Legal

Privacy Policy

We try to write this in plain English, not legalese. If something is unclear or you have a question, reach out and we'll explain it directly.

Last updated:

1. Who We Are

This privacy policy applies to Teach Real Principles, accessible at teachrealprinciples.com (the "Site"). We are a family-run affiliate content site. We are not a corporation, not a media company, and not a data broker. We are people who built a website to help other families find good educational resources.

When we say "we," "us," or "our" in this policy, we mean the operators of teachrealprinciples.com. If you have questions about this policy, you can reach us via our contact form.

2. Information We Collect

We keep this simple. Here is what we collect and why:

Email Addresses

If you subscribe to our email list or newsletter, we collect your email address for that purpose. We use this to send you the content you signed up for — things like our free reading guide, new resource recommendations, or occasional site updates.

We do not sell email addresses. We do not share them with third parties for marketing purposes. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link at the bottom of any email we send.

Contact Form Information

If you send us a message through our contact form, we receive your name, email address, and the content of your message. We use this information solely to respond to you. We do not store contact form submissions beyond what's needed to reply.

Analytics Data

Like virtually every website, we use analytics to understand how people find and use our site. This may include data about:

  • Which pages you visit and how long you spend on them
  • How you arrived at our site (search engine, direct link, etc.)
  • Your general geographic region (country/city level, not precise location)
  • The type of device and browser you're using

This data is aggregate and not personally identifiable in the way we use it. We use it to understand which content is useful and to improve the site. If we use Google Analytics or a similar service, that service's own privacy policy will apply to the data they collect.

3. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser. We use cookies in the following ways:

Analytics Cookies

If we use Google Analytics or a similar service, it places cookies on your device to track visits across sessions. These cookies do not contain personally identifiable information. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Affiliate Cookies

When you click an affiliate link on our site — such as a link to tuttletwins.com or Amazon.com — those sites may place cookies on your device to track that you came from our referral. This is how affiliate programs work and how we earn commissions.

These cookies are set by third-party sites (Tuttle Twins, Amazon, etc.) and are governed by their privacy policies, not ours. We have no access to or control over those cookies.

Disabling Cookies

You can configure your browser to refuse cookies or to alert you before accepting them. Note that disabling cookies may affect how some parts of the site function.

This site contains affiliate links. This means that if you click a link to a product and make a purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.

Our primary affiliate relationships include:

  • Tuttle Twins (tuttletwins.com) — We are an affiliate partner. Links to tuttletwins.com include our referral parameter (?ref=teachrealprinciples&rel=%22nofollow%22&utm_source=goaffpro). Their privacy policy governs what data they collect.
  • Amazon Associates — Some links may go to Amazon.com and include our affiliate tag. Amazon's privacy policy governs data collected on their platform.

When you click an affiliate link and leave our site, you are subject to the privacy policies of the destination site, not ours. We encourage you to review those policies. We are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of external sites.

Our affiliate disclosure page has more details about how our affiliate relationships work.

5. How We Use Your Information

To be direct: we use the information we collect to operate and improve the site, and to communicate with people who've asked to hear from us. Specifically:

  • To send newsletters and email updates to subscribers who have opted in
  • To respond to contact form messages
  • To understand which content is useful and improve the site
  • To fulfill affiliate tracking so we receive commissions on qualifying purchases

We do not sell your personal information. We do not use your information to build advertising profiles. We do not share your information with third parties except as described in this policy (analytics providers, email service providers, and affiliate tracking systems).

6. Data Retention

We retain email subscriber information for as long as you remain subscribed. When you unsubscribe, your email address is removed from our active list. Contact form submissions are not stored beyond the time needed to respond to your inquiry.

Analytics data is retained according to the settings and policies of whatever analytics platform we use (e.g., Google Analytics default retention is 26 months, which can be adjusted).

7. Children's Privacy (COPPA)

This website is operated by and for adults. While our content is about resources for children and families, the Site itself is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child under 13 has submitted personal information to us, please contact us and we will promptly remove that information from our records.

We comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The products we link to — including the Tuttle Twins — are purchased by parents and caregivers, not by children directly.

8. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on where you live, you may have rights regarding your personal information:

  • Access: You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
  • Correction: You may request that we correct inaccurate information.
  • Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal information.
  • Opt-out: You may unsubscribe from our email list at any time using the link in any email, or by contacting us directly.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us and we'll respond within a reasonable timeframe.

9. Security

We take reasonable measures to protect the information we collect. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of your information. If you have a security concern, please contact us.

10. California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect about you, the right to request deletion of your personal information, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information.

We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, please contact us.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we do, we'll update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us About Privacy

If you have questions or concerns about this privacy policy or how we handle your information, please reach out through our contact form. We are a small operation and we respond to privacy inquiries personally and thoughtfully.