Privacy Policy
Effective date: October 23, 2026
philsteptoe.com (the “Site”) is a personal website operated by Philip P. B. Steptoe (“I,” “me,” or “my”). This policy explains what information is handled when you visit the Site and how it is used.
The short version
The Site has no accounts, sign-up forms, comments, newsletters, analytics, advertising, or tracking pixels. I do not ask for your name, email address, or other contact details, and I do not sell or share personal information.
Information collected automatically
Like every website, the Site receives standard technical information from your browser when a page loads: your IP address, browser and device type, the page requested, the referring page, and the date and time. The Site’s hosting provider processes this information to deliver pages, keep the Site secure, and diagnose errors. I do not use it to identify, profile, or track individual visitors, and I do not combine it with other information. How long these server logs are kept is set by the hosting provider.
Cookies and local storage
The Site does not use advertising or analytics cookies. When you respond to the cookie notice, your choice is saved in your browser’s local storage so the notice does not appear again. That setting stays on your device, is not sent to me, and can be removed at any time by clearing this Site’s data in your browser. Declining does not limit any part of the Site. If I ever add analytics or other non-essential technologies, I will update this policy first and ask for your consent where the law requires it.
Third-party services
- Google Fonts. Pages load the Cinzel typeface from Google Fonts. To deliver the font files, Google receives your IP address and standard browser information, which it handles under the Google Privacy Policy.
- Hosting. The hosting provider processes the technical information described above in order to serve the Site.
- External links. Essays link to outside sources. Those websites are not operated by me, and their own privacy policies apply once you leave the Site.
How information is used and shared
Technical information is used only to operate, secure, and maintain the Site. I do not sell personal information, share it for cross-context behavioral advertising, or use it for targeted advertising or profiling. I may disclose information if required to do so by law or valid legal process, or to protect the security of the Site.
Do Not Track and Global Privacy Control
The Site does not track visitors over time or across other websites, and I have not added any third-party tools that do so for advertising or profiling. Because no such tracking takes place, the Site does not change its behavior in response to “Do Not Track” or Global Privacy Control signals.
Children’s privacy
The Site is intended for adults and is not directed to children under 13. I do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Visitors outside the United States
The Site is operated from the United States. Technical information may be processed in the United States and in other countries where the hosting provider and Google operate. Where a data-protection law such as the EU or UK General Data Protection Regulation applies, this processing relies on legitimate interests in delivering a secure, functioning website, and you may have rights to request access to, correction or deletion of, or restriction of your personal data, to object to its processing, and to complain to your local data-protection authority.
Your choices
Because I do not keep personal information about visitors, there is generally nothing for me to access, correct, or delete. The only setting the Site stores is your cookie-notice choice, which you can remove by clearing this Site’s data. You can also use browser settings or extensions to block web fonts or third-party requests; the Site will still work, using a fallback typeface.
Security
The Site is served over an encrypted (HTTPS) connection and does not collect passwords or payment information. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, but the Site is designed to hold as little information as possible.
Changes to this policy
I may update this policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a new effective date, and any material change will be summarized at the top of the page.