Legal

Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 10, 2026

The Gist of It (“we,” “us,” or “our”) publishes a personalized explainer newsletter and website at thegistofit.co (the “Service”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the Service, you agree to the practices described here.

1. Information We Collect

Information you provide

When you subscribe, we collect your email address and the topics you choose to follow (World News, Business & Finance, Technology, Health & Wellness, Science, Sports, Entertainment, Travel, Education, Lifestyle). If you use the Gist Engine, we collect the questions or topics you submit.

Information collected automatically

When you visit the site or open our emails, we and our service providers automatically collect certain data, including IP address, browser and device type, pages viewed, links clicked, referring pages, approximate location (derived from IP), and email open/click activity.

2. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

We use cookies, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to understand how visitors use the site and to measure the performance of our marketing. Specifically, we use:

  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4) — site traffic and usage analytics (pages visited, session duration, referral source, general device/location data).
  • Microsoft Clarity — session recordings, heatmaps, and click/scroll behavior to help us improve the site’s design and usability.
  • Meta (Facebook/Instagram) Pixel & Ads — tracks visits and signup conversions from our Meta ad campaigns, and may be used to build lookalike or retargeting audiences for future advertising.
  • Kit (formerly ConvertKit) — our email delivery platform, which tracks email opens, clicks, and subscriber status for the newsletters we send.

We may add or change analytics and advertising tools over time; this policy will be updated to reflect any material changes. You can control cookies through your browser settings, and you can opt out of Google Analytics using Google’s opt-out browser add-on. You can also limit ad tracking through your device and platform privacy settings (e.g., Meta’s Ad Preferences).

3. How We Use Information

We use the information above to:

  • Send you the personalized newsletter content you signed up for
  • Operate features like the Gist Engine and Gist Wall
  • Measure and improve site performance and content quality
  • Run and measure advertising campaigns (e.g., on Meta)
  • Detect abuse, enforce rate limits, and keep the Service secure
  • Comply with legal obligations

4. Third-Party Service Providers

We share limited data with the service providers that help us run the Service, including: Kit (email delivery), Supabase (database hosting for archived issues and cached answers), OpenAI (processes Gist Engine queries to generate explanations), Vercel (website hosting), Google Analytics 4, Microsoft Clarity, and Meta. Each provider processes data under its own privacy policy and only to the extent necessary to provide its service to us. We do not sell your personal information.

5. Data Retention

We retain subscriber information for as long as your subscription is active, and for a reasonable period afterward for legal, security, and record-keeping purposes. Gist Engine queries may be cached (including publicly, for popular questions shown on the Gist Wall) to avoid repeat processing costs; queries are not linked to your email address.

6. Your Choices & Rights

  • Unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send
  • Update your topic preferences via the link in our emails
  • Opt out of analytics/ad cookies via your browser or device settings
  • Request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information by contacting us (see below)

Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under laws such as the GDPR (EEA/UK) or CCPA (California). We will honor applicable requests consistent with those laws.

7. Children’s Privacy

The Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we will delete it.

8. International Users

The Service is operated from the United States. If you access it from outside the U.S., your information will be transferred to and processed in the U.S. and other countries where our service providers operate.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version here with a new “Last updated” date. Continued use of the Service after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.

10. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or your data? Email us at info@thegistofit.co.