Privacy Policy

01 · Who we are

SmartBoats.org is an independent directory and buyer's guide for connected-boat and marine IoT products. It is operated as a sole proprietorship based in Safety Harbor, Florida, United States. We are not a nonprofit organization or a 501(c) entity despite the .org domain — we are a commercial publisher funded by affiliate commissions from retailers when readers purchase recommended products. Full details are on our About page.

For the purposes of data protection law, the "data controller" of information collected through this website is the operator of SmartBoats.org. You can reach us at hello@smartboats.org.

02 · What we collect

SmartBoats.org collects only the information necessary to operate the site, understand how readers find and use it, and respond to people who contact us.

Information you provide directly

• When you submit the "Get listed" form — we collect your name, email address, company/organization name, website URL, and any other details you voluntarily include. This is processed through Formspree, a third-party form-handling service.
• When you email us — your email address and any information you include in your message.

Information collected automatically

• Analytics data via Google Analytics 4 — including your approximate geographic location (country and city level), device type (mobile, desktop, tablet), browser, operating system, which pages you view, how long you stay on each page, and how you arrived at our site (for example, via Google search or a direct link).
• Affiliate click events — when you click a /go/* affiliate link, we log the link slug (for example, siren3-pro), the link text, and the page you clicked from. We do not log your personal identity alongside these events, but this event data is stored in Google Analytics along with your analytics session identifier.
• Share events — when you click one of the social share buttons on a guide, we log which platform you chose (X, Facebook, Reddit, or email) and which guide was shared.
• Server logs — our web host (HostArmada) automatically logs basic request information: your IP address, user agent, requested URL, timestamp, and response code. These logs are retained for operational and security purposes.

What we do not collect

• We do not operate user accounts, so we do not collect passwords, profile information, or user-generated content.
• We do not process payments, so we do not handle credit card numbers, billing addresses, or financial information.
• We do not run a newsletter service (yet), so we do not maintain an email list you have opted into.
• We do not use session replay tools, heatmapping, fingerprinting, or behavioral advertising trackers.

03 · Why we collect it

We use the information we collect for these specific purposes:

• To operate and improve the site — analytics help us understand which guides and vendors readers find useful, what search queries bring them to us, and where the site is confusing or slow.
• To track affiliate revenue — click events help us understand which products readers are interested in, which informs what guides to write next.
• To respond to submissions and emails — so we can process vendor listing requests and answer questions.
• To maintain security — server logs help us detect abuse, block bad actors, and diagnose problems.
• To comply with law — including FTC disclosure rules, the Amazon Associates operating agreement, and applicable state and federal requirements.

04 · Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (measurement ID G-859EDF094V) to understand site usage. Google Analytics sets cookies and collects data including your approximate location, device characteristics, and browsing behavior on our site. Google may aggregate this data with other information it collects about you.

Google processes this data in accordance with Google's Privacy Policy. IP addresses are anonymized by default in GA4.

You can opt out of Google Analytics entirely by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

05 · Affiliate links & Amazon Associates

SmartBoats.org is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.

When you click a link on our site that goes through our /go/* redirect to Amazon or another retailer, a cookie is set by that retailer. If you then complete a purchase, the retailer pays us a small commission. This is disclosed at the top of every guide that contains affiliate links, in keeping with U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) requirements for endorsements and testimonials.

Our affiliate commissions do not change the price you pay, and they do not determine which products we recommend. Our editorial methodology is documented on our About page.

06 · Cookies

A cookie is a small text file a website can store in your browser. SmartBoats.org uses a small number of cookies:

• Google Analytics cookies (names starting with _ga) — used to distinguish unique visitors and track session duration. Set by Google. Expire after 2 years or when your browser clears them.
• Cookies set by retailers on affiliate click-through — when you click an affiliate link, Amazon (or another retailer) sets its own cookies on your browser. These are governed by the retailer's privacy policy, not ours. Amazon's cookies typically last 24 hours for affiliate attribution.

We do not set cookies for advertising, retargeting, or behavioral profiling. We do not use third-party advertising networks.

You can block or delete cookies through your browser settings. Doing so may limit how well some features work — for example, Google Analytics will not track your session — but the core content of the site will function normally.

07 · Who we share data with

We share information with a small number of third-party service providers that help us operate the site. These providers have access only to the information they need to perform their services, and they are contractually obligated not to use it for other purposes.

• Google (Google Analytics) — analytics and site-usage data, governed by Google's Privacy Policy.
• Formspree — form submission data when you fill out our "Get listed" form, governed by Formspree's Privacy Policy.
• HostArmada — our web hosting provider, governed by HostArmada's Privacy Policy.
• Amazon and other retailers — when you click through an affiliate link, you enter that retailer's ecosystem and they handle any information you provide to them directly.

We do not sell your personal information to anyone. We do not share personal information for behavioral advertising. We will disclose information only if required to do so by law (such as in response to a valid subpoena) or to protect our legal rights.

08 · How long we keep data

• Google Analytics data — retained for 14 months, then aggregated and anonymized (the default GA4 setting we use).
• Formspree submissions — retained indefinitely unless you request deletion. In practice, we delete submissions that are older than 2 years and no longer relevant to ongoing listing reviews.
• Email correspondence — retained in our email archive indefinitely unless you request deletion.
• Server logs — retained for approximately 30 days by our host before rotation, per their standard retention policy.

09 · Your rights

Regardless of where you live, you have the right to:

• Know what we've collected — ask for a copy of any personal information we hold about you.
• Correct inaccurate data — ask us to fix information that's wrong.
• Delete your data — ask us to remove any personal information we hold about you (for example, an email thread).
• Opt out of tracking — use browser settings, Google Analytics opt-out, or tools like "Do Not Track" to limit data collection.

To exercise any of these rights, email hello@smartboats.org with a description of your request. We will respond within 30 days. We may need to verify your identity (for example, confirming the email address associated with the data) before fulfilling the request.

10 · Children

SmartBoats.org is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13, as defined by the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

11 · California residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) gives you additional rights:

• Right to know — request disclosure of what personal information we've collected about you, where it came from, and with whom we've shared it.
• Right to delete — request that we delete personal information we've collected about you.
• Right to opt out of sale — we do not sell personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of, but we acknowledge the right exists.
• Right to non-discrimination — we won't treat you differently if you exercise any CCPA right.

To exercise these rights, email hello@smartboats.org.

12 · EU/UK visitors (GDPR)

If you are accessing this site from the European Union or the United Kingdom, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR give you rights over your personal data.

Legal basis for processing: we rely on "legitimate interests" for operating analytics and affiliate tracking (for the purpose of running a sustainable publication), and "consent" where you actively provide information (such as using the contact form). You can withdraw consent at any time.

International transfers: SmartBoats.org is operated from the United States. Data collected from EU/UK visitors is transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our service providers operate. We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or equivalent mechanisms offered by our service providers (notably Google) as the legal basis for these transfers.

Your rights under GDPR include access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, and objection. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in your country.

To exercise any GDPR right, email hello@smartboats.org.

13 · Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the information we hold. These include serving the entire site over HTTPS, using strong passwords for administrative access, keeping software patched, and storing submission data with providers who have appropriate security certifications.

No method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a data breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you without undue delay as required by applicable law.

14 · Changes to this policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the services we use, or applicable law. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes will be announced on the site.

Your continued use of SmartBoats.org after an update signifies your acceptance of the revised policy. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

15 · How to contact us

If you have any questions or concerns about this privacy policy, or want to exercise any of your rights, please email us at hello@smartboats.org. Include "Privacy Request" in the subject line to help us prioritize.