Armant Hitchcock

Last updated: 18/09/2025

This Privacy Policy explains how Armant Hitchcock (“we,” “our,” or “the site”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you use http://armanthitchcock.com. By continuing to browse or use this site, you agree to the practices described below.

1. Definitions and Interpretation

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • “We” / “our” / “the site” means Armant Hitchcock.
  • “Personal Information” means any information relating to an identifiable, living person (and, where applicable, an identifiable legal entity), as defined in the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (POPIA) and relevant data protection laws.
  • “Processing” means any action taken with personal information, including collecting, storing, using, sharing, or deleting it.
  • “User” / “you” means any visitor or person accessing this website.
  • “Website” means http://armanthitchcock.com or any future domain used for this site.

2. Status and Amendments

  • We respect your privacy. This Privacy Policy sets out how we handle information on this site.
  • By using this site, you consent to our collection and processing of your information as described here.
  • This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time due to legal or operational changes. The effective date at the top reflects the current version.
  • By continuing to browse or use this site after updates are posted, you agree to the revised Privacy Policy.

3. Processing Principles

When we collect and use personal information, we follow these principles:

  • We only collect information that is necessary and relevant for the purpose it is collected.
  • We do not collect or process more information than needed.
  • We only use your information for the purpose it was collected, unless we are legally permitted or you give consent for another use.
  • We will delete or anonymize personal data that is no longer needed.
  • We do not disclose personal information to third parties without your consent, unless required by law.
  • If information is shared with your consent, we keep a record of what was shared, with whom, and why.

4. Information We Collect

Comments

When you leave a comment, we collect:

  • The details you provide (name, email, website, and your comment).
  • Your IP address and browser type (to help prevent spam and abuse).

We may send an anonymized version of your email (a “hash”) to the Gravatar service to check if you use it. If you do, your profile picture will be visible with your comment. Gravatar’s policy is here: https://automattic.com/privacy/.

Media Uploads

If you upload images, please remove embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Other visitors could potentially download images and extract this data.

Cookies

We use cookies to improve your experience. For example:

  • Saving your name/email/website when you comment, so you don’t have to retype it (1 year).
  • Temporary cookies to check if your browser accepts cookies (deleted when you close your browser).
  • Login and screen preference cookies (lasting 2 days to 1 year depending on settings).
  • “Remember Me” keeps you logged in for 2 weeks. Logging out clears login cookies.
  • Editing or publishing content sets a cookie with the post ID (expires after 1 day, no personal data included).

Embedded Content

Some articles include content embedded from other websites (e.g. YouTube, Vimeo, or social media). Embedded content works exactly as if you visited the other site directly. Those sites may collect data, use cookies, and track your interaction according to their own privacy policies.

5. Plugins and Third-Party Services

This site uses certain WordPress plugins that may process personal data or use tracking technologies.

  • LiteSpeed Cache
    Improves site performance by caching pages and optimizing delivery. Cached copies are cleared regularly and do not typically contain personal data.
  • Wordfence Security
    Protects this site from security threats (malware, viruses, brute-force attacks). Logs IP addresses, attempted logins, and site activity patterns. This data may be sent to Wordfence’s servers for analysis.
  • WP Mautic
    Connects the site to Mautic, an open-source marketing automation tool. It may place tracking scripts or cookies to monitor site usage (e.g. pages viewed, links clicked). Data may be linked to Mautic campaigns but is not sold or shared outside our use of Mautic.

6. Collection of Anonymous Data

Like most websites, we collect anonymous usage data to help us improve the site. This may include:

  • Browser type and version
  • IP address
  • Date and time of visit
  • Pages visited on the site
  • Referring website (if applicable)

This information cannot personally identify you and may be used for statistical purposes, performance monitoring, or security.

7. How We Use and Share Data

We use your data only for purposes connected to running this site, such as:

  • Displaying your comments,
  • Preventing spam,
  • Providing login functionality,
  • Monitoring site security,
  • Marketing automation (via Mautic), and
  • Improving performance and visitor experience.

We do not sell or trade your personal data to third parties.
However, if you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email for security reasons.

8. Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you,
  • Ask us to correct any inaccurate information,
  • Request deletion of your personal data (unless we must retain it for legal, security, or administrative reasons).

For privacy-related requests, please use the contact form on this site.

9. Where Your Data Is Sent

  • Visitor comments may be checked automatically through a spam detection service.
  • Security logs from Wordfence may be processed by their servers.
  • Visitor behavior data may be tracked through Mautic.

10. Security of Your Data

We take reasonable technical and organizational steps to protect your information. However, no online service can guarantee complete security. We cannot be held liable for any loss or damage caused by unlawful access to your data by third parties.

11. External Links

This website may contain links to third-party sites. We have no control over and accept no responsibility for the privacy practices of those websites. Please review their privacy policies before using them.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect site changes, new legal requirements, or best practices. The latest version will always be posted on this page, and continued use of the site after updates means you accept the changes.