Effective Date: March 7, 2026
Thank you for visiting CookingWithPenelope.com (“we,” “us,” or “our”). Your privacy matters to us. This Privacy Policy explains what personal data we collect, how we use it, and the rights you have under data protection laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable privacy rules.
1. Who We Are
Website: https://CookingWithPenelope.com
Owner: Penelope, Founder of Cooking With Penelope
Contact Email: [email protected]
CookingWithPenelope.com is a food and recipe blog dedicated to home cooking, kitchen inspiration, and sharing simple, enjoyable meals. For the purposes of GDPR, we act as the data controller for information collected through this website.
2. What Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of personal data:
Contact Data:
Name, email address (e.g., when subscribing or contacting us)
Technical Data:
IP address, browser type, device information, operating system
Usage Data:
Pages viewed, time spent on pages, clicks, and other browsing behavior
Cookies & Tracking Technologies:
Used for analytics, security, and personalization
Information may be collected through voluntary submissions or based on legitimate interests such as maintaining and improving our website.
3. How We Use Your Data
We may use your information to:
- Respond to messages, comments, and support requests
- Send newsletters and updates (only if you opt in)
- Improve website performance and user experience
- Detect spam and prevent fraudulent activity
- Analyze website usage and audience behavior
4. Comments & Media Uploads
When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comment form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent to help detect spam.
If you upload images to the website, please avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may be able to download and extract this information.
5. Contact Forms
Information submitted through contact forms (such as name, email, and message) is used only to respond to your inquiry.
This information is retained for up to 6 months and is not used for marketing purposes unless you explicitly opt in.
6. Cookies
We use cookies to:
- Enable essential website functionality
- Analyze website traffic (for example through Google Analytics)
- Support affiliate programs (such as Amazon Associates)
- Enable social sharing tools (such as Pinterest)
You can disable cookies through your browser settings, although some features of the website may not function properly.
7. Analytics
We use third-party analytics services such as Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the website.
These services collect anonymized data and do not personally identify visitors.
8. Who We Share Data With
We do not sell or rent personal data.
However, limited information may be shared with trusted service providers that help operate the website, including:
- Email marketing platforms (such as ConvertKit or MailerLite)
- Web hosting providers
- Analytics services
- Affiliate and advertising partners
All service providers are expected to comply with applicable data protection regulations.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary:
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Contact form entries | Up to 6 months |
| Analytics data | About 12 months |
| Comments | Indefinitely (unless removed) |
| Newsletter subscriptions | Until you unsubscribe |
10. Your Rights (For EU/EEA Users)
Under the GDPR, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction of inaccurate data
- Request deletion of your data (“Right to Erasure”)
- Object to or restrict data processing
- Withdraw consent at any time
- Request a portable copy of your data
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at:
11. International Data Transfers
Your information may be transferred outside the EU/EEA, including to the United States.
When this occurs, we ensure safeguards such as:
- Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- Data Processing Agreements (DPAs)
- Secure encrypted connections (HTTPS)
12. Data Security
We take appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:
- SSL encryption (HTTPS)
- Restricted access to administrative accounts
- Regular security updates
- Secure hosting infrastructure
13. Data Breach Procedures
If a data breach occurs, we will:
- Investigate and document the incident
- Notify affected users and authorities where required by law
- Implement corrective actions to prevent recurrence
14. Affiliate Links & Third-Party Content
This website may include:
- Affiliate links
- Embedded content (e.g., YouTube videos)
- Social media integrations (Pinterest, Instagram, etc.)
These third-party services may collect data according to their own privacy policies.
15. No Automated Decision-Making
We do not use personal data for automated profiling or decision-making systems.
16. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.
The Effective Date at the top of this page will always indicate the most recent version.
17. Contact Us
If you have any privacy-related questions or requests, you may contact us at:
📧 [email protected]
🌐 Contact Form: https://CookingWithPenelope.com/contact/