The Coffee Wonk

Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 13, 2026

We like coffee more than legalese. This page is still a real privacy notice: it describes how The Coffee Wonk (coffeewonk.com) handles information when you visit, comment, join the free community, or click around our links. If something here is wrong as the site grows, tell us and we will fix it.

Who we are

The Coffee Wonk is a U.S.-based coffee information and community site. Contact for privacy questions: webmonger@coffeewonk.com.

Website address: https://coffeewonk.com/

What this policy covers

This notice covers personal information we collect through the website, membership/account features, comments, emails we send related to the site, and common third-party tools that help us run the site (hosting, security, spam filtering, analytics, membership software, display advertising, and affiliate networks).

Information we collect

Information you give us

  • Community / membership account. If you join (including the free Community level), we collect account details you submit such as name, email address, username, password (stored in hashed form by WordPress), and any optional profile or preference fields (for example, whether you want site-update emails). Membership is handled with Paid Memberships Pro on this site.
  • Comments. If comments are open and you leave one, we collect the content of the comment and the details you provide (such as name, email, and site URL if requested by the form).
  • Messages. If you email us, we receive whatever you send (typically your email address and message body).
  • Forms and preferences. Checkout, profile, and similar forms may collect marketing or site-update preferences. Site updates are intended to be opt-in, not on by default.

Information collected automatically

  • Server and security logs. Like most sites, our host and security tools may process IP address, browser type, device/user-agent, timestamps, referring URLs, and request metadata to operate, debug, and protect the site (including brute-force protection).
  • Cookies and similar technologies. We and our tools use cookies or local storage for essentials (for example login sessions, comment convenience options if enabled, consent preferences) and, where configured, analytics. See “Cookies” below.
  • Analytics. We use Google-related site tools (Site Kit by Google) which may collect usage and measurement data about visits to the site, subject to your browser settings and any consent controls we enable.
  • Advertising. We use Google AdSense (connected through Site Kit) to show display ads. Google may collect device, cookie, and usage data to deliver and measure those ads. A regional consent banner for EEA visitors is not on the site yet.
  • Spam and abuse signals. Comment and form traffic may be checked by automated spam services (for example Akismet), which can process IP address, user agent, and the submitted content.

Information from third parties

If you arrive through embeds, ads, or affiliate links, those companies may collect data under their policies when you interact with their services. On this site that includes Amazon Associates, the Awin affiliate network (for example 1st In Coffee retailer links), and Google AdSense. We do not control their processing. See also our Disclosures page for how affiliate and commercial relationships work on this site.

How we use information

  • Operate, maintain, and secure the website and membership features.
  • Create and manage your account, login sessions, and membership status.
  • Show and moderate comments; reduce spam and abuse.
  • Respond to messages and support requests.
  • Send transactional messages related to your account (for example password reset or membership notices) when those features are in use.
  • Send optional site-update or marketing-style messages only if you have opted in (or as otherwise allowed by applicable law).
  • Understand aggregate traffic and improve content (analytics).
  • Comply with law, enforce our terms/policies, and protect the site, our users, and our rights.

Legal bases (EEA/UK visitors)

If you are in the European Economic Area or United Kingdom, we process personal data where needed to provide the service you request (for example an account), where we have a legitimate interest in running a secure website and understanding traffic in a privacy-aware way, where we must meet legal obligations, or where we rely on consent (for example non-essential cookies/analytics where consent tools apply, or optional email updates).

Who we share information with

We do not sell your personal information. We share data with service providers who help us run the site, for example:

  • Hosting and infrastructure (currently Hostinger and related caching/performance tooling such as LiteSpeed Cache).
  • Membership platform (Paid Memberships Pro and related WordPress account features).
  • Security and anti-abuse (for example login attempt limiting and spam filtering such as Akismet).
  • Analytics and measurement (Google via Site Kit, and any consent-related components we enable).
  • Display advertising (Google AdSense via Site Kit; publisher client ca-pub-1741101366991253).
  • Affiliate networks (Amazon Associates; Awin, including merchant programs such as 1st In Coffee). These typically process click and purchase-attribution data when you use a tracked outbound link.
  • Email delivery for transactional or opted-in messages (provider may change; content of messages still comes from us).
  • Professional advisors or authorities when required by law or to protect rights and safety.

These providers process data under their own terms and privacy policies when they act as independent controllers, or under our instructions when they act as processors. We also use other WordPress plugins that are necessary to build and operate the site; they process data only as needed for their function.

Cookies

Cookies are small files stored on your device. We use:

  • Essential cookies — for example to keep you logged in, remember consent choices, or make forms work.
  • Preference cookies — for example comment form fields if you opt to save them.
  • Analytics / measurement cookies — where enabled, to understand site usage.
  • Advertising cookies — Google AdSense and, when you click an affiliate link, Amazon or Awin may set or read cookies to attribute that click. We have not yet added a regional consent manager for EEA/UK advertising cookies.

You can control cookies through your browser settings and, where we present consent controls, through those tools. Blocking essential cookies may break login or membership features.

Accounts, membership, and email

Open WordPress registration for the public may be disabled, but you can still create an account through membership checkout (including the free Community level when offered). Account-related pages may include login, membership account, billing/orders (if paid products exist later), confirmation, and profile screens.

If you request a password reset, WordPress will send a reset email to the address on your account. Standard account and security logs (including IP-related data) may be involved in login and reset flows.

Optional site-update emails are intended to require an explicit opt-in. You can change preferences in your profile/account tools when available, or email us to unsubscribe from optional updates. Transactional messages about your account may still be sent when needed to provide the service.

Affiliate links and advertising

We participate in affiliate programs and display advertising. Today that includes Amazon Associates, Awin (including 1st In Coffee refurbished-gear links), and Google AdSense via Site Kit. Affiliate networks may track outbound clicks so they can credit a sale. AdSense may show ads and measure impressions. Details of how we handle commercial relationships and review independence are on our Disclosures page. Those companies process data under their own policies.

How long we keep information

  • Accounts and membership records — for as long as your account remains active and for a reasonable period afterward as needed for security, bookkeeping, dispute handling, or legal obligations.
  • Comments and public content — typically retained until you successfully request removal where applicable, or we remove them as part of moderation.
  • Logs and security data — retained for a limited operational period unless needed longer for security investigations.
  • Analytics — retained according to the analytics provider’s settings and our configuration.
  • Email correspondence — as long as needed to respond and keep a normal business record.

Your choices and rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or export personal information, to object to or restrict certain processing, or to withdraw consent where processing is consent-based. We will not joke our way out of a legitimate request.

To make a request, email webmonger@coffeewonk.com with “Privacy request” in the subject line and enough detail for us to find your information (for example the email on your account). We may need to verify your identity before acting. Some data must be kept for legal, security, or legitimate operational reasons even when a deletion request is honored in part.

If you have an account, you can also review and update much of your profile information while logged in.

Security

We use reasonable administrative and technical measures appropriate to a small publishing site (HTTPS, access controls, security-oriented plugins, and host protections). No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.

Children

The site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child provided personal information, contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

International visitors

We are based in the United States. If you visit from another country, your information may be processed in the United States and other countries where our providers operate, which may have different data-protection rules than your home country.

Media you upload

If you upload images or files (where that feature is available), avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS) or other sensitive metadata you do not want public. Files you make public can be downloaded by others.

Embedded content

Pages may include embedded content (for example videos, maps, or posts from other sites). Embedded content behaves as if you visited the other site and may collect data under that site’s policies.

Changes to this policy

We may update this page as the site, tools, or laws change. The “Last updated” date at the top will change when we do. Continued use of the site after an update means you should review the revised notice.

Contact

Privacy questions or requests: webmonger@coffeewonk.com
Site: https://coffeewonk.com/
Affiliate / commercial disclosures: https://coffeewonk.com/affiliate-disclosure/