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Privacy Policy

A short but necessary read

Last updated: March 2026

Fieldnotes from a Watcher is an independent literary journal operated by Ruika Lin. This Privacy Policy explains how information is collected, used, and protected when you visit or subscribe to the journal.

Information We Collect

When you subscribe to the journal or create an account, we collect:

  • Your name and email address
  • Payment information for paid subscribers, processed securely by Stripe (we do not store payment card details directly)
  • Form submission information, where applicable, processed by Typeform
  • Your subscription tier and membership status

When you visit the site, basic analytics data may be collected automatically, including:

  • Pages visited and time spent on the site
  • Referring website or source
  • General geographic location (country or region level only)
  • Device type and browser

If you submit a comment on a published essay as a logged-in subscriber, the name you used to subscribe and your comment content are collected and displayed publicly on the site.

How We Use Your Information

Your information is used solely to:

  • Deliver the monthly essays and The Side View letter to your inbox
  • Manage your subscription and membership access
  • Process payments for paid subscriptions or one-time contributions
  • Respond to your comments, questions, or submission inquiries
  • Understand how readers engage with the journal in order to improve it

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes.

Third-Party Services

Fieldnotes from a Watcher is built with Ghost(Pro), which powers the website, subscription management, and email delivery. Payments are processed by Stripe. Form submissions are processed by Typeform. All three services have their own privacy policies, which govern how they handle your data.

Basic site analytics may be collected through Ghost(Pro)'s native analytics tools. No third-party advertising trackers or cookies are used on this site.

Email Communications

By subscribing to the journal, you consent to receiving the monthly essays and, where applicable, The Side View private letter. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email, or by managing your subscription settings in your account portal.

We do not send promotional or advertising emails on behalf of third parties.

Data Retention

Your personal information is retained for as long as your subscription is active. If you cancel your subscription or request deletion of your account, your data will be removed from our records within a reasonable time frame, subject to any legal or financial record-keeping obligations.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

  • Access the personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Request deletion of your personal information
  • Withdraw consent to email communications at any time
  • Lodge a complaint with a relevant data protection authority if you believe your rights have been violated

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via this form.

California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information is collected, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. For any CCPA-related requests, please contact us directly.

International Visitors (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to access, rectify, or erase your personal data, and the right to data portability. The legal basis for processing your data is your consent, given at the point of subscription. To exercise your GDPR rights, please contact us directly.

Children's Privacy

Fieldnotes from a Watcher is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated date. Continued use of the site after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

Contact

For any questions, concerns, or requests relating to this Privacy Policy, please contact us via this form.