Privacy Policy

Introduction & Scope

Loadout Lab operates at loadoutlab.space (“the site”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). This privacy policy applies to all visitors and readers of Loadout Lab — whether you arrived via search, a direct link, social media, or a referral from another site.

This policy covers what data we collect, why we collect it, how it’s stored, and the choices you have about it. It does not apply to the practices of third-party websites we link to — including Amazon — which maintain their own privacy policies.

Information We Collect

We collect the minimum necessary to operate the site. Here’s specifically what that includes:

Information you provide directly:

• Email address — if you subscribe to our newsletter. Nothing else is required. No name, no address, no demographic information.
• Comment content — if you leave a comment using WordPress’s comment system, which may collect your name, email, and website URL.

Information collected automatically when you visit:

• IP address — collected by our web host (see Hosting in Section 6) for security and abuse prevention. Not used for tracking or identification.
• Pages visited and time on site — via Google Analytics 4 with IP anonymization enabled. Used to understand which content is useful.
• Browser type and device — collected by GA4 in aggregated, anonymized form. Not stored individually.
• Referring URL — the page you came from before arriving at Loadout Lab.

We do not collect credit card numbers, payment information, social security numbers, or any sensitive financial data. We do not intentionally collect data from minors under 13.

How We Use Your Data

The data we collect is used for exactly three things:

1. Operating the newsletter. If you subscribe, your email is stored in our email service provider’s system and used only to send you the Loadout Letter. We do not segment you, score you, or track your email behavior for advertising purposes.
2. Understanding site performance. Aggregated, anonymized analytics help us understand which reviews are useful, which categories get the most traffic, and where the site should focus. This is standard website operations, not surveillance.
3. Security and abuse prevention. IP addresses are used by our web host to detect and block spam, malicious traffic, and brute-force attempts on the site.

We do not use your data for targeted advertising, behavioral retargeting, audience building, or data brokerage. We will never sell your information or share it with third parties for their marketing purposes.

Cookie Policy & Tracking Technologies

Loadout Lab uses cookies minimally and only for functional and analytical purposes.

Cookies we use:

• WordPress session cookies — set automatically by WordPress for basic site functionality, including the comment system. Expire when you close your browser.
• Google Analytics cookies — GA4 sets first-party cookies (_ga, _ga_*) to distinguish unique visitors and sessions. We have IP anonymization enabled and do not activate Google’s advertising features.
• Amazon affiliate cookies — when you click an Amazon affiliate link, Amazon may set cookies in your browser governed by Amazon’s own privacy policy. This is how commission attribution works; we cannot control these cookies.

What we don’t use:

• Facebook Pixel or Meta tracking
• TikTok Pixel
• Google Ads remarketing tags
• Any third-party behavioral advertising network

Amazon Associates Disclosure

Loadout Lab 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.

This means: when you click a link to an Amazon product on this site and subsequently make a purchase, we may earn a small commission — typically 1–4% of the sale price depending on category. This comes at no additional cost to you. You pay the same price you would pay if you went to Amazon directly.

All affiliate links on this site are clearly marked. We comply with FTC guidelines requiring disclosure of material connections. This disclosure appears on every page where affiliate links are present — not just buried in the footer.

Amazon’s privacy practices are governed by Amazon’s own privacy notice. Loadout Lab is not responsible for data Amazon collects from transactions or browsing on their platform.

Third-Party Services & Data Sharing

We use a small number of third-party services to operate the site. Each one is listed here with what data they receive and why:

• Google Analytics 4 — receives anonymized pageview and behavioral data. IP anonymization is enabled. No advertising features are activated. Google’s Privacy Policy →
• Email service provider (e.g., ConvertKit or Mailchimp) — stores subscriber email addresses. Receives sends and open/click events per email. Does not receive browsing data. Unsubscribing removes your data from their system.
• WordPress hosting provider — stores site files, databases, and server logs including IP addresses for security purposes. Server logs are purged periodically.
• Amazon.com (Associates Program) — receives referral information when you click an affiliate link. Their cookies and tracking are governed by their privacy policy.

We do not share data with any other third parties. We do not use data management platforms, customer data platforms, or any advertising technology stacks.

Data Security Practices

We take reasonable technical measures to protect the data we hold:

• SSL/TLS encryption on all pages (HTTPS enforced site-wide)
• Regular WordPress core, theme, and plugin updates to patch security vulnerabilities
• Strong password policies and two-factor authentication on all administrative accounts
• No sensitive personal data stored beyond what is operationally necessary
• Email subscriber data secured by our email service provider’s infrastructure

GDPR Compliance (EU Visitors)

If you are visiting from the European Union or European Economic Area, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) grants you specific rights over your personal data. This section outlines how Loadout Lab handles EU visitor data and your rights under that framework.

Legal basis for processing:

• Newsletter subscriptions — based on your explicit consent (Article 6(1)(a) GDPR). You can withdraw consent at any time by unsubscribing.
• Analytics data — based on our legitimate interest (Article 6(1)(f)) in understanding site performance, with privacy-protective measures (IP anonymization) applied.
• Security logs — based on legitimate interest in protecting the integrity of the site.

We do not transfer personal data outside the EU/EEA except to services that maintain EU-US Data Privacy Framework compliance (Google, and our email service provider).

Your Rights & Choices

Regardless of where you’re located, you have meaningful control over your data:

• Unsubscribe from the newsletter — every email contains a one-click unsubscribe link. No confirmation loop, no surveys, no retention attempts.
• Request your data — email us at the address in the Contact section and we’ll tell you exactly what data we hold on you within 30 days.
• Request deletion — you can request that we delete your subscriber record. We’ll confirm when it’s done.
• Opt out of analytics — install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on or use a browser extension like uBlock Origin.
• Block cookies — through your browser settings. This won’t break the site.

EU residents additionally have the right to lodge a complaint with your national data protection authority if you believe your data has been mishandled.

Children’s Privacy (COPPA)

Loadout Lab is not directed at children under 13 years of age, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 13.

Our content covers gaming hardware products recommended for the teen-and-older gaming audience. If you are a parent and believe your child under 13 has submitted personal information to this site (for example, by subscribing to the newsletter), please contact us immediately and we will delete that information promptly.

Updates to This Policy

We will update this privacy policy when our practices change in ways that affect your rights or the data we collect. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last Updated” date at the top.

For material changes — such as adding a new third-party service or changing how we use your email address — we will notify newsletter subscribers directly via email at least 7 days before the change takes effect.

Minor changes (like clarifying language or fixing typos) will be updated without notification, though the date will always reflect the most recent revision.