Privacy Policy — AfrostoicLife

Effective date: December 31, 2024

Who we are

AfrostoicLife is a personal publishing project by Kwame Otieno Bala. We write and publish essays, newsletters, and podcasts exploring African wisdom and Stoic philosophy.

Contact: afrostoicdialogues@kwameotienobala.com

What this policy covers

This policy explains how we collect, use, and share personal information when you use our website, subscribe to the newsletter, sign in, or interact with our services.

Information we collect

  • Account & Profile: name, email, avatar path, authentication identifiers (from Supabase Auth, including Google OAuth if used).
  • Newsletter: email address and preferences.
  • Content & Activity: posts you create (if collaborator), comments or messages you send to us, limited logs of interactions with features like The Wise One (FAQ widget).
  • Usage Data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, referring URLs, time spent (via hosting and logging infrastructure).
  • Files/Media: images you upload for your profile or posts (stored in Supabase Storage).

How we use the information

  • Provide and operate the site, newsletter, and podcast pages.
  • Authenticate users and secure the service.
  • Send the newsletter via our email provider (e.g., Resend).
  • Improve the site, debug issues, prevent abuse.
  • Comply with legal obligations.

Legal bases (EEA/UK)

We process personal data under:

  • Consent (newsletter signup).
  • Contract (providing your account and the site features you request).
  • Legitimate interests (security, analytics, improving the site, limited logging).

Sharing your information

We share data only with service providers that help us run the service:

  • Supabase (authentication, database, storage, RLS policies).
  • Vercel (hosting, logs).
  • Resend (sending emails).
  • Google (OAuth, if you choose it).

These providers process data on our behalf under their terms. We don't sell personal data.

International transfers

Our providers may process data in countries outside your own. We use reputable vendors that implement appropriate safeguards (e.g., SCCs under GDPR).

Cookies and similar tech

We use cookies and local storage for authentication, session management, and basic site functionality. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling them may limit features.

Data retention

  • Account/profile: retained while your account is active.
  • Newsletter: retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
  • Logs: typically retained for short periods needed for security and operations.

We may keep limited records to comply with law or resolve disputes.

Your choices and rights

  • Unsubscribe from emails at any time via the link in each email.
  • Access, correct, delete, or export your data: email us at the address above.
  • Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
  • Object or restrict certain processing under applicable laws.
  • CCPA/CPRA (California): we do not "sell" personal information as defined by law; you can request access and deletion.

We will verify requests and respond as required by law.

Security

We use access controls, row-level security, and industry-standard hosting to protect data. No method is 100% secure; please use strong passwords and keep your credentials safe.

Children

The site is not intended for children under 16. If you believe a child has provided personal data, contact us and we'll delete it.

Changes to this policy

We may update this notice from time to time. Material changes will be posted on this page with a new effective date.

Connect with Kwame Otieno Bala

Contact

Questions or requests: afrostoicdialogues@kwameotienobala.com