Privacy Policy & Data Rights

Effective Date: September 2026

[ PREFERENCE CENTER // COOKIE & TRACKING CONTROLS ]

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1. Hey there! Let’s talk privacy.

Welcome to the official home of Ezra Kilgore & The Ghost Rippers of Silicon Valley! Whether you’re here to check out the books, track down 1980s DIY ghost-hunting tech, or hunt for hidden story clues, your privacy is respected.

This policy transparently explains what data is processed when you visit this website, why it is processed, the legal bases under the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), and how you can exercise your rights.

2. Who is the Data Controller?

For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and relevant data protection laws, the Data Controller responsible for this website is:

3. What information is collected and why?

A. Web Analytics (Google Analytics 4)

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) (Measurement ID: G-NBRTJLEM5X) operated by Google LLC and Google Ireland Limited. GA4 helps us understand aggregate, anonymous reader engagement, such as:

  • Which book chapters or pages receive the most interest
  • Referring channels (e.g., search engines, social media, book review sites)
  • General technical specs (browser type, operating system, device category)
  • Approximate geographic region (country and city level)
  • Interaction milestones (reading samples, clicking book links)

IP Anonymization & Privacy: In Google Analytics 4, IP addresses are used solely at the entry point to derive coarse geographic location and are immediately discarded. GA4 does not log or store personal IP addresses.

B. Server Integrity & Security Logs

When you request pages on our server, standard transient technical connection logs are temporarily processed (such as date and time of request, resource requested, and HTTP response code) solely to maintain web server stability, debug technical issues, and defend against malicious cyberattacks (such as DDoS attacks).

4. Legal Bases for Processing under GDPR

Under Article 6 of the GDPR, we only process data where a lawful legal basis applies:

  • Consent (GDPR Art. 6(1)(a)): For non-essential cookies and analytics tracking via Google Analytics. We employ Google Consent Mode v2—analytics storage is blocked by default until you explicitly choose to grant consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time without detriment.
  • Legitimate Interests (GDPR Art. 6(1)(f)): For maintaining basic technical server connection logs strictly necessary to guarantee system security, operational reliability, and fraud prevention.

5. Cookies and Local Storage

Cookies are small text files placed on your device. Below is a complete breakdown of what may be stored:

Name / Identifier Provider Category Purpose Duration
ezk_cookie_consent ezrakilgore.com (Local Storage) Essential Stores your cookie consent choice (granted or denied). 1 year
_ga Google Analytics Analytics Assigns a randomly generated client ID to calculate anonymous visitor statistics. Up to 2 years
_ga_NBRTJLEM5X Google Analytics Analytics Maintains anonymous session state and navigation flow across pages. Up to 2 years

6. International Data Transfers

Google Analytics data may be transferred to and processed by Google LLC in the United States. Google LLC complies with the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework (DPF), the UK Extension to the EU-U.S. DPF, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework as recognized by the European Commission, and relies on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) to ensure equivalent data protection standards.

For further information regarding how Google manages analytics data, please consult Google’s Privacy Policy and Google Analytics Data Privacy and Security.

7. Data Retention

Google Analytics 4 event data retention is configured to the standard period (up to 14 months), after which user-level and event-level data are automatically purged by Google. Aggregated, non-identifiable statistical reports may be retained indefinitely for historical readership trends.

8. Your Rights Under the GDPR

If you are located in the European Union, European Economic Area, or United Kingdom, you have significant rights under GDPR Articles 15–22:

  • Right of Access (Art. 15): Request confirmation whether personal data concerning you is processed and access to that data.
  • Right to Rectification (Art. 16): Request correction of inaccurate personal data.
  • Right to Erasure (Art. 17): Request deletion of your personal data ("Right to be Forgotten").
  • Right to Restriction (Art. 18): Request restriction of processing under certain circumstances.
  • Right to Data Portability (Art. 20): Receive your provided data in a structured, machine-readable format.
  • Right to Object (Art. 21): Object to processing based on legitimate interests.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent (Art. 7(3)): You can withdraw consent at any time with future effect using the Preference Center at the top of this page.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: You have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your EU Member State if you believe our data processing infringes upon data protection laws.

9. Third-Party Links (Amazon Kindle, Socials)

This website features outbound links to third-party platforms, such as Amazon for purchasing physical books and Kindle editions. Once you leave this site, the privacy policies and cookie practices of those respective third-party platforms apply.

10. Contact Information

If you have questions about this privacy policy, cookie practices, or wish to exercise any of your data protection rights, please get in touch:

Website Accessibility Statement

We are committed to ensuring digital accessibility for all visitors, including people with disabilities. We continually seek to improve the user experience for everyone and apply the relevant accessibility standards to conform with the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 Level AA.

Accessibility Features

  • Keyboard Navigation: All navigation links, gallery artwork items, and interactive dialogs are fully accessible via keyboard (Tab, Enter, Space, and Escape keys).
  • Skip to Content: A keyboard-accessible "Skip to main content" shortcut is provided at the top of each page.
  • Screen Reader Semantics: Decorative ASCII/ANSI art elements are hidden from assistive technologies (aria-hidden="true") with descriptive headings provided. All interactive icon buttons include explicit accessible names.
  • Contrast & Legibility: High-contrast typography and focus indicators are employed across the interface.

Feedback & Assistance

If you encounter any accessibility barriers on this website or require assistance accessing any content, please contact us at help@ezrakilgore.com. We take your feedback seriously and will work to provide an accessible alternative promptly.