Privacy Policy

Effective date: April 2026 — Last updated: April 4, 2026

This privacy policy explains what data this website (juliandouwes.com) collects, why it is collected, and how it is handled. This is a personal medical education website, not a commercial marketplace. I aim to keep this policy clear and readable.

1. Who is responsible

The data controller for this website is:

2. What data is collected

Analytics (Google Analytics 4)

This site uses Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID: G-212VCV5LHJ) to understand how visitors use the site — which pages are visited, how long people stay, and what devices they use. This data is anonymous and aggregated. No personally identifiable information is collected through analytics.

Analytics tracking is only activated after you give consent via the cookie banner. If you decline or ignore the banner, no analytics data is collected.

Newsletter (ConvertKit)

If you subscribe to The Evidence Brief newsletter, you voluntarily provide your name and email address. This data is stored and processed by ConvertKit (Kit), a US-based email marketing service. Your data is used solely to send you the newsletter and related updates. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in every email.

Contact form

When you submit the contact form, you voluntarily provide your name, email address, and message. This data is processed by Netlify (the site's hosting provider) and forwarded to our team via email. It is used only to respond to your inquiry.

3. Cookies and local storage

This site uses a minimal number of cookies and browser storage mechanisms:

• Google Analytics cookies — Set only after you accept the cookie consent banner. These cookies (_ga, _ga_*) help measure site usage anonymously. They expire after 14 months per Google's default settings.
• Theme preference — Your light/dark theme choice is saved in localStorage so it persists between visits. No data is sent to any server.
• Cookie consent choice — Your acceptance or decline of the cookie banner is saved in localStorage so the banner does not reappear.

This site does not use advertising cookies, social media tracking pixels, or fingerprinting techniques.

4. How your data is used

• Analytics data — To understand which content is useful and to improve the site.
• Newsletter data — To send you The Evidence Brief and occasional related updates.
• Contact form data — To reply to your message.

Your data is never sold, rented, or shared with third parties for marketing purposes. Data is shared only with the service providers listed below, and only to the extent necessary to operate this site.

5. Third-party services

This site relies on three external services:

• Google (Google Analytics 4) — Anonymous usage statistics, consent-gated. Google Privacy Policy
• ConvertKit (Kit) — Email newsletter delivery and subscriber management. ConvertKit Privacy Policy
• Netlify — Website hosting and contact form processing. Netlify Privacy Policy

6. Data retention

• Analytics — Retained per Google Analytics' standard retention period (14 months by default).
• Newsletter subscribers — Your name and email are retained until you unsubscribe. After unsubscribing, your data is removed from the active mailing list in accordance with ConvertKit's data handling practices.
• Contact form submissions — Retained as needed to respond to and follow up on your inquiry, then deleted.

7. Your rights under the GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation:

1. Right of access — You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
2. Right to rectification — You can ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
3. Right to erasure — You can ask us to delete your personal data.
4. Right to restriction — You can ask us to limit how we process your data.
5. Right to data portability — You can request your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
6. Right to object — You can object to the processing of your data for specific purposes.
7. Right to withdraw consent — Where processing is based on consent (such as analytics cookies), you can withdraw that consent at any time by clearing your browser's cookies and local storage.

To exercise any of these rights, please email info@clinicum-stgeorg.de. I will respond within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In Germany, this is the Bayerisches Landesamt für Datenschutzaufsicht (BayLDA).

8. Children

This site is not directed at children under the age of 16. I do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe a child has submitted personal data through this site, please contact me so I can remove it.

9. Changes to this policy

This policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes in how the site operates or to comply with legal requirements. The effective date at the top of this page will always reflect the most recent version. Material changes will be noted on the site.

10. Contact

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how your data is handled, please reach out: