Privacy Policy
Effective date: 07-06-2026
Last updated: 07-06-2026.
Welcome to The Footy Talks (thefootytalks.com), operated by Pitch Republic, based in Goa, India. Your privacy matters to us. This policy explains what data we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and what rights you have — written in plain English, not legalese.
By using this website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.
1. Who We Are
Website: https://thefootytalks.com
Operator: Pitch Republic
Location: Goa, India
Contact: hello@thefootytalks.com
If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, email us at the address above.
2. What Data We Collect
We only collect data that helps us run and improve this website. Here’s what that looks like in practice:
a) Data You Give Us Directly
- Contact form submissions — your name, email address, and the content of your message when you use our contact form.
- Newsletter sign-ups — your email address if you subscribe to our mailing list.
- Comments — your name, email, and comment content if you leave a comment on a post (WordPress handles this).
b) Data Collected Automatically
- Analytics data — We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use our site. This includes pages visited, time on site, browser type, device type, country/region, and traffic source. This data is aggregated and does not personally identify you by default.
- Cookies — Small text files placed on your device. See Section 5 for full details.
- IP addresses — Collected automatically by our server and analytics tools for security and traffic analysis purposes.
- Log data — Standard server logs including your IP address, browser, and referring URL.
c) Data from Third Parties
When you interact with third-party elements embedded on our site (such as social media share buttons, YouTube videos, or ad widgets), those third parties may collect data about you independently, subject to their own privacy policies.
3. How We Use Your Data
We use the data we collect to:
- Deliver and improve our content — understanding which topics and pages perform well helps us create better football coverage.
- Respond to your messages — if you contact us, we use your details to reply.
- Send newsletters — if you’ve subscribed, we use your email to send updates, predictions, and content we think you’ll value. You can unsubscribe at any time.
- Ensure website security — log data and IP information helps us identify and prevent abuse or malicious activity.
- Serve advertising — we may use Google AdSense or similar networks to display ads. These services may use cookies to show you relevant ads based on your browsing behaviour.
- Track affiliate link performance — if you click an affiliate link, we may collect data to track referrals and commissions. See our Affiliate Disclosure page for more.
We do not sell your personal data to anyone. We do not share your email address with third parties for their own marketing purposes.
4. Legal Basis for Processing (Relevant for EEA/UK Visitors)
If you are located in the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, we process your data on the following legal grounds:
- Legitimate interests — to operate, improve, and secure this website.
- Consent — for newsletter sign-ups and non-essential cookies. You can withdraw consent at any time.
- Contract — to fulfill any service you’ve requested (e.g. a subscription or purchase).
5. Cookies
We use cookies on this website. Please see our full Cookie Policy (below, or on a separate page) for a detailed breakdown of the types of cookies we use and how to manage them.
In summary:
- Necessary cookies keep the site functioning.
- Analytics cookies (Google Analytics) help us understand site usage.
- Advertising cookies (Google AdSense, if applicable) are used to serve relevant ads.
You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time.
6. Third-Party Services We Use
We use the following third-party tools and services that may collect or process data on our behalf:
| Service | Purpose | Their Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Website traffic analysis | Google Privacy Policy |
| Google AdSense | Displaying advertisements | Google Privacy Policy |
| Mailchimp / ConvertKit | Email newsletter management | [Link to their policy] |
| WordPress.com / Jetpack | Website platform and features | Automattic Privacy Policy |
| Social media platforms | Share buttons and embeds (Facebook, Instagram, X) | Their respective policies |
Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them.
7. Data Retention
We keep your data only for as long as necessary:
- Contact form submissions — retained for up to 12 months, then deleted.
- Newsletter subscriber data — retained until you unsubscribe, after which we remove your email within 30 days.
- Analytics data — retained per Google Analytics default settings (up to 26 months for user-level data, unless adjusted).
- Comments — retained indefinitely unless you request deletion.
8. Data Security
We take reasonable steps to protect your data. This includes using HTTPS encryption on our site and limiting access to personal data to those who need it to operate the site.
However, no website or internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted to or from our site, and you use this site at your own risk in that regard.
9. Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you.
- Correct inaccurate information.
- Request deletion of your data (“the right to be forgotten”).
- Withdraw consent for data processing at any time (e.g. unsubscribing from emails).
- Object to certain types of processing.
- Lodge a complaint with a data protection authority in your country.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at hello@thefootytalks.com. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe (typically within 30 days).
10. Children’s Privacy
Our website is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have inadvertently collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this page periodically. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Us About Privacy
For any privacy-related questions or requests:
📧 Email: hello@thefootytalks.com
Address: Pitch Republic, Goa, India