Effective date: October 11, 2026
Last updated: October 11, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains what information is collected when you visit GearSift at https://gearsifttech.com (the “Site”), how it is used, and the choices you have. In this policy, “GearSift”, “we”, “us”, and “our” mean Jonathan Unger, who operates GearSift as an individual. If a business entity is ever formed to operate GearSift, this page will be updated to name it.
1. Who we are
GearSift is a technology publishing site that researches and writes buying guides, comparisons, and how-to articles about gaming gear, NAS and home storage, home networking, and computer accessories. We do not sell or ship products. When you buy something after clicking a link on our Site, you buy it from the retailer, and the retailer’s own privacy policy applies to that purchase.
GearSift is operated by Jonathan Unger and is based in Florida, USA.
Contact for privacy questions: gearsift.operations@gmail.com
2. Our hosting provider
The Site is hosted on WordPress.com, a service operated by Automattic Inc. Automattic processes some visitor data to run and secure the Site, as described below and in Automattic’s Privacy Notice for Visitors to Our Users’ Sites (https://automattic.com/privacy-notice/) and its Cookie Policy (https://automattic.com/cookies/).
3. Information collected automatically
Site statistics (Jetpack Stats). WordPress.com enables Jetpack Stats by default. To produce aggregate visitor statistics it records page and post views, video plays, outbound link clicks, referring URLs and search terms, and approximate location (country, region, city). To do this it uses data such as IP address, WordPress.com user ID and username (if you are logged in to WordPress.com), browser user agent, the page URL, the referring URL, the time of the visit, browser language, and country code. We cannot see this individual-level information. We see only totals (for example, the number of views of a page). Automattic retains the underlying Stats logs for 28 days.
Server and security logs. Like most websites, our hosting provider automatically logs technical information such as IP addresses and browser details to deliver pages and protect the Site from abuse. Comment spam filtering is described in §5.
Fonts and site files. To display the Site, your browser loads fonts, images and scripts from WordPress.com servers operated by our hosting provider Automattic (for example s0.wp.com, i0.wp.com and fonts.wp.com, Automattic’s own font service). These requests reveal your IP address and browser details to Automattic, which processes them on our behalf and keeps server logs for about 30 days. Our fonts are not loaded from Google or any other third-party font service.
4. Cookies
Cookies are small files stored by your browser. The Site and services it relies on may use:
- Essential cookies set by WordPress.com to deliver and secure the Site (for example, to remember your comment details if you agree to that; see §5).
- Statistics (Jetpack Stats, described above).
- Affiliate tracking cookies. We don’t currently use affiliate links. If we add them, and you click one and arrive at a retailer’s website, that retailer or affiliate network may place its own cookie in your browser so it can credit GearSift with a referral if you make a qualifying purchase. Those cookies would be set and controlled by the retailer or network, not by us, and governed by their privacy policies. We’ll update this policy and disclose affiliate links on each page before we use them.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. Blocking cookies does not stop you from reading the Site, but (if we add affiliate links) a retailer may not be able to attribute a referral to us.
Do Not Track and third-party tracking. Some browsers send a “Do Not Track” (DNT) signal. By default, Jetpack Stats does not respond to DNT signals, and the Site does not otherwise change its behaviour when it receives one. Other parties can collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites when you use our Site: when you follow a link to another website, that site may set its own cookies and track your visit. We don’t currently use affiliate links; if we add them, the retailer or affiliate network may also track your visit and purchase (see Affiliate tracking cookies above). Automattic, our host, processes visitor data for the Site as described in §2 and §3.
5. Information you choose to give us
- Contact messages. If you email us at gearsift.operations@gmail.com, we receive your name (if given), email address, and message, and use them only to reply and keep a record of the conversation. We keep messages only as long as needed for those purposes.
- Comments. Comments are open, and each comment is reviewed manually before it appears. If you leave a comment, WordPress.com stores your name, email address, website (optional), comment text, the time of the comment, your IP address and your browser user agent. Your email address is not shown publicly.
- Comment cookies: if the comment form offers to remember your details and you agree, your name, email address and website are saved in cookies in your browser. If you comment while logged in to WordPress.com, WordPress.com’s own cookies apply.
- Spam filtering: comments are checked for spam by Akismet, a service of Automattic. Your name, email address, website, IP address and user agent are sent to Akismet solely to check the comment for spam.
- Avatars (Gravatar): to show a profile picture next to a comment, a hash of your email address is sent to Gravatar (also a service of Automattic) to look up your Gravatar profile image.
- WordPress.com accounts. If you log in to WordPress.com (for example, to comment or to follow the Site), your WordPress.com account and login are handled by WordPress.com and covered by Automattic’s own privacy policy (https://automattic.com/privacy/), not by us.
- Newsletter. We do not currently run a newsletter. If we start one, we will update this policy before collecting any email addresses.
6. How we use information
We use the information above to operate and improve the Site, understand which content is useful (using aggregate statistics only), respond to messages, keep the Site secure, and comply with legal obligations. We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it to build advertising profiles. We do not run advertising on the Site. If that ever changes, we will update this policy before it starts.
7. Who we share information with
- WordPress.com / Automattic, as our hosting and statistics provider.
- Manufacturers and retailers we link to (and any affiliate networks, if we use them in future), only in the sense that they receive information directly from your browser when you click an outbound link (see Cookies).
- Authorities, if required by law.
We do not otherwise share personal information with third parties.
8. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or obtain a copy of your personal information, or to object to certain processing. To make a request, email us at gearsift.operations@gmail.com. We will respond within the time required by applicable law.
9. Children
The Site is intended for a general adult audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
10. Data security and retention
We rely on WordPress.com’s security measures (HTTPS and platform security). No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above. Jetpack Stats logs are kept by Automattic for 28 days.
11. Third-party links
Our articles link to manufacturer, retailer, and other third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Please read their policies.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy. The “Last updated” date at the top shows when it last changed. Material changes will be noted on this page.
13. Contact
GearSift is operated by Jonathan Unger, Florida, USA. Email: gearsift.operations@gmail.com. You can also use our Contact page.
Governing law: this policy is governed by the laws of the State of Florida, USA.
If a business entity is ever formed to operate GearSift, this page will be updated to name it.
