Privacy Policy

PsychTomato is an independent U.S.-based publication operated by its publisher. In this policy, “PsychTomato,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to that operator.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect through psychtomato.com, why we use it, when it may be shared, and the choices available to you.

Information we collect

Information collected when you visit

Our web server, hosting provider, security tools, and caching layer may automatically process technical information needed to deliver and protect the site. This may include:

  1. your IP address;
  2. browser, device, and operating-system information;
  3. the requested page or file;
  4. the referring page;
  5. the date and time of the request;
  6. response status, error, and security information; and
  7. approximate location inferred from an IP address.

We use this information to deliver pages, troubleshoot errors, maintain security, prevent abuse, and understand basic site operation.

As of the date above, PsychTomato does not intentionally use a general audience analytics platform or behavioral advertising tag. We will update this policy and provide any required controls if that changes.

Comments and comment subscriptions

PsychTomato uses WordPress and wpDiscuz for comments. If you leave a comment, we collect:

  • your comment;
  • your display name;
  • your email address;
  • your website, if you provide one;
  • an image attachment, if you upload one;
  • the post and time associated with the comment;
  • your IP address and browser user-agent information; and
  • moderation, voting, and subscription information associated with the comment.

Your display name, comment, optional website, avatar, and any attachment you publish may be visible to anyone and may be indexed or copied by search engines and other services. Your email address is not displayed as part of the comment.

If you request comment notifications, we use your email address to send confirmation and follow-up messages. You can cancel a comment subscription using the link in those messages or by contacting us.

Do not put confidential information, private health information, or crisis requests in a comment. Comments and email are not monitored as emergency services.

Images may contain hidden metadata, including location information. Remove metadata you do not want to make public before uploading an image.

Gravatar

Comment pages use Gravatar, an avatar service operated by Automattic. When a comment is submitted, a one-way hash derived from the commenter’s email address may be sent to Gravatar to check for a matching avatar. Pages containing the comment form may also request a default avatar from Gravatar when the page loads. Automattic may therefore receive request information such as your IP address, browser details, and referring page.

If a matching Gravatar exists, the associated profile image may appear publicly beside the comment. See Automattic’s Privacy Policy for details.

Newsletter

PsychTomato uses AWeber to operate its email newsletter. When you subscribe, we and AWeber receive your name, email address, the signup form or source, and related subscription records.

AWeber may also process delivery and engagement information, such as whether an email was delivered or opened and which links were clicked, depending on the settings used for a particular mailing. We use this information to send the newsletter, maintain the list, prevent abuse, and understand how subscribers engage with our emails.

You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any newsletter. We may retain a limited suppression record after an unsubscribe so that we can respect the request. See AWeber’s Privacy Policy.

Accounts and login

PsychTomato does not currently advertise open public registration. If we issue you a WordPress account (for example, as an author, contributor, editor, or administrator), we process the username, contact and profile information, password credential, assigned role, login activity, IP address, and account settings needed to administer that account.

WordPress uses login and security cookies to authenticate users, remember a session, and store interface preferences.

Email and other direct contact

If you email us, we receive your email address and anything included in your message. We use it to read, route, and respond to the inquiry, keep an appropriate record, prevent abuse, and protect our legal interests.

Please do not send sensitive mental-health information or use email for emergencies.

Embedded content and third-party links

Some articles embed YouTube videos. When a page loads or you interact with an embedded video, Google or YouTube may receive information including your IP address, browser or device information, referring page, identifiers, and viewing activity. If you are signed into Google, that activity may be associated with your account. See Google’s Privacy Policy.

Articles also link to research papers, news outlets, social networks, and other third-party sites. If you follow one of those links, the destination receives the information ordinarily transmitted with a web request and handles it under its own policy.

Affiliate links

Some articles may contain tagged affiliate links. If you click one, the retailer or affiliate network may receive the link identifier, referring page, IP-derived or device information, and transaction or attribution information needed to credit a commission. PsychTomato does not receive your complete payment-card details from a retailer merely because you use an affiliate link.

Every article containing an affiliate relationship will include a clear disclosure near the relevant links. This policy will be updated to identify material affiliate providers once those relationships are active.

How we use information

We use information to:

  1. operate, cache, secure, and improve the site;
  2. publish, moderate, and respond to comments;
  3. prevent spam, fraud, and abuse;
  4. send requested comment notifications and newsletters;
  5. administer contributor or staff accounts;
  6. respond to messages and privacy requests;
  7. maintain business, tax, and legal records;
  8. enforce our policies and protect people, rights, and property; and
  9. comply with applicable law.

Where applicable law requires us to identify a legal basis, we rely on consent for newsletters and optional technologies; performance of a requested service for subscriptions, accounts, and responses; our legitimate interests in publishing, security, moderation, and site administration; and legal obligations where required.

We do not use comments, newsletter activity, or other site data to make automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects. Automated rules may hold or reject suspected spam or abusive activity.

Cookies and similar technologies

PsychTomato and its service providers use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies for the following purposes:

  • WordPress login and security: Visiting the login page may set a session cookie to test whether the browser accepts cookies. Logged-in users receive authentication and preference cookies. A “Remember Me” selection may keep a login active for up to two weeks, while administrative display preferences may remain for up to one year.
  • Comment convenience and security: If you choose an unchecked “Save my details” option, wpDiscuz may store your name, email address, and website in your browser for up to one year so those fields can be filled automatically later. It also uses security and interface-preference cookies.
  • AWeber: The homepage loads an AWeber signup form and a form-display request. AWeber may use cookies, pixels, or related technologies as described in its policy.
  • YouTube: Embedded YouTube content may use cookies or similar identifiers under Google’s settings and policy.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser, although login, commenting, video, or preference features may not work as intended. Where applicable law requires consent for nonessential technology, we will provide a consent choice before enabling it.

When we share information

We may disclose information to:

  • web-hosting, caching, backup, security, and technical-support providers that operate the site for us;
  • AWeber for newsletter signup, delivery, list management, and permitted engagement measurement;
  • Automattic for Gravatar requests and avatar display;
  • Google or YouTube when embedded videos are loaded or played;
  • affiliate providers, when used, for link and transaction attribution;
  • professional advisers where reasonably necessary;
  • authorities or other parties when required by law or reasonably necessary to prevent fraud, address security or safety issues, or protect rights; and
  • a successor if the site or its operating business is reorganized, sold, or transferred.

Comments, display names, websites, avatars, and uploaded comment images are public by design.

We do not sell personal information for money or rent our mailing list. As of the last-updated date, PsychTomato does not intentionally display behaviorally targeted advertising. Standard YouTube embeds may independently personalize content or advertising under Google’s policy.

If we later engage in activity that applicable law defines as selling or sharing personal information or targeted advertising, we will add the required disclosure and opt-out mechanism, including support for applicable browser preference signals.

How long we keep information

We keep personal information only for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described above, subject to legal, accounting, security, and dispute-resolution requirements.

In general:

  • published comments and their metadata may remain while the related article and discussion remain published;
  • moderation and abuse-prevention records may be retained where needed to protect the site;
  • newsletter records remain while you are subscribed, with limited suppression information retained after unsubscribe;
  • account records remain while an account is active and for an appropriate period afterward;
  • direct correspondence is retained for as long as reasonably useful for the inquiry or business record;
  • server and security logs are retained according to the settings of our host and security providers; and
  • deleted information may remain temporarily in backups until those backups cycle out.

Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards appropriate to the information we process, including encrypted HTTPS connections and access controls. No internet transmission, website, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure.

International processing

PsychTomato is operated from the United States. Our providers may process information in the United States and other countries. Where applicable law requires safeguards for an international transfer, we and our providers will use an approved transfer mechanism or another lawful basis.

Your choices and rights

You can:

  • unsubscribe from the newsletter using the link in any message;
  • cancel comment notifications through the link in those messages;
  • avoid making public comments or uploading images;
  • manage or delete cookies through your browser; and
  • ask us about, correct, export, or delete information associated with your comments, newsletter subscription, account, or direct correspondence.

Depending on where you live and whether a particular privacy law applies to us, you may also have rights to access, know, correct, delete, restrict, object, receive a portable copy, withdraw consent, opt out of sale, sharing, or targeted advertising, appeal a denied request, or use an authorized agent. You will not be discriminated against for exercising a right granted by applicable law.

Send requests via our contact page. We may need to verify that you control the relevant email address or account. If applicable law gives you an appeal right, reply to our decision with “Privacy Appeal” and explain your concern.

Residents of the European Economic Area or United Kingdom may also complain to their local data-protection authority where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies.

Children

PsychTomato is a general-audience educational site and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly request personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us so we can review and, where required, delete it.

Changes to this policy: We may update this policy when our practices or legal obligations change. The revised date will appear here, with additional notice when required.

Last Updated: August 2026