Your privacy matters to us. AI Tested Guide is an independent blog that publishes honest, hands-on reviews of AI tools. We collect only the data we need to run the site and communicate with our readers. This policy explains exactly what we collect, why, and what control you have over it.
01. Information we collect
We collect information in two ways, information you give us directly, and information collected automatically when you visit the site.
Information you provide directly:
- Contact form submissions — your name, email address, and the content of your message when you fill out our contact form.
- Newsletter sign-ups — your name and email address if you subscribe to updates.
- Tool submission requests — any information you voluntarily share when submitting a tool for review (tool name, URL, description, your contact details).
- Comments — if blog comments are enabled, your name, email, and comment content.
Information collected automatically:
- Usage data — pages visited, time spent on each page, referral source, and browser/device type via analytics tools.
- IP address — collected briefly for security and spam prevention; not linked to your identity.
- Cookies — small files placed on your device to remember preferences and measure traffic. See Section 3 for full details.
02. How we use your data
We use the information we collect only for the purposes described below. We do not sell your data to anyone, ever.
| Purpose | Data used | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|
| Respond to messages | Name, email, message content | Legitimate interest / consent |
| Send newsletter updates | Name, email | Consent (opt-in) |
| Improve the website | Anonymous analytics data | Legitimate interest |
| Prevent spam & abuse | IP address, form inputs | Legitimate interest |
| Process tool review requests | Tool info, contact details | Consent |
Plain English: We use your email to reply to you or send you updates you asked for. We use analytics to understand which reviews are helpful. That’s it.
03. Cookies & tracking
Our website uses cookies — small text files stored in your browser. Here is what we use and why:
| Cookie type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | Keep the site functional (WordPress session, security tokens) | Session |
| Analytics cookies | Measure traffic and page popularity (Google Analytics or similar) | Up to 2 years |
| Preference cookies | Remember your settings (e.g. comment info) | Up to 1 year |
You can control or delete cookies at any time through your browser settings. Disabling non-essential cookies will not affect your ability to read content on the site. If you are in the EU/UK, a cookie consent banner will appear on your first visit.
04. Third-party services
We use a small number of trusted third-party services to run the site. Each has its own privacy policy:
- WordPress / Kadence WP — our content management system and theme. Hosts the site and manages content. Automattic Privacy Policy.
- Google Analytics — anonymous site traffic analysis. Data is anonymised and aggregated. Google Privacy Policy. You can opt out via Google’s opt-out tool.
- Email / newsletter service — if you subscribe, your name and email are stored with our email provider (e.g. Mailchimp or similar) and subject to their privacy policy.
- Akismet — spam filtering for form submissions and comments. May process message content to detect spam. Akismet Privacy Policy.
- Affiliate links — some of our reviews may contain affiliate links to tools we cover. Clicking these links may result in a cookie being set by the third-party site. We only link to tools we have genuinely tested.
Affiliate disclosure: AI Tested Guide may earn a commission if you purchase a tool through a link on our site. This never influences our editorial opinions — all reviews reflect our honest, independent findings.
05. Data sharing
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We may share data in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers — trusted third-party tools we use to operate the site (as listed in Section 4), bound by data processing agreements.
- Legal requirements — if we are required by law, court order, or government authority to disclose information.
- Business transfer — in the unlikely event that AI Tested Guide is acquired or merged, your data may transfer to the new owner, who would be bound by this policy.
We will never share your personal data with advertisers or data brokers.
06. Data retention
We keep your data only as long as necessary:
- Contact form messages: Retained for up to 2 years, then permanently deleted.
- Newsletter subscribers: Retained until you unsubscribe. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email we send.
- Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymous; retained for up to 26 months per Google Analytics default settings.
- Comments: Retained indefinitely unless you request deletion.
07. Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the following rights regarding your personal data:
- Right of access — request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
- Right to rectification — ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
- Right to erasure — request that we delete your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
- Right to restrict processing — ask us to limit how we use your data.
- Right to data portability — receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
- Right to object — object to processing based on our legitimate interests.
- Right to withdraw consent — where processing is based on consent, you may withdraw it at any time.
These rights apply to residents of the EU, UK, California (CCPA), and other jurisdictions with applicable data protection laws. To exercise any of these rights, contact us at hello@aitestedguide.com. We will respond within 30 days.
08. Children’s privacy
AI Tested Guide is not directed at children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the EU). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal information to us, please contact us immediately at hello@aitestedguide.com and we will delete it promptly.
09. External links
Our reviews and articles contain links to third-party websites and AI tools. Once you leave aitestedguide.com, this privacy policy no longer applies. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites.
10. Policy changes
We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we do, we will update the “last updated” date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we will make a reasonable effort to notify subscribers by email.
Your continued use of AI Tested Guide after any change constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We recommend reviewing this page periodically.
11. Contact us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please reach out:
Email: hello@aitestedguide.com
Website: aitestedguide.com