Last updated: October 15, 2026
This Privacy Policy explains what information StartsWithy.com (“StartsWithy”, “Starts With”, “we”, “us”) collects when you visit our website, how we use it, who we share it with, and the choices you have. StartsWithy is a free English-learning website run by its founder and editor, Robin Martin.
If you have any question about this policy, email us at [email protected] or use our contact page.
The short version
- You can read every guide on StartsWithy without creating an account or giving us your name.
- We use Google Analytics to understand which pages are useful, and we show advertising to pay for the site. These services use cookies and similar technologies.
- If you write to us, we use your message only to reply and to fix or improve the site.
- We do not sell your personal information to anyone.
Information we collect
Information you give us
When you send a message through our contact form or by email, we receive the details you choose to share, such as your name, email address and the content of your message. Please do not send sensitive personal information.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, our server and our service providers automatically receive some technical information when you visit, such as:
- your IP address and approximate location (country or city level);
- your browser type, device type and operating system;
- the pages you visit, how long you stay and the page that sent you to us;
- the date and time of your visit.
We use this information to keep the site working, secure and fast, and to understand which guides are helpful.
Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small text files stored by your browser. StartsWithy and our partners use cookies, local storage and similar technologies for these purposes:
- Essential: security, spam protection and caching, so that pages load quickly and forms are not abused.
- Analytics: measuring visits and page use with Google Analytics.
- Advertising: showing ads, limiting how often you see the same ad, measuring ad performance and preventing ad fraud.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. If you block all cookies, some parts of the site may not work as expected, but you will still be able to read our guides.
Third-party services we use
| Service | What it does | More information |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics (via Google Site Kit) | Measures site traffic and how pages are used. | How Google uses data |
| Advertising partners, including Adsterra | Serve and measure the ads that keep StartsWithy free. | Adsterra privacy policy |
| Cloudflare (including Turnstile) | Delivers the site quickly and securely and protects forms from bots. | Cloudflare privacy policy |
| Akismet | Filters spam submitted through forms. | Automattic privacy policy |
| WPForms | Runs our contact form; messages are delivered to our email inbox. | — |
These providers may collect information directly from your browser, such as your IP address and cookie identifiers, and process it under their own privacy policies.
Advertising
StartsWithy is free because it is supported by advertising. Third-party ad partners may use cookies, web beacons and similar technologies to show ads on our pages and on other websites, and to measure how those ads perform. Advertisers never decide what we write, and we do not share your contact-form messages with advertisers.
You can learn more about interest-based advertising, and opt out of it with participating companies, at aboutads.info and youronlinechoices.eu. You can also use your browser or device settings to limit ad tracking.
How we use information
- to provide, maintain and improve our guides;
- to answer your messages, corrections and word requests;
- to understand which pages are useful and what readers look for;
- to show advertising that pays for the site;
- to protect the site against spam, fraud and abuse;
- to meet legal obligations.
How we share information
We do not sell your personal information for money. We share information only with the service providers listed above, when the law requires it, or to protect the rights and safety of StartsWithy, our readers or others. Some ad and analytics activity may count as “sharing” or “targeted advertising” under certain US state laws; you can opt out using the choices described in this policy.
Children’s privacy
Many of our readers are children, parents and teachers, and we take children’s privacy seriously. StartsWithy does not require an account and does not knowingly collect personal information, such as a name or email address, from children under 13. We ask children under 13 not to use our contact form; a parent or teacher can write to us instead.
If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has sent us personal information, email [email protected] and we will delete it.
How long we keep information
We keep contact messages only as long as we need them to answer you and keep a record of corrections, and then delete them. Analytics data is kept according to the retention settings of Google Analytics. Server and security logs are kept for a limited time.
Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, including the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom and some US states such as California, you may have the right to:
- ask what personal information we hold about you;
- ask us to correct or delete it;
- object to or restrict some uses of it;
- opt out of targeted advertising or the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information;
- withdraw consent where we rely on consent.
To make a request, email [email protected]. We will not treat you differently for using your rights. Where the law requires a legal basis, we rely on your consent (for non-essential cookies where required), our legitimate interests in running and improving a free website, and our legal obligations.
International visitors
StartsWithy is run from the United States, and our service providers may process information in the United States and other countries. Where required, these transfers are protected by appropriate safeguards.
Security
We use reasonable measures, such as encrypted connections (HTTPS) and spam and bot protection, to protect information. No website can be completely secure, so please do not send sensitive information through our forms.
Links to other websites
Our guides link to dictionaries and official sources. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of other websites, so please read their policies.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy when our services or the law change. We will change the “Last updated” date at the top of this page when we do.
Contact us
StartsWithy — Robin Martin
4910 Stack Blvd, Melbourne, FL 32901, United States
Email: [email protected]
See also our Terms of Use and Disclaimer.