Last updated: May 18, 2026
Introduction
This privacy policy explains how Hard Drive, operated by Sumerian Publishing, collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit our website at hard-drive.net.
By using our site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
Information We Collect
Information you provide directly:
- Email addresses submitted through contact forms, newsletter signups, or other voluntary submissions
- Names or other identifying information you choose to provide
- Comments or other content you post on the site
Information collected automatically:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Operating system
- Device type
- Pages visited and time spent on the site
- Referring website
- General geographic location (country or region level)
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide and maintain the website
- Respond to inquiries and communications
- Send marketing, promotional, or informational emails (with your consent, where required by law)
- Analyze website usage and improve our content and services
- Detect and prevent fraud or abuse
- Comply with legal obligations
You may opt out of marketing communications at any time by following the unsubscribe link in any marketing email or by contacting us directly.
Disclosure of Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may disclose personal information in the following limited circumstances:
- Legal process: In response to a court order, subpoena, or other valid legal process
- Law enforcement and safety: In response to a law enforcement agency’s request, or where we believe it is necessary to investigate or prevent illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of another person, violations of our terms of use, or as otherwise required by law
- Business transactions: In connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, sale of assets, or other corporate transaction, in which case personal information may be transferred as part of that transaction
- Service providers: With trusted third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf (such as analytics, advertising, hosting, or email delivery) and who are obligated to protect that information
Non-personally identifiable information may be shared in aggregate form with advertisers and analytics partners.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies (pixels, tags, web beacons) to operate and improve our site, analyze usage, and serve relevant advertising. Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies, delete existing cookies, or be notified when cookies are set. Disabling cookies may affect your ability to use certain features of the site.
For cookies related to advertising, you can also manage your preferences through our consent management platform (the cookie banner displayed when you first visit the site).
Third-Party Services
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google LLC, to understand how visitors use our site. Google Analytics collects information such as how often users visit the site, what pages they visit, and what other sites they visited prior. Google’s use of this data is governed by Google’s privacy policy, available at https://www.google.com/policies/privacy/.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on.
Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1)
The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website.
First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser’s cache. The “help” feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser’s cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at All About Cookies.
Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website.
The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads:
- IP Address
- Operating System type
- Operating System version
- Device Type
- Language of the website
- Web browser type
- Email (in hashed form)
Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor’s referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising.
If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit the National Advertising Initiative opt out page. You may also visit the Digital Advertising Alliance website and Network Advertising Initiative website to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the AppChoices app at the Digital Advertising Alliance’s AppChoices app to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out.
For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit Mediavine Partners.
Public Submissions and User Content
Any information you choose to disclose voluntarily in comments, forums, or other public areas of the site becomes public information. We cannot control how other site visitors or third parties may use information you share publicly. Please use discretion when posting personal information in any public area of the site. All public sharing is optional and at your own risk.
Your Rights
Depending on where you live, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information.
All visitors:
- The right to access information we hold about you
- The right to correct inaccurate information
- The right to request deletion of your information
- The right to opt out of marketing communications
California residents (CCPA / CPRA):
- The right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
- The right to delete personal information we have collected
- The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information
- The right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights
EU, UK, and EEA residents (GDPR / UK GDPR):
All of the rights above, plus:
- The right to data portability (to receive your data in a portable format)
- The right to restrict or object to processing
- The right to withdraw consent at any time
- The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at info@hard-drive.net.
Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy or as required by law. Analytics data is typically retained for up to 26 months. Email addresses collected for marketing purposes are retained until you unsubscribe.
Children’s Privacy
This site is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us at info@hard-drive.net so we can delete it.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this privacy policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this privacy policy or our data practices, please contact us:
Hard Drive
Sumerian Publishing
Email: info@hard-drive.net