Privacy First

Our Commitment to Privacy

We believe citizens of a free society must be able to choose privacy. This is not merely a policy—it is a foundational principle. In a world increasingly hostile to individual privacy, this space is designed to be different.

Core Principle: Your data belongs to you. Not to us. Not to advertisers. Not to algorithms designed to manipulate your attention.

What We Collect

Newsletter Subscriptions

If you choose to subscribe to our newsletter, we collect only your email address. This data is:

• Never stored as an address. We keep only a SHA-256 hash of it; the address itself is discarded once your mail is sent
• Never shared with third parties, beyond the mail servers that carry the message to you
• Never sold or monetized in any way
• Used solely for sending you occasional updates about new content

Questionnaire Responses

When you answer the Proust Questionnaire or any other self-inquiry tools on this site:

• Your responses are sent to our server — they are not kept in your browser
• They are age-encrypted on arrival, by a separate service that holds the only write path for answer text
• No plaintext is stored. The columns that once held answer text are deliberately written empty, and nothing reads them
• The encryption fails closed: if that service is unavailable your submission is refused outright rather than stored in the clear
• You are identified only by a SHA-256 hash of your email address — the address itself is never stored
• Clearing your browser does not remove them. There is no self-service deletion yet; write to us and we will erase your answers

What We Don't Collect

• No tracking cookies: We do not use tracking cookies or similar technologies
• No analytics: No Google Analytics, no Facebook Pixel, no third-party analytics services
• No fingerprinting: We do not attempt to identify you across sessions or devices
• No behavioral profiling: We do not build profiles of your interests or behaviors
• No advertising networks: We do not participate in ad networks or retargeting

Technical Details

Server Logs

Like all web servers, our server maintains basic access logs for operational purposes (debugging, preventing abuse). These logs contain:

• Request timestamps
• Requested URLs
• HTTP status codes
• How long each request took to serve

Not IP addresses. The server discards the address before the log line is written. Request headers and response cookies are discarded the same way.

We count how many people visit, and nothing else. No identifier for you is kept — what is written down is a number. We do not track.

These logs are never used for tracking or profiling and are retained only for operational security.

Encryption

All data transmission occurs over HTTPS (TLS 1.3). Newsletter email addresses are encrypted at rest using AES-256-GCM with keys stored separately from the encrypted data.

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Access your data: Request a copy of any data we store about you
• Delete your data: Request deletion of your email address from our newsletter database
• Export your data: Receive your data in a portable format
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time via the link in any email

Philosophy

This privacy policy reflects a philosophical commitment, not just a legal obligation. The self-inquiry encouraged by the questionnaire requires a safe, private space. Without privacy, honest self-reflection becomes performative—shaped by the imagined gaze of others.

This freedom requires privacy. We are committed to providing it.

Changes to This Policy

If we make changes to this privacy policy, we will update this page and note the revision date below. Significant changes will be announced to newsletter subscribers.

Last updated: July 28, 2026

Contact

Questions, concerns, or requests regarding your privacy? Visit our contact page.