Privacy Policy

Last updated: 9 September 2026.

Information we collect

How to start does not provide reader accounts, comments or submission forms. Our hosting provider handles connection information to deliver and protect the site. If you email us, our email provider processes your message and address so we can reply.

Privacy-friendly site analytics

When enabled, Cloudflare Web Analytics helps us understand aggregate visits and site performance. Cloudflare states that this service does not use cookies or local storage.

Google consent choices

When Google advertising or Google Analytics is enabled, we use Google Privacy & Messaging to collect and remember choices about advertising and analytics. Google receives connection information, including your IP address and browser details, to provide this service. Ad requests remain paused and Google Analytics waits until the applicable permissions can be confirmed.

Google AdSense advertising

Google AdSense advertising is planned but is not currently enabled on this site.

When enabled, Google AdSense Auto ads may place up to two in-page banner ads on a published guide according to its layout; the site does not choose fixed positions. Other pages and overlay, Multiplex and ad-intent formats are excluded. With the applicable permissions, Google and the vendors listed in the consent message may use cookies, device identifiers and browsing information to deliver, measure and, when permitted, personalise advertising. The consent message identifies the purposes, vendors and their retention information.

Google Analytics

Google Analytics is planned but is not currently enabled on this site.

When enabled and with analytics permission, Google Analytics measures page visits and clicks on our resource and product links to help us understand how the site is used. We send the guide, language, product, merchant and placement identifiers. We omit search text and query strings from these events and do not send your name or email address. Google still receives connection and device information. Analytics cookies expire after 60 days; our event-data retention setting is two months. Google signals and advertising personalisation for analytics are disabled.

How Google uses information from sites that use its services

Microsoft Clarity

When enabled, Microsoft Clarity helps us improve the site by measuring visits and interactions through heatmaps and session replays. Microsoft receives website usage data. Clarity begins with limited cookieless measurement regardless of your analytics-cookie choice. With your permission, it may use cookies to link activity within a session. We do not send custom identities, advertising data, tags or events, and Clarity’s advertising storage is always disabled.

Your Clarity cookie choice

Accept allows Clarity’s analytics cookies; Reject keeps those cookies off. Your choice is remembered in this browser’s local storage. Use “Analytics settings” in the footer at any time to change or withdraw consent. Withdrawing consent tells Clarity to remove its analytics cookies; limited cookieless measurement continues. This choice applies to Clarity; when Google services are enabled, their advertising and analytics choices are handled separately through Google Privacy & Messaging.

Learn more in the Microsoft Privacy Statement .

External links

Guides link to other websites, which receive connection information when you visit them. Commercial links are visibly labelled. An affiliate link carries a publisher identifier; the merchant or network may use cookies under its own policy to attribute a purchase and report commissions to us. We do not receive your payment details. Ordinary reference links are not paid placements.

Your data and your rights

We rely on consent for optional advertising and analytics cookies, including Google and Clarity cookies, and on our legitimate interests to operate the site and answer correspondence. Providers may process data outside your country, including in the United States, under their applicable transfer safeguards. We keep correspondence only as long as needed to handle your request. Depending on your location, you may request access, correction, deletion or restriction, object to processing, or complain to your data protection authority. Contact us using the address below.

Questions

For privacy questions, email hello@howtostart.to.