Last updated: October 31, 2026
This policy covers joetobs.com, the blog Musing of an African Child, written and run by Joseph Tobias. It explains what information the site collects, why, who else handles it, and the choices you have. If you have a question about your data, write to me through the contact page.
Information you give me
- Contact form. Your name, email address and message. I use them to reply to you. If you tick the updates box, I also add your email to the mailing list.
- Newsletter signup. Your first name and email address. I use them to send new reflections, a few times a month. Every email has an unsubscribe link, and I never sell or share the list.
- Comments. Your name, email address, any website you enter, your comment, your IP address and browser details. Your name and comment are public. Your email address is never published.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, the server keeps standard logs: IP address, browser type, the page requested and the time. My host, Hostinger, keeps these logs for security and to keep the site running. I use Google Analytics to count visits and see which posts people read. Analytics uses cookies and receives your IP address in shortened form. I do not use Analytics to identify you.
Advertising and Google AdSense
This site shows ads served by Google AdSense. Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this website or other websites. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and other sites on the internet.
- You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google’s Ads Settings.
- You can opt out of some third-party vendors’ use of cookies for personalized advertising at aboutads.info (United States) or youronlinechoices.eu (Europe).
- Google explains how it uses data from sites that show its ads at How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
If you visit from the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom or Switzerland, a consent message from Google asks for your choice before personalized ads or advertising cookies are used. You can change that choice at any time from the privacy link the message leaves on the page.
Cookies
Cookies are small files your browser stores. This site uses them for three purposes: to remember your name and email if you choose to save them when commenting, to measure visits with Google Analytics, and to show and measure ads through Google AdSense. You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site still works without them, though the comment form will not remember you.
Services that handle data for this site
- Hostinger hosts the site and its content delivery network.
- Google provides Analytics, AdSense and Search Console. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
- Akismet (Automattic) checks comments for spam. Comment data is sent to Akismet for that check. See Automattic’s privacy policy.
- Gravatar (Automattic) shows a profile picture next to comments, using a scrambled version of your email address.
- WPForms runs the contact and signup forms. Messages are delivered to my email.
- Google Fonts serves the site’s typefaces, which means your browser contacts Google’s servers.
Pages also link to other websites, such as sources I cite and share buttons for X, Facebook and WhatsApp. Those sites have their own privacy policies. Share buttons are plain links and send nothing until you click them.
How long I keep it
Comments stay with the post they belong to until you ask me to remove them. Mailing list details stay until you unsubscribe. Contact messages stay in my email for as long as the conversation is useful. Google Analytics keeps visit data for no longer than 14 months.
Your rights
You have the right to ask what personal data I hold about you, to have it corrected or deleted, and to withdraw consent you gave earlier. Depending on where you live, laws such as the GDPR in Europe and the UK, or the CCPA in California, give you further rights. I do not sell personal information. To make a request, use the contact page. I will answer within 30 days.
Children
This site is written for adults. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent me their details, contact me and I will delete them.
Changes to this policy
When the site adds or drops a service that handles your data, I update this page and change the date at the top.