wordpress_test_cookie — Tests whether your browser accepts cookies.
wp-settings-* — Stores user interface preferences for logged-in administrators.
litespeed_* — Manages page caching to improve load times and site performance. These cookies do not track personal information.

Cloudflare Cookies

We use Cloudflare for DNS management, SSL encryption, and security services. Cloudflare may set the following cookies:

__cf_bm — A bot management cookie used to distinguish between humans and automated traffic. It expires after 30 minutes of inactivity.
__cfruid — Used for rate limiting to protect the site from abusive traffic.

These cookies are strictly necessary for security and do not track you across other websites.

Google Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site. Google Analytics sets the following cookies:

_ga — Distinguishes unique visitors. Expires after 2 years.
_ga_* — Maintains session state. Expires after 2 years.
_gid — Distinguishes unique visitors. Expires after 24 hours.
_gat — Throttles request rate. Expires after 1 minute.

Google Analytics collects data such as pages visited, session duration, bounce rate, approximate geographic location, and traffic source. This data is aggregated and used to improve site content and user experience. We do not use Google Analytics to identify individual visitors.

YouTube Cookies

Some pages on this site embed videos from YouTube (owned by Google). When you load a page containing a YouTube embed, YouTube may set cookies on your device, including:

VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE — Estimates bandwidth for video playback.
YSC — Tracks views of embedded videos per session.
GPS — Registers a unique ID on mobile devices for tracking.

These cookies are set by Google/YouTube and are governed by Google’s Privacy Policy. YouTube cookies are only loaded when you visit a page containing an embedded video.

How to Manage Cookies

You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:

View what cookies are stored and delete them individually or in bulk.
Block third-party cookies while allowing first-party cookies.
Block all cookies from specific sites.
Clear all cookies when you close your browser.

To opt out of Google Analytics specifically, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality or performance.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To deliver and improve our content: Analytics data helps us understand which destinations, guides, and cinematic content our audience finds most valuable, allowing us to prioritize future work.
To send newsletters: If you subscribe, we use your email address to send periodic updates about new travel content, destination guides, and cinematic features. Every email includes an unsubscribe link.
To respond to inquiries: When you submit a contact form, we use your name and email to reply to your message.
To maintain site security and performance: Server logs and security cookies help us detect and prevent malicious activity, abuse, and technical issues.
To comply with legal obligations: We may process your data as required by applicable law.

We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling. We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes.

Third-Party Services and Data Processors

We rely on a limited number of third-party services to operate this website. Each service processes data only as necessary for its specific function. Below is a complete list:

Hostinger — Web hosting provider. Stores site files, database content, and server access logs. Hostinger Privacy Policy.
Google Analytics (Google LLC) — Web analytics. Collects anonymized usage data through cookies to generate traffic reports. Google Privacy Policy.
Cloudflare, Inc. — DNS management, SSL/TLS encryption, CDN, security services, and Worker-based proxy functions. Cloudflare may also store newsletter subscriber email addresses in its D1 database service as part of our newsletter infrastructure. Cloudflare Privacy Policy.
Bunny CDN (BunnyWay d.o.o.) — Content delivery network. Serves static assets including images, videos, and audio files. Bunny CDN processes request metadata (IP address, user agent) for delivery purposes but does not set tracking cookies. Bunny CDN Privacy Policy.
Resend — Transactional email delivery service. Processes subscriber email addresses solely to send newsletter confirmation emails and newsletter content on our behalf. Resend Privacy Policy.
YouTube / Google — Video hosting and playback. Embedded YouTube videos may set cookies and transmit data to Google when loaded. Google Privacy Policy.

Affiliate Links and Third-Party Tracking

Some content on this site contains affiliate links to third-party travel services, including but not limited to hotel booking platforms, SIM card providers, transportation services, and travel gear retailers. When you click an affiliate link, you leave steviethewanderer.com and are subject to the destination site’s privacy policy.

Affiliate partners may use their own cookies and tracking technologies to attribute referrals. We do not control these cookies and are not responsible for the privacy practices of affiliate partners. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any third-party site before providing your personal information.

We may earn a commission from purchases made through affiliate links. This does not affect the price you pay or the editorial independence of our content.

Social Share Buttons

Our site includes share buttons for platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) and Facebook. These buttons do not load tracking scripts or set cookies unless you actively click them. Clicking a share button will open the respective platform in a new window, at which point that platform’s privacy policy applies.

Our newsletter is entirely opt-in. Here is how it works:

You enter your email address into the newsletter sign-up form on our site.
We send a confirmation email to the address you provided (double opt-in).
You must click the confirmation link in that email to activate your subscription.
Once confirmed, your email address is stored in a Cloudflare D1 database managed by us.

We collect only your email address for newsletter purposes. We do not purchase email lists or subscribe anyone without explicit consent.

Newsletter emails are delivered through Resend, which processes your email address solely to transmit messages on our behalf. Resend does not use subscriber data for its own marketing purposes.

Every newsletter email contains an unsubscribe link. You may also unsubscribe at any time by contacting us at contact@steviethewanderer.com. Upon unsubscription, your email address will be removed from our active mailing list.

Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this policy:

Newsletter subscriber data: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months after your inquiry has been resolved, then deleted.
Analytics data: Google Analytics data is retained according to Google’s default retention settings (14 months for user-level data). Aggregated, non-identifiable analytics may be retained indefinitely.
Server logs: Access logs maintained by our hosting provider are retained according to Hostinger’s data retention policy, typically up to 30 days.

Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our site, managed through Cloudflare.
Secure password practices and limited administrative access to the WordPress backend.
Use of reputable, security-audited third-party services for data processing and storage.
Regular software updates for WordPress core, themes, and plugins.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

International Data Transfers

StevieTheWanderer is operated from Ontario, Canada. However, the third-party services we use may process data in jurisdictions outside of Canada, including the United States and the European Union. Specifically:

Google Analytics and YouTube: Data may be processed in the United States under Google’s data processing terms.
Cloudflare: Data is processed at edge locations globally, including in the United States and Europe.
Bunny CDN: Content is served from edge servers worldwide; BunnyWay d.o.o. is headquartered in Slovenia (EU).
Resend: Email delivery infrastructure is based in the United States.

Where data is transferred outside of your jurisdiction, we rely on the data protection measures implemented by each service provider, including Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) where applicable, and adequacy decisions recognized by relevant authorities. Canada has been recognized by the European Commission as providing an adequate level of data protection.

Your Rights Under the GDPR (European Economic Area)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right of access: You may request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: You may request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
Right to erasure: You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain legal exceptions.
Right to restriction of processing: You may request that we limit how we use your data in certain circumstances.
Right to data portability: You may request a copy of your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes, including direct marketing.
Right to withdraw consent: Where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
Right to lodge a complaint: You have the right to file a complaint with a supervisory authority in your EU member state. A list of supervisory authorities is available on the European Data Protection Board website.

The legal bases for our processing activities under the GDPR include: your consent (for newsletter subscriptions and non-essential cookies), our legitimate interests (for analytics, site security, and content improvement), and contractual necessity (for responding to your inquiries).

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@steviethewanderer.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Your Rights Under the CCPA (California)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) grants you the following rights:

Right to know: You may request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources of that information, the purposes for collection, and the categories of third parties with whom we share it.
Right to delete: You may request that we delete personal information we have collected from you, subject to certain exceptions.
Right to opt out of sale: You have the right to opt out of the “sale” of your personal information. We do not sell your personal information to third parties as defined by the CCPA, nor do we share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.

To submit a request, contact us at contact@steviethewanderer.com. We will verify your identity before processing your request and respond within 45 days.

Your Rights Under PIPEDA (Canada)

If you are a Canadian resident, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) grants you the following rights:

Right of access: You may request access to the personal information we hold about you, along with an account of how it has been used and to whom it has been disclosed.
Right to correction: You may challenge the accuracy and completeness of your personal information and have it amended as appropriate.
Right to withdraw consent: You may withdraw your consent to the collection, use, or disclosure of your personal information at any time, subject to legal or contractual restrictions. We will inform you of the implications of withdrawal.
Right to complain: If you believe we have not handled your personal information appropriately, you may file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at contact@steviethewanderer.com. We will respond within 30 days.

Children’s Privacy

StevieTheWanderer is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at contact@steviethewanderer.com and we will take steps to delete that information promptly.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date displayed on this page.

We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Your continued use of the site after any changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy. For significant changes that affect how we process your personal data, we will make reasonable efforts to provide notice, such as a prominent announcement on the site or a direct notification to newsletter subscribers.

Contact

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

Operator: Stevie Crawford / StevieTheWanderer
Location: Ontario, Canada
Email: contact@steviethewanderer.com

We aim to respond to all privacy-related inquiries within 30 days. If you are not satisfied with our response, you have the right to escalate your concern to the relevant data protection authority in your jurisdiction.