The site does not run analytics, advertising, or tracking. It stores the email address you submit to the newsletter and nothing else. To access, correct, or delete your data, email vhlread@icloud.com.
Who runs this site
Spirituality Media (the “site”) is an independent, non-commercial editorial project. The site indexes spiritual and philosophical media — videos, books, courses, articles, podcasts — published elsewhere. It does not host that media itself; it links out to the original platforms (YouTube, Amazon, Sounds True, RSS, Substack, and others).
For any question relating to your personal data, contact vhlread@icloud.com.
What data the site collects
Data you submit. If you subscribe through the footer form, the site stores the email address you provided plus the timestamp of submission. No name, no other field. The list is used only to send the Spirituality Media newsletter and is never sold, rented, or shared with third parties.
Server logs. The site is hosted on Vercel. Vercel collects standard server logs for every request — IP address, request URL, user agent, timestamp, response code. The site operator does not query, store, or analyse those logs; they are retained by Vercel under Vercel’s own retention policy and are visible only as aggregate operational telemetry.
No analytics, no tracking. The site does not load Google Analytics, Plausible, PostHog, Fathom, Mixpanel, or any other analytics or fingerprinting script. There are no advertising pixels, no remarketing tags, no conversion trackers.
Cookies and local storage
The site itself does not set tracking cookies. The browser may store two kinds of small data on your device:
Local storage (first-party). A single key, smi-theme, remembers your light/dark mode preference. It contains the string "light" or "dark" and nothing else.
Third-party cookies (only when you interact). Item pages with embedded YouTube videos load the YouTube iframe player. When you press play, YouTube/Google sets cookies on your device under their own privacy policy. The same applies if you click an affiliate link to Amazon, Sounds True, or another partner platform — those services set their own cookies according to their own policies.
Legal basis for processing
Under Article 6 of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the site relies on:
| Purpose | Lawful basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Newsletter | Consent (Art. 6.1.a) — opt in by submitting the form; withdraw at any time by replying. |
| Hosting telemetry | Legitimate interest (Art. 6.1.f) — necessary to operate, secure, and debug the site. |
Third-party processors
The site relies on the following third-party services. Each is a data processor in its own right and applies its own privacy policy:
| Processor | Purpose & location |
|---|---|
| Vercel | Hosting, edge CDN, server logs. US-headquartered, EU edge regions. Policy. |
| Supabase | PostgreSQL database, EU (Frankfurt). Holds the content catalogue and newsletter list. Policy. |
| YouTube / Google | Video embeds on item pages. Cookies are set only after you press play. Policy. |
| Amazon Associates & partners | Outbound affiliate links. Their cookies apply from the moment you arrive on their site. |
Retention
| Category | Retention |
|---|---|
| Newsletter emails | Until you unsubscribe or request deletion. |
| Server logs | Retained by Vercel — typically 30 days for runtime logs. |
| Local storage | Remains on your device until you clear it. |
International transfers
Some processors are headquartered outside the European Economic Area (Vercel in the United States; Amazon in the United States, with French operations via amazon.fr). Where personal data is transferred outside the EEA, transfers rely on the European Commission’s Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent safeguards published by the processors above.
Your rights
Under the GDPR (Articles 15–22) you may, at any time, ask to:
- Access the personal data the site holds on you (Art. 15).
- Rectify inaccurate data (Art. 16).
- Erase your data — “right to be forgotten” (Art. 17).
- Restrict processing (Art. 18).
- Receive your data in a portable format (Art. 20).
- Object to processing based on legitimate interest (Art. 21).
- Withdraw consent at any time, where consent was the basis.
To exercise any of these rights, email vhlread@icloud.com with the subject line “GDPR request”. Requests are answered within one month, as required by Article 12.3.
You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the French data protection authority — the Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés (CNIL).
Children
The site is editorial in nature and is not directed at children under 16. The newsletter form is not intended for children under 16; if you believe a minor’s email has been submitted, contact the operator and the address will be removed.
Changes to this policy
This policy may be updated as the site evolves — for instance if new processors are added, or if features that handle personal data are introduced. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Material changes will be announced in the newsletter when one exists.