Privacy

This page explains what data CtrlOut collects, why, and what your options are. It's short because the site does very little.

Who runs this site

CtrlOut is a personal publication by Freerk Kalsbeek. For any privacy question, email hello@ctrlout.com.

What CtrlOut collects

Only anonymous Google Analytics data, and only if you accept it via the cookie banner. That's the entire scope. No newsletter signup forms here, no comment system, no account creation. The newsletter lives on Substack, which has its own privacy policy.

If you accept analytics, Google Analytics records pages you visit on this site, approximate location (country, sometimes region), device and browser type, the referrer that sent you here, and an anonymized IP address. None of this includes your name, email, or any other personally identifying information. This site doesn't ask for any.

Why

So I can see which essays land and which don't. That's it.

Legal basis

Your consent, given via the cookie banner. Without consent, Google Analytics runs in cookieless mode and stores nothing.

Where the data goes

Google Analytics is a Google service. Data may be processed in the United States. Google participates in the EU-US Data Privacy Framework, which provides the legal basis for transfers under GDPR.

How long it's kept

Google retains analytics data according to the property's settings, with a default of two months for event data.

Your rights

You can withdraw consent at any time via the cookie preferences. Revisit the site to see the banner again, or use your browser's site data settings to clear the cookie. You can request access, correction, or deletion of any data that identifies you, though by design the site doesn't collect any. If you believe your rights have been violated, you can lodge a complaint with the Dutch Data Protection Authority (Autoriteit Persoonsgegevens).

Cookies

Strictly necessary cookies: none.

Analytics cookies: set by Google Analytics only after you click Accept. They expire according to Google's defaults, typically two years for first-visit identification, refreshed on each visit.

Changes

If this policy changes, the date below will change. There's no other place changes get announced.

Last updated: 2026-04-08