1. Who We Are
Lost in the Future is a weekly AI newsletter operated by Burn Wild Books LLC. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit lostinthefuture.com ("the Site") or subscribe to our newsletter ("the Newsletter").
We take privacy seriously. This policy is written in plain English because legalese helps no one.
2. What We Collect
We keep data collection minimal. Here's what we gather:
- Email address -- provided when you subscribe to the Newsletter.
- First name and preferences -- optionally provided during onboarding. This includes your first name, AI experience level, goals, and professional role. This information is used to personalize your email content.
- Basic analytics -- page views, referring URLs, browser type, and country-level location via Cloudflare analytics. This data is aggregated and does not personally identify you.
- Email engagement data -- open rates and click-through rates on Newsletter emails, collected by our email delivery provider.
- Survey responses -- optional feedback you provide through in-email surveys to help us improve our content.
We do not collect your phone number, payment information, or any personal data beyond what's listed above.
3. How We Use Your Data
Your data is used for exactly two things:
- Sending you the Newsletter -- that's the whole point.
- Improving our content -- aggregate analytics help us understand what topics resonate so we can write better issues.
That's it. No profiling. No ad targeting. No "personalized experiences" that are really just surveillance with better marketing.
4. Third-Party Services
We use a small number of trusted services to operate the Newsletter and Site:
- Buttondown -- handles email delivery, subscription management, and email analytics. Buttondown's Privacy Policy
- Cloudflare -- provides website hosting, CDN, and privacy-focused web analytics. Cloudflare analytics do not use cookies or track individuals. Cloudflare's Privacy Policy
- Meta (Facebook) -- we use the Meta Pixel on our website to measure the effectiveness of our advertising on Facebook and Instagram. The pixel collects anonymized data about page visits and may set cookies (_fbp, _fbc) to connect site activity to Meta's ad platform. Meta's Privacy Policy
These services process your data only as needed to provide their services to us. We don't sell your data to anyone else (see Section 5).
5. We Don't Sell Your Data
We don't sell your data because we're not 25.
We do not sell, rent, trade, or otherwise share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. Period. Your email address exists in our subscriber list and our email provider's systems. That's where it stays.
6. Cookies & Tracking
We keep tracking minimal, but we're straight with you about what we use:
- Meta Pixel. Our site uses the Meta Pixel to measure ad performance on Facebook and Instagram. This sets cookies (_fbp, _fbc) and sends anonymized page visit data to Meta. You can opt out via your Facebook Ad Settings or by using a browser ad blocker.
- Cloudflare analytics is privacy-focused and cookie-free. It does not track individuals.
- Newsletter emails may contain a small tracking pixel for open-rate measurement and tracked links for click-through analytics. This is standard email newsletter practice and helps us understand what content is useful.
We don't use Google Analytics, retargeting scripts, or third-party data brokers.
7. Data Retention
We keep your email address for as long as you're subscribed. When you unsubscribe, your email is removed from our active mailing list. You can also request complete deletion of your data at any time (see Section 9).
8. Data Security
We use industry-standard security practices to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure email delivery, and access controls on our systems. No system is 100% secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect the data you trust us with.
9. Your Rights
You have control over your data. Here's what you can do:
- Unsubscribe -- every email includes an unsubscribe link. One click, done.
- Request your data -- want to know what we have on file? Email us.
- Request deletion -- want everything wiped? Email us and we'll remove all your data from our systems and ask our service providers to do the same.
- Opt out of tracking -- most email clients let you disable image loading, which blocks the open-rate pixel.
10. California Residents (CCPA)
If you're a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:
- The right to know what personal information we collect and how it's used.
- The right to request deletion of your personal information.
- The right to opt out of the sale of personal information (we don't sell it, so this one's easy).
- The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights.
To exercise these rights, contact us at the email below.
11. European Residents (GDPR)
If you're in the European Economic Area, our legal basis for processing your email address is consent -- you gave it when you subscribed. You have the right to:
- Access your personal data.
- Rectify inaccurate data.
- Request erasure ("right to be forgotten").
- Restrict or object to processing.
- Data portability.
- Withdraw consent at any time (unsubscribe).
Contact us to exercise any of these rights. We'll respond within 30 days.
12. Children's Privacy
Lost in the Future is not directed at anyone under 16. We don't knowingly collect data from children. If you believe a child has subscribed, contact us and we'll remove their information.
13. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the effective date at the top and note significant changes in the Newsletter. Your continued use of the Site or Newsletter after changes constitutes acceptance.
14. Contact
Questions or requests about your privacy? We're here:
Burn Wild Books LLC
2585 S. Broadway St. · Truth or Consequences, NM 87901
Email: burnwildbooks@gmail.com
Web: lostinthefuture.com