Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy for Genetic Voyage

Last Updated: July 21, 2025

At Genetic Voyage (www.geneticvoyage.com), we value your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and share data when you visit our website, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other applicable laws. By using our site, you agree to the practices described below.

1. Who We Are

Genetic Voyage is a blog dedicated to DNA genealogy, providing information and resources to help you explore your family history through DNA testing. For questions about this Privacy Policy, contact us at geneticvoyage@hotmail.com].

2. Information We Collect

We collect the following types of data:

a. Information You Provide

Contact Forms: If you submit a contact form, we collect your name, email address, and message to respond to your inquiries.
Comments: If you leave comments on our blog posts, we collect your name, email, and comment content, which may be displayed publicly.
Newsletter Subscriptions: If you sign up for our newsletter, we collect your email address to send updates and promotions.

b. Automatically Collected Information

Analytics: We use Google Analytics 4 (via MonsterInsights) to collect anonymized data about your visit, including:
- Pages viewed
- Time spent on the site
- Browser and device type
- Approximate location (e.g., country or city)
- Referral sources (e.g., search engines, social media)
Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies to enhance your experience and track site performance. See our Cookie Policy for details.
Affiliate Links: If you click affiliate links (e.g., to AncestryDNA or MyHeritage), we may track clicks to earn commissions, but we do not collect personal data from these actions.

c. Data from Third Parties

Affiliate Partners: When you purchase through affiliate links, our future partners (e.g., AncestryDNA, MyHeritage) may share aggregated data about sales or clicks, but not personal details.
Analytics Providers: Google Analytics provides anonymized data to help us improve our content.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use your data to:

Improve our website and content based on analytics.
Respond to your inquiries or comments.
Send newsletters if you subscribe (you can unsubscribe anytime).
Track affiliate link performance to earn commissions.
Comply with legal obligations, such as GDPR.

4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

For our Swedish and EU visitors, we process data based on:

Consent: You consent to cookies and analytics via our cookie banner (powered by Complianz).
Legitimate Interests: We use anonymized analytics to improve our site.
Contractual Necessity: To respond to your inquiries or deliver newsletters.
Legal Obligation: To comply with GDPR and other laws.

5. Cookies and Tracking

We use cookies to enhance your experience and comply with GDPR:

Essential Cookies: Necessary for site functionality (e.g., navigation).
Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics tracks anonymized data (blocked until consent via our cookie banner).
Affiliate Cookies: Track clicks on affiliate links (e.g., AncestryDNA, MyHeritage) for commission purposes.

You can manage cookie preferences via our cookie banner. For details, see our Cookie Policy.

6. Affiliate Links Disclosure

Genetic Voyage participates in affiliate programs, including those with AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and others. Clicking these links may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. We only promote products we believe in, and affiliate tracking does not collect personal data beyond click activity.

7. Data Sharing

We do not sell your personal data. We share data only with:

Service Providers: Google Analytics (via MonsterInsights) for analytics, and Complianz for GDPR-compliant cookie management.
Affiliate Partners: AncestryDNA, MyHeritage, and others for commission tracking (anonymized data only).
Legal Authorities: If required by law or to protect our rights.

8. Your Rights (GDPR)

As an EU resident, you have the right to:

Access, correct, or delete your personal data.
Restrict or object to data processing.
Request data portability.
Withdraw consent for cookies or newsletters.

Contact us at geneticvoyage@hotmail.com to exercise these rights. You can also file a complaint with a supervisory authority, such as Datainspektionen in Sweden.

9. Data Retention

Contact Forms/Comments: Retained until you request deletion or the data is no longer needed.
Analytics Data: Google Analytics retains data for up to 14 months (configurable).
Newsletter Data: Retained until you unsubscribe.

10. Data Security

We use secure hosting and SSL encryption (https://www.geneticvoyage.com) to protect your data. However, no online system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Third-Party Links

Our site contains links to third-party sites (e.g., AncestryDNA, MyHeritage). We are not responsible for their privacy practices. Review their policies before providing personal information.

12. Cookie Policy

Our site uses cookies to improve functionality and track performance:

Essential Cookies: Enable core site functions.
Analytics Cookies: Google Analytics (via MonsterInsights) tracks anonymized data. Blocked until consent per GDPR.
Affiliate Cookies: Track clicks for commissions without collecting personal data.

Manage cookies via our cookie banner. You can also disable cookies in your browser, but this may affect site functionality.

13. MonsterInsights Usage

We use MonsterInsights to integrate Google Analytics and track site performance. No personal data is collected beyond anonymized analytics, and tracking is disabled until you consent via our cookie banner.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The updated policy will be posted here with a revised “Last Updated” date.

15. Contact Us

For questions or to exercise your GDPR rights, contact: geneticvoyage@hotmail.com