This is the privacy policy for Vellichor (bpmiller.tech). I’ve written it in plain language — you should be able to read it and understand what it says without a law degree. If anything is unclear or you have a question about your data, get in touch and I’ll answer directly.
Last updated: May 2026. Site operator: Vellichor, bpmiller.tech.
What Data We Collect
We collect different types of data depending on how you use the site:
If you’re a visitor
- Analytics data — pages visited, time on site, approximate location (country/city), device type. Collected via Google Analytics. This data is anonymised and aggregated — we cannot identify you individually from it.
- Cookies — we use cookies for site functionality (keeping you logged in, remembering preferences) and analytics. You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some site features may not work correctly.
If you subscribe to the newsletter
- Email address — stored with Brevo (our email service provider). We use it only to send the Vellichor newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email.
If you create an account or become a member
- Name and email address — required to create your account.
- Payment information — processed by Razorpay (for Indian payments) or PayPal. We do not store your card details — these are handled entirely by the payment processor.
- Membership status and history — which plan you’re on, when you joined, payment history.
- Reading activity — content you’ve bookmarked or interacted with, if you use those features.
If you’re a contributing author
- Author profile information — name, bio, photo, and links you provide for your public author page.
- Submission history — pieces submitted, accepted, published, or declined.
- Earnings data — donation totals, follow bonuses, payout history.
- PayPal email — used to process author payouts. Stored securely and used only for payments.
Who We Share Your Data With
We share data with third-party service providers only where necessary to operate the site. Here’s who they are and what they receive:
- Brevo — email newsletter service. Receives your email address if you subscribe. Brevo Privacy Policy.
- Razorpay — payment processing for Indian members. Receives payment information for transaction processing. Razorpay Privacy Policy.
- PayPal — payment processing and author payouts. Receives payment information and author PayPal email. PayPal Privacy Policy.
- Google Analytics — site analytics. Receives anonymised usage data (pages visited, device type, approximate location). Google Privacy Policy.
- Amazon Web Services (Lightsail) — site hosting. Your data is stored on servers in the AWS ap-south-1 region (Mumbai, India).
We do not sell your data. We do not share it with advertisers. We do not use it for any purpose beyond operating Vellichor.
Your Rights Over Your Data
You have the following rights regarding your personal data. To exercise any of them, contact us and we’ll respond within 30 days.
- Access — you can request a copy of all personal data we hold about you. We’ll send it in a readable format.
- Correction — if any data we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you can ask us to correct it. Members and authors can update most profile information directly from their account.
- Deletion — you can request that we delete your personal data. We’ll do this unless we’re legally required to retain it (e.g. financial records for tax purposes). Deleting your account will remove your profile, reading history, and personal information. Published content may be retained in anonymised form.
- Portability — you can request your data in a portable format (JSON or CSV) so you can take it elsewhere.
- Objection — you can object to us processing your data for analytics purposes. You can also opt out of Google Analytics tracking by using a browser extension or adjusting your cookie preferences.
- Withdraw consent — if you’ve given consent for any specific processing (e.g. newsletter subscription), you can withdraw it at any time. Unsubscribe links are in every email we send.
If you’re in the EU or UK, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. In the UK, that’s the ICO.
How Long We Keep Your Data
- Account data — retained while your account is active. Deleted within 30 days of an account deletion request.
- Payment records — retained for 7 years for tax and legal compliance.
- Newsletter subscriptions — retained until you unsubscribe.
- Analytics data — retained for 26 months by Google Analytics, then automatically deleted.
- Comments — retained indefinitely unless you request deletion.
Cookies
We use the following types of cookies:
- Essential cookies — required for the site to function. These include login session cookies and security tokens. You cannot opt out of these without breaking site functionality.
- Analytics cookies — Google Analytics uses cookies to track usage patterns. These are anonymised. You can opt out via your browser settings or a Google Analytics opt-out extension.
- Preference cookies — remember your display preferences and settings.
Changes to This Policy
If we make significant changes to this policy, we’ll note the updated date at the top of this page. For major changes affecting how we use your data, we’ll notify members by email.
Questions? Contact us. See also: Terms of Service.
External resource: ICO: Your Data Rights
