Look, We Get It—Nobody Loves Reading Privacy Policies
But this one matters because we genuinely care about protecting your information. We’ll explain everything in plain English, tell you exactly what we collect and why, and give you real control over your data. No legal jargon traps, no confusing corporate-speak.
Bottom line up front: We collect basic information to make your experience better (like remembering your recipe preferences), we never sell your data, and you can delete everything at any time.
Who We Are
This privacy policy applies to BrowniesandBars.com (referred to as “we,” “us,” “our,” or “Brownies and Bars”), operated by Jimlog LLC, with our principal place of business at:
4833 Kincheloe Road
Tigard, Oregon 97223
United States
📧 contact@jimlog.com
📞 +1 503-521-4248
When we say “you” or “your,” we mean you—the person using our website, reading our recipes, and (hopefully) baking amazing brownies.
What Information We Collect (And Why We Need It)
Information You Give Us Directly
When you subscribe to our newsletter:
- Email address - So we can send you new recipes, baking tips, and the occasional hilarious kitchen disaster story
- First name (optional) - Because “Hey, Sarah!” feels friendlier than “Hey, Subscriber!”
- Recipe preferences (optional) - If you tell us you love protein brownies but hate nuts, we can send you relevant content
When you comment on recipes:
- Name and email - To display your comment and notify you of replies
- Website URL (optional) - If you want to share your own blog or social media
When you contact us:
- Email address and message content - So we can actually help you troubleshoot that sunken brownie disaster
- Name (optional) - Makes the conversation more personal
When you participate in giveaways or contests:
- Contact information - To notify winners and send prizes
- Optional demographic info - Age range, location (if relevant to the contest)
- Social media handles - If contest entry requires social media participation
Information We Collect Automatically
When you visit our website, we collect:
- Usage data - Which recipes you view, how long you stay on pages, which links you click
- Why: Helps us understand which content you love so we can create more of it
- Device information - Browser type, operating system, device type (mobile vs. desktop)
- Why: Ensures our recipes display properly on your device
- Location data - General location (city/state level, not your exact address)
- Why: Helps us provide region-specific content (like altitude baking adjustments)
- Referral source - How you found us (Google search, Pinterest, social media, etc.)
- Why: Tells us where to focus our efforts to reach more brownie lovers
Cookies and similar tracking technologies: We use cookies (small text files stored on your device) to improve your experience. In simple terms, cookies help our site remember you and your preferences.
Types of cookies we use:
Essential cookies (Required for site to function)
- Remember your login status
- Store items in your shopping cart (if applicable)
- Maintain security settings
Preference cookies (Make your experience better)
- Remember if you prefer classic brownies or protein brownies
- Store your dietary preferences (gluten-free, vegan, nut-free)
- Save your preferred measurement system (cups vs. grams)
Analytics cookies (Help us improve)
- Track which recipes are most popular
- Identify technical issues or broken links
- Understand how people navigate our site
Marketing cookies (Show you relevant content)
- Display recipes similar to ones you’ve viewed
- Provide personalized recipe recommendations
- Show relevant ads on other platforms (if you’ve visited our site)
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking all cookies might break some site features, but you’ll still be able to access recipes.
How We Use Your Information
Here’s what we actually do with your data (and what we DON’T do):
What We DO:
Deliver the content you requested
- Send newsletter with new recipes and baking tips
- Respond to your questions and comments
- Provide troubleshooting help when your brownies go wrong
Improve your experience
- Recommend recipes based on what you’ve viewed
- Remember your dietary preferences
- Customize content to your interests
Make our website better
- Identify which recipes need clearer instructions
- Fix technical issues and broken features
- Optimize site speed and mobile experience
Communicate important updates
- Notify you of recipe updates or corrections
- Inform you about website changes
- Send occasional surveys to gather feedback (you can opt out)
Comply with legal requirements
- Respond to legal requests (court orders, subpoenas)
- Prevent fraud and protect security
- Enforce our Terms & Conditions
What We DON’T DO:
❌ We never sell your personal information - Not to advertisers, not to data brokers, not to anyone. Your email list isn’t for sale.
❌ We don’t spam you - You’ll get the emails you signed up for, nothing more. We’re too busy testing brownies to annoy you.
❌ We don’t share your data for marketing - We might use third-party services (explained below), but we don’t let them use your data for their own marketing.
❌ We don’t track you across the entire internet - We care about your behavior on our site to make it better, not to follow you everywhere online.
Who We Share Your Information With
We work with some trusted third-party services to run our website. Here’s who sees your data and why:
Email Service Provider
Service: Mailchimp (or ConvertKit, Constant Contact - whichever we use)
What they access: Email address, name, subscription preferences
Why: To send you our newsletters and manage subscriptions
Their privacy policy: [Link to provider’s privacy policy]
Website Analytics
Service: Google Analytics
What they access: Anonymous usage data, device info, general location
Why: To understand which recipes are popular and how to improve the site
Their privacy policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy
Note: We’ve configured Google Analytics to anonymize your IP address
Website Hosting & Security
Service: [Your hosting provider - Cloudflare, AWS, etc.]
What they access: Technical data necessary to serve website content
Why: To keep our website online, fast, and secure
Their privacy policy: [Link to provider’s privacy policy]
Comment Management
Service: WordPress native comments (or Disqus if used)
What they access: Name, email, comment content
Why: To display and manage recipe comments and discussions
Their privacy policy: [Link if using third-party service]
Payment Processing (If Applicable)
Service: Stripe or PayPal
What they access: Payment information for any purchases
Why: To process payments securely (we never see your full credit card number)
Their privacy policy: [Link to payment processor’s privacy policy]
Advertising Partners (If Applicable)
Services: Google AdSense, Mediavine, AdThrive (if used)
What they access: Cookie data, browsing behavior on our site
Why: To display relevant ads that keep our content free
Their privacy policy: [Links to ad network privacy policies]
Your control: You can opt out through browser settings or NAI Opt-Out: http://www.networkadvertising.org/choices/
Important: All our third-party partners are required to protect your data and can only use it for the specific purposes we’ve authorized. We’ve vetted them for security and privacy compliance.
Your Data Rights (You’re in Control)
Depending on where you live, you have specific legal rights regarding your personal information. Here’s what you can do—and how to actually do it:
For Everyone (Regardless of Location):
Access Your Data
Request a copy of all personal information we have about you.
📧 Email: contact@jimlog.com with subject “Data Access Request”
Correct Your Data
Update incorrect information in your account or profile.
How: Log into your account and update settings, or email us
Delete Your Data
Request complete deletion of your personal information.
📧 Email: contact@jimlog.com with subject “Data Deletion Request”
Response time: We’ll complete deletion within 30 days
Unsubscribe from Emails
Click “unsubscribe” link at bottom of any email, or email us.
Takes effect: Immediately (you might receive 1-2 already-queued emails)
Opt Out of Cookies
Adjust your browser settings or use our cookie consent tool.
Note: Some site features may not work properly
For EU Residents (GDPR Rights):
If you’re in the European Economic Area, you have additional rights under GDPR:
Right to Data Portability
Receive your data in a machine-readable format to transfer to another service.
Right to Restrict Processing
Ask us to limit how we use your data while maintaining your account.
Right to Object
Object to our processing of your data for direct marketing purposes.
Right to Lodge a Complaint
File a complaint with your local data protection authority if you believe we’ve violated GDPR.
Legal Basis for Processing:
- Consent: When you subscribe to our newsletter or cookies
- Legitimate Interest: To improve our website and provide requested content
- Legal Obligation: When required to comply with laws
For California Residents (CCPA/CPRA Rights):
If you’re in California, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act:
Right to Know
Request details about personal information we’ve collected, used, disclosed, or sold in the past 12 months.
Right to Delete
Request deletion of personal information (with some legal exceptions).
Right to Opt-Out of Sale
We don’t sell personal information, but if we ever did, you could opt out.
Right to Non-Discrimination
We won’t discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.
How to Exercise CCPA Rights:
📧 Email: contact@jimlog.com with subject “CCPA Request”
📞 Phone: +1 503-521-4248
Verification: We’ll verify your identity before processing requests
Response time: 45 days (may extend to 90 days for complex requests)
How We Protect Your Information
Security Measures We’ve Implemented:
- SSL/TLS Encryption - All data transmitted between your browser and our servers is encrypted (look for the padlock in your browser)
- Secure Hosting - Our website is hosted on protected servers with regular security updates
- Access Controls - Only authorized team members can access personal information, and only when necessary
- Regular Security Audits - We review our security practices and update them as needed
- Password Protection - If you create an account, your password is encrypted (we can’t see it)
- Automatic Logout - Sessions expire after periods of inactivity for your protection
But here’s the reality: No online system is 100% secure. We do everything reasonably possible to protect your data, but we can’t guarantee absolute security. If we ever experience a data breach affecting your information, we’ll notify you promptly and transparently about what happened and what we’re doing about it.
International Data Transfers
Our servers are located in the United States. If you’re accessing our website from outside the US, your information will be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States.
For EU visitors: We comply with applicable data protection laws when transferring data internationally. The US may have different data protection laws than your country, but we maintain the same privacy protections regardless of where you’re located.
Children’s Privacy
Brownies and Bars is designed for general audiences and is not directed at children under 13.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you’re under 13, please don’t submit any personal information to us. If you’re a parent and believe your child under 13 has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately and we’ll delete it.
For parents: Many families bake together, and we love that! Kids can browse recipes with parental supervision, but any account creation, newsletter subscriptions, or comments should be done by adults.
How Long We Keep Your Data
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy or as required by law.
Specific retention periods:
- Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe, then deleted within 30 days
- Comments: Indefinitely (unless you request deletion), as they’re part of our public content
- Contact form inquiries: 3 years for customer service purposes, then deleted
- Analytics data: Aggregated and anonymized after 26 months (per Google Analytics settings)
- Account information (if applicable): Until you delete your account, then 30 days
- Legal or security incidents: As long as required by law or for legal defense
When we delete your data, it’s permanently removed from our active systems. Backup copies may persist for up to 90 days in our backup systems before final deletion.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We’ll update this policy occasionally as our practices evolve, laws change, or new technologies emerge.
When we make changes:
- Minor updates (fixing typos, clarifying language): We’ll update the “Last Updated” date at the top
- Significant changes (new data collection, changed practices): We’ll notify you by email (if you’re subscribed) and display a prominent notice on our website
We’ll never: Make changes that significantly reduce your rights without giving you clear notice and the opportunity to opt out or delete your data.
Your continued use of our website after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy. If you don’t agree with changes, you can stop using our site and request data deletion.
Third-Party Websites and Links
Our recipes and blog posts sometimes include links to other websites (ingredient suppliers, equipment recommendations, related resources). We’re not responsible for the privacy practices of these external sites.
When you click a link leaving our website, you’re subject to that site’s privacy policy, not ours. We encourage you to read their policies before providing any personal information.
We try to link only to reputable sites, but we can’t control or verify their privacy practices. Exercise the same caution you would with any website.
Do Not Track Signals
Some browsers have “Do Not Track” (DNT) signals. Currently, there’s no industry standard for how websites should respond to DNT signals, so our website doesn’t specifically respond to them.
However, you can control tracking through:
- Browser cookie settings
- Privacy-focused browser extensions
- Opting out of Google Analytics: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
Your California Privacy Rights (Shine the Light Law)
California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits California residents to request certain information about disclosure of personal information to third parties for direct marketing purposes.
Good news: We don’t share your personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes, so there’s nothing to disclose. If this ever changes, we’ll update this policy and provide opt-out options.
Contact Us About Privacy
If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this privacy policy or how we handle your personal information, we’re here to help.
Privacy-related inquiries:
📧 Email: contact@jimlog.com (Subject: Privacy Question)
📞 Phone: +1 503-521-4248
📬 Mail:
Brownies and Bars / Jimlog LLC
Attn: Privacy Officer
4833 Kincheloe Road
Tigard, Oregon 97223
United States
What to include in your request:
- Your full name and email address
- Specific information you’re requesting (access, deletion, correction, etc.)
- Any relevant details that help us locate your information
Response time: We’ll respond to privacy requests within 30 days (or as required by applicable law). For complex requests, we may need up to 90 days and will let you know if that’s the case.
Cookie Consent Management
When you first visit our website, you’ll see a cookie consent banner giving you control over non-essential cookies.
Your choices:
- Accept All: Allows all cookies for the best experience
- Essential Only: Blocks non-essential cookies (site still functions)
- Customize: Choose specific cookie categories to allow
Change your mind? You can update cookie preferences anytime using the cookie settings link in our footer.
Special Note About Recipe Testing
When you submit photos or feedback about recipes you’ve made, you’re helping us improve! By submitting content:
- You grant us permission to use your photos, comments, and feedback in our content (blog posts, social media, newsletters)
- We’ll credit you using the name you provide (or anonymize if you prefer)
- You retain ownership of your original content
- You can request removal anytime by contacting us
We’ll never use your submissions in ways that would embarrass you or misrepresent your experience. If your brownie photo shows a disaster, we’ll only share it if that’s relevant to helpful troubleshooting content (and we’ll make you the hero of the story).
Data Breach Notification
While we work hard to protect your information, if we ever experience a data breach that affects your personal information, here’s what we’ll do:
- Investigate immediately to understand the scope and impact
- Notify you promptly (within 72 hours of discovering the breach, per GDPR requirements)
- Explain clearly what information was affected and what we’re doing about it
- Provide guidance on steps you can take to protect yourself
- Report to authorities as required by law
We’ll never hide or downplay a breach. You deserve to know what happened and how we’re fixing it.
Your Trust Matters to Us
At the end of the day, this privacy policy exists because we respect you and your data. We’re real people running a small blog about brownies—we’re not trying to build surveillance systems or sell your information.
Our philosophy: Collect only what we need, protect what we collect, be transparent about everything, and give you control. If we ever mess up (we’re human!), we’ll own it and make it right.
Thank you for trusting us with your information. Now go make some amazing brownies! 🍫
Effective Date: October 8, 2025
Last Updated: October 8, 2025
This privacy policy was written by humans, for humans. If anything is unclear or you have questions, please reach out. We’re happy to explain anything in this policy.
