Privacy Policy

Last updated: 14-Jul-2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Vaibhav Bodana (“I,” “me,” or “this site”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you visit vaibhavbodana.com, sign up for the newsletter, purchase a digital product, or otherwise interact with this site.

This site has visitors from the European Union, United Kingdom, and California, so this policy is written to meet the requirements of the GDPR (EU/UK) and the CCPA/CPRA (California), in addition to general privacy practices. By using this site, you agree to the collection and use of information as described below.

1. Who Is Responsible for Your Data

I, Vaibhav Bodana, am the “data controller” (under GDPR) / “business” (under CCPA) responsible for the personal information collected through this site. You can reach me at the contact details in Section 11.

2. Information I Collect

Information you provide directly:

Name and email address, when you subscribe to the “How to Life” newsletter
Name, billing address, shipping address (if applicable), and email, when you purchase a product through the Shop
Payment-related information needed to process a transaction (handled by PayPal / UPI directly — I do not receive or store your full card or bank account details)
Any information you send me directly by email or contact form

Information collected automatically:

Technical data such as browser type, device type, IP address, pages visited, referring site, and time spent on the site
Approximate location (country/city level, inferred from IP address)
Cookie identifiers (see Section 5)

I do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information (health data, government ID numbers, precise geolocation, etc.) beyond what’s required to fulfill a purchase.

3. Why I Collect It (Purpose & Legal Basis)

I use your information to:

Fulfill orders — process payments, deliver digital products, handle refunds or support requests (legal basis: performance of a contract)
Send the newsletter you opted into (legal basis: your consent — you can withdraw it anytime)
Respond to messages you send me (legal basis: legitimate interest in answering you)
Understand site usage and improve the site (legal basis: legitimate interest, or consent where required for non-essential cookies)
Meet legal obligations, e.g. keeping transaction records for tax/accounting purposes (legal basis: legal obligation)

I do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. Third-Party Services I Use

This site relies on a small number of third-party services, each of which processes some data on my behalf or under their own privacy policy:

Substack — powers the newsletter and stores subscriber email addresses
WordPress / WooCommerce — powers the site and Shop, and stores order data
PayPal and UPI payment providers — process payments; I don’t see or store your full payment credentials
Website analytics tools — help me understand traffic patterns (e.g. page views, referral sources)
Social platforms (X, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn, etc.) — linked from this site; visiting or interacting with them is governed by their own privacy policies

Where required, these providers are bound by data processing agreements consistent with GDPR standards.

5. Cookies

This site uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — for things like remembering your preferences, keeping the Shop cart working, and understanding site traffic. Where required by law (e.g. for EU/UK visitors), non-essential cookies are only set with your consent, which you can manage via the cookie banner or your browser settings. You can also disable cookies entirely in your browser, though some site features (like checkout) may not work properly if you do.

6. International Data Transfers

This site and the third-party services it uses may store or process data in countries outside your own, including the United States. Where your data is transferred internationally, I rely on appropriate safeguards required by law (such as Standard Contractual Clauses for EU/UK data) to protect it.

7. Data Retention

I keep personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes described in this policy:

Order and transaction records are kept as long as required by applicable tax and accounting laws
Newsletter subscriber data is kept until you unsubscribe
Contact form/email correspondence is kept only as long as needed to resolve your inquiry, unless a longer period is required by law

8. Your Rights Under GDPR (EU/UK Visitors)

If you’re located in the EU or UK, you have the right to:

Access the personal data I hold about you
Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
Erase your data (“right to be forgotten”), subject to legal exceptions
Restrict or object to certain processing
Data portability — receive your data in a portable format
Withdraw consent at any time, where processing is based on consent (e.g. unsubscribing from the newsletter)
Lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, contact me using the details in Section 11.

9. Your Rights Under CCPA/CPRA (California Visitors)

If you’re a California resident, you have the right to:

Know what personal information I collect, use, disclose, and (if applicable) sell or share
Delete personal information I’ve collected from you, subject to certain exceptions
Correct inaccurate personal information
Opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information
Limit the use of sensitive personal information
Non-discrimination — you won’t receive different service or pricing for exercising these rights

Do I sell or share your data? I do not sell your personal information for money. I also do not “share” it for cross-context behavioral advertising as defined under the CPRA.

Categories of personal information collected (past 12 months): identifiers (name, email, IP address), commercial information (order history), and internet/network activity (site usage data), collected for the purposes described in Section 3.

To exercise your CCPA/CPRA rights, contact me using the details in Section 11. I may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

10. Children’s Privacy

This site is not directed at children under 13 (or under 16 where required by law), and I do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

11. Contact

Questions about this policy, or want to exercise any of the rights above? Reach out at:

Email: astrophyvaibhav[at]gmail[dot]com

12. Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in the site or applicable law. Material changes will be posted on this page with an updated “Last updated” date.