This Privacy Policy explains how Exhaust Guides (“we”, “us”, or “our”) collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit exhaustguides.com. Please read it carefully before using our site.
Table of Contents
- Who We Are
- What Data We Collect
- Cookies & Tracking
- Advertising & Affiliates
- Third-Party Services
- Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)
- Data Retention
- Data Security
- Children’s Privacy
- Changes to This Policy
- Contact Us
1. Who We Are
Exhaust Guides is an independent automotive blog focused on vehicle exhaust systems, performance upgrades, and repair guides. The site is owned and operated by Monowar Shohag.
Website: https://exhaustguides.com
Contact Email: [email protected]
2. What Data We Collect & Why
We collect only the minimum data necessary to operate and improve this website:
| Data Type | What We Collect | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Comments | Name, email, IP address, comment text | To display comments and prevent spam |
| Contact Form | Name, email, message | To respond to your inquiry |
| Analytics | Page views, device type, general location, referral source | To understand how visitors use the site |
| Cookies | Session data, preferences, ad identifiers | Site functionality and relevant advertising |
| Advertising | Browsing behavior (via Google/Ezoic) | To serve relevant advertisements |
We do not sell your personal data to any third party, ever.
3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Cookies are small text files placed on your device when you visit a website. Exhaust Guides uses the following types of cookies:
- Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly (e.g., security tokens, login sessions). These cannot be disabled.
- Analytics Cookies: Set by Google Analytics to track anonymized data including page visits and session duration.
- Advertising Cookies: Set by Google AdSense and Ezoic to display relevant ads. These may track your browsing across multiple websites.
- Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and choices across sessions.
✅ You can manage cookies at any time using the banner shown on this site, or by adjusting your browser settings. Disabling advertising cookies won’t remove ads — but the ads shown will be less relevant. To opt out of Google Analytics tracking, visit tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
4. Advertising & Affiliate Disclosure
Exhaust Guides displays advertisements and participates in affiliate programs to support this free resource. Specifically:
- Google AdSense / Ad Manager: We display ads served by Google LLC. Google uses cookies to personalize ads based on your browsing history. See Google’s Privacy Policy.
- Ezoic: We use Ezoic to optimize ad placement and site performance. Ezoic may collect data about your visit. See Ezoic’s Privacy Policy.
- Amazon Associates: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. We may earn a commission when you purchase through our Amazon links at no extra cost to you.
- ClickBank & Others: Some content may contain ClickBank affiliate links or links from other programs. Commissions may be earned on qualifying purchases.
Our editorial content and recommendations are never influenced by affiliate relationships. We only recommend products we genuinely believe will benefit our readers.
5. Third-Party Services
The following third-party services may process your data when you visit Exhaust Guides:
- Google Analytics – Website traffic analysis (anonymized)
- Google AdSense / Ad Manager – Ad serving and optimization
- Ezoic – Ad optimization and site speed
- Gravatar (Automattic) – Comment profile picture display
- Akismet – Comment spam detection
- WordPress / Automattic – Content management platform
- Amazon.com – Affiliate product links and purchasing
Each of these services operates under its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review them independently.
6. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)
Depending on where you live, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
Right to AccessRequest a copy of personal data we hold about you.
Right to ErasureAsk us to delete your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
Right to RectificationCorrect any inaccurate data we hold about you.
Right to ObjectObject to us processing your data for advertising purposes.
Right to PortabilityReceive your data in a machine-readable format.
CCPA Opt-OutCalifornia residents may opt out of the sale of personal data.
To exercise any of these rights, email us at [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days.
7. Data Retention
- Comments: Kept indefinitely unless you request deletion.
- Contact form submissions: Deleted after 12 months.
- Analytics data: Retained for 26 months (Google Analytics default).
- Session cookies: Expire when you close your browser.
- Persistent cookies: Expire after a set period, typically 1–2 years.
8. Data Security
We take reasonable and appropriate measures to protect your data, including:
- SSL/HTTPS encryption across all pages
- Regular malware and security scans
- Spam and bot detection on all forms
- Limited access to any personal data we collect
- Regular database backups
However, no method of internet transmission is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security but are committed to protecting your data.
9. Children’s Privacy
Exhaust Guides is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal data from anyone under 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately and we will delete it promptly.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or applicable law. When we do, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Continued use of our site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Questions About This Policy?
We’re happy to help. We’ll respond within 2 business days.