This policy explains how Aethovante handles personal information, in line with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and, for readers in Québec, the Act respecting the protection of personal information in the private sector (Law 25). Plain language, because that's the point.

Who we are

Aethovante is an independent, non-commercial editorial project based in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. It is run by one person and earns no revenue from this site.

Privacy Officer / contact

You can reach the person responsible for privacy at [email protected]. Please put "Privacy" in the subject line so it doesn't get buried.

What we collect

• Contact / subscribe form — the name and email address you type in, plus the content of your message. Nothing more; there is no phone field and we never ask for one.
• Web push notifications — if you subscribe, a push subscription token tied to your browser or device (and, where you provide it through the form, your email address and a first-name tag) so we can send you occasional notifications. This runs through our push provider, OneSignal (see below).
• Server logs — like almost every website, our hosting provider automatically records technical data such as your IP address, browser/user-agent, and the pages requested. This is standard operational logging.

We do not use advertising trackers, ad pixels, or marketing profiling. We do use OneSignal to deliver the web push notifications you opt into, which involves cookies and browser storage; see the Cookie Notice for the details.

Web push notifications (OneSignal)

We use OneSignal, Inc. as our service provider to deliver web push notifications. If you choose to subscribe, OneSignal sets a browser/device push subscription and processes a push token, and — where you submit our form — the email address and any tags (such as your first name) you provide, on our behalf.

Consent is opt-in. Nothing is sent unless you both tick the subscribe checkbox and accept your browser's notification prompt. This double opt-in is designed to meet Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and PIPEDA's requirement for meaningful, express consent.

You can unsubscribe at any time — turn notifications off in your browser or device settings, or email us to be removed. Withdrawing consent is as easy as giving it.

To provide this service, OneSignal may store and process your push token and email on servers in the United States, which means the information may be subject to U.S. law and accessible to U.S. authorities. OneSignal's own privacy practices are described at onesignal.com/privacy_policy.

Why we use it (purposes)

• To read and reply to the message you send us.
• To keep the site running securely and diagnose technical problems (server logs only).

We do not run a bulk marketing mailing list. The only messages we send are the web push notifications you expressly opt into through OneSignal (never pre-checked), and any direct email reply to a note you send us. Every push can be switched off at any time, in line with Canada's Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

Consent and how to withdraw it

When you tick the box on the form and send it, you're giving meaningful, express consent for us to use your name and email to reply and, if you also accept the browser prompt, to send you web push notifications. You can withdraw that consent at any time — as easily as you gave it — by turning off notifications in your browser or by emailing [email protected] and asking us to delete your details. We'll do it.

Service providers and disclosure

We don't sell, rent, or trade your information, and we don't share it for advertising. The third parties that process it on our behalf are our web hosting provider, which stores the site and generates the server logs described above, and OneSignal, Inc., which delivers the web push notifications you opt into. We disclose personal information otherwise only if we're legally required to.

Cross-border transfer

Our hosting, email, and push notifications (via OneSignal) may be handled on servers located outside Canada, including in the United States. When personal information is stored or processed in another country, it may be accessible to that country's authorities under their laws. We flag this so you can make an informed choice before writing to us or subscribing; if you'd rather not have your details cross a border, please don't use the form or opt into notifications.

How long we keep it

We keep contact-form messages only as long as needed to handle your enquiry and any reasonable follow-up — generally up to 12 months — then delete them. Push subscription and email data held in OneSignal is kept only while you remain subscribed; once you unsubscribe or ask to be removed, it is deleted. Server logs are rotated and discarded by the host on their standard short retention schedule.

Your rights: access and correction

You have the right to ask what personal information we hold about you, to get a copy, to have inaccurate details corrected, and to have your information deleted. Email us and we'll respond within the timelines set by PIPEDA and Law 25. There's no charge for a reasonable request.

How to complain

If you think we've mishandled your information, please tell us first so we can fix it. You also have the right to complain to a regulator:

• Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada (OPC) — priv.gc.ca
• Commission d'accès à l'information du Québec (CAI), if you're in Québec — cai.gouv.qc.ca

Changes to this policy

If we change how we handle information, we'll update this page and change the date at the top. This version is dated 7 July 2026.

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