Privacy Policy

Last updated: October 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Underfoot (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects, uses, stores, and discloses personal information. We comply with the New Zealand Privacy Act 2020 and the Information Privacy Principles set out in it.

Who we are

Underfoot is an independent New Zealand flooring publication. Our website is underfoot.co.nz. You can contact us through our contact form.

What information we collect

We collect personal information when you:

• Send us a message via our contact form (name, email, message content)
• Submit feedback, tips, or story ideas (name, email, message content)
• Browse the site (anonymised analytics data, see below)

We do not collect sensitive personal information unless you choose to share it with us in a message.

Messages sent through our contact form are delivered to us by Formspree, a form service based in the United States, which stores submissions on our behalf. Formspree uses them only to deliver them to us and to filter spam.

How we use your information

We use personal information to:

• Reply to your messages and follow up on tips or queries
• Understand which of our content readers find useful (via aggregated, anonymised analytics)
• Comply with legal obligations

We do not sell your personal information. We do not share it with advertisers or third parties for marketing purposes.

Analytics and cookies

We use Google Analytics 4 (GA4) to understand site usage in aggregate: which articles readers find useful, where readers come from, and how the site performs across devices. GA4 uses cookies and may collect anonymised information about how you interact with the site, including page paths, referrers, approximate location (country/region only, not precise), and device type. IP addresses are anonymised before storage.

GA4 is configured for measurement only. We do not use Google Ads remarketing, audience targeting for advertising, or cross-site behavioural advertising features. We do not sell GA4 data, and the only people who see the underlying reports are Underfoot editorial staff.

You can opt out of GA4 tracking by:

• Installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout
• Enabling “Do Not Track” or a tracking-protection feature in your browser
• Using a browser-level ad/tracker blocker (uBlock Origin, Brave, etc.)

We do not use advertising cookies, retargeting pixels, or third-party trackers beyond GA4. We may add server-side analytics (e.g., Vercel Web Analytics) in future for additional aggregate measurement; if we do, this policy will be updated.

We use minimal essential cookies for site functionality (e.g., remembering navigation state).

How long we keep your information

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected:

• Contact form submissions: typically up to 12 months, unless an ongoing matter requires longer
• Anonymised analytics: aggregated and retained indefinitely

Your rights

Under the Privacy Act 2020 you have the right to:

• Ask us what personal information we hold about you
• Request correction of personal information that is inaccurate
• Request deletion of your personal information (where appropriate)
• Withdraw consent for any communications from us

Send your request through our contact form and we’ll respond within 20 working days, as required by law.

Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorised access. No system is perfectly secure, but we use reputable infrastructure providers (such as Vercel, which hosts the site) and follow standard security practices.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. The “last updated” date at the top reflects when the current version took effect. Material changes will be noted on this page.

Complaints

If you believe we’ve handled your personal information improperly, please contact us first through our contact form. If we can’t resolve your concern, you can complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner at privacy.org.nz.