HODOLIST PRIVACY POLICY
Effective Date: March 29, 2024
Last updated: 21 September 2026
This Privacy Policy describes how Hodolist ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and discloses your information when you visit our website (the "Site").
Information We Collect
We collect the following information when you use the Site:
- Server logs: Our hosting provider records standard access logs when a page is requested. These include your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, the page requested and the time of the request. We rely on our legitimate interest in keeping the Site available and secure for this (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR).
- Google Analytics - only if you accept it: analytics is switched off until you choose "Accept" in the cookie banner. See "Cookies and analytics" below for exactly what happens in that case.
Cookies and analytics
We use Google Analytics 4 to understand which pages people find useful - how visitors arrive, which city guides they read, and how far down they get. We use it to improve what we publish, not to profile individuals, and we do not use it for advertising.
Nothing loads until you agree. When you first visit, a banner asks whether you accept analytics cookies. Until you choose "Accept", no analytics script is downloaded, no cookie is set, and no data about your visit is sent to Google. If you choose "Reject", or simply ignore the banner, that remains true for your entire visit. The Site works identically either way.
If you accept, Google Analytics sets cookies (named _ga and _ga_<id>) that hold a randomly generated identifier. That identifier lets us recognise a returning browser, so a person who reads three pages is counted once rather than three times. We enable IP anonymisation, so your IP address is truncated before it is stored. These cookies expire after up to two years, and analytics data is retained for 14 months.
What we measure, if you accept: the pages you view, the language version you are reading, roughly how far you scroll, which sections of a guide hold your attention, how long you stay, and whether you click a link that leads off the Site (including our affiliate links). This is aggregated in Google's reporting; we do not attempt to identify individual readers.
Who receives it: Google Ireland Limited, and its parent Google LLC in the United States, act as our analytics provider. Data may be transferred outside the EU; Google relies on the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses and the EU-US Data Privacy Framework for those transfers. Google's own description is at policies.google.com/privacy.
Legal basis: your consent, under Article 6(1)(a) GDPR and § 25(1) TTDSG. You can withdraw it at any time using the "Cookie settings" link in the footer; withdrawing deletes the analytics cookies from your browser and stops any further collection. Withdrawal does not affect the lawfulness of what was collected beforehand.
Strictly necessary cookies: any cookie or browser storage required to make the Site work - for example remembering your language, your light/dark theme, or this very cookie choice - is stored on your own device, is not shared with anyone, and does not require consent.
Use of Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Operate and improve the Site
- Analyze user activity on the Site
- Personalize your experience on the Site
- Respond to your inquiries and requests
Disclosure of Information
We may disclose the information we collect to third-party service providers who help us operate the Site: our hosting provider, and Google for analytics if - and only if - you accepted analytics cookies. These service providers are obligated to keep your information confidential and use it only for the purposes we have disclosed. We will not disclose your information to any other third party without your consent, except as required by law.
Data Retention
We will retain your information for as long as necessary to provide you with access to the Site and to comply with our legal obligations.
Your Choices
Analytics only runs if you accepted it. You can change your mind at any time with the "Cookie settings" link in the footer of every page: choosing "Reject" there stops all further collection and deletes the Google Analytics cookies from your browser. If you prefer a browser-level opt-out that works on every site, Google offers an add-on at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Your Rights
Under the GDPR you have the right to access the personal data we hold about you, to have it corrected or erased, to restrict or object to its processing, to receive it in a portable form, and to withdraw any consent you have given. If you are in the EU or EEA, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the data protection authority in your own country of residence.
Children's Privacy
Our Site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us. We will take steps to remove the information from our records.
Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on the Site. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.
Contact Us
The data controller for the processing described above is:
Puspalatha Balakrishnan
No:8, Raghavendra Koil Street, Balaji Nagar, Anakaputhur
Chennai 600070
India
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us:
By email: puspalatha@hodolist.com