🔐 Privacy Policy

Last updated: 13 August 2026

Explain It Simply ("this site", "we", "us") is a free reference site that explains technology terms in plain English. This page explains what information is collected when you visit, and how it's used.

Information we collect directly

This site has no accounts, no sign-up forms, and no comment sections. We don't ask you for your name, email address, or any other personal details, and we don't store anything you type into a browser field on this site.

The "Did this make sense? 👍 👎" buttons on each topic page work entirely in your browser and are not recorded or sent anywhere.

Server logs

Like virtually every website, our hosting provider automatically records basic technical information for every visit — such as your IP address, browser type, and the page requested — in standard web server logs. This is used only for security and troubleshooting, and isn't linked to any personal profile.

Cookies

This site does not currently set any first-party cookies of its own — nothing is stored on your device to remember who you are between visits.

This site displays, or intends to display, advertisements served by Google AdSense. Google and its advertising partners use cookies and similar technologies to serve ads based on your visits to this and other websites, and to measure how ads perform. When ads are active, you'll be shown a cookie consent banner before any non-essential cookies are set, in line with UK/EU requirements.

Google AdSense & advertising

Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to you based on your visits to this site and/or other sites on the internet.

You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of some third-party vendors' use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.

For more detail on how Google uses data when you use our site, see How Google uses information from sites that use its services.

Your rights (UK/EU visitors)

If you're in the UK or EU, data protection law gives you rights over any personal data processed about you, including the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict how it's used, and the right to object or to data portability. Because this site doesn't collect personal data directly, most of these rights are best exercised directly with Google via the links above, since Google acts as an independent controller for its own advertising cookies. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority (in the UK, the Information Commissioner's Office).

California visitors

If you're a California resident, you have the right to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising. The Google Ads Settings link above lets you do this for Google's advertising cookies.

Children's privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

Links to other sites

Several pages link out to external tools and sites mentioned as "try it yourself" examples (for example GitHub, Blockchain.com, or Have I Been Pwned). We aren't responsible for the privacy practices of those sites — check their own policies before using them.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the update will be posted on this page with a new "last updated" date above.

Contact

Questions about this policy? Email [email protected].