Privacy policy

This privacy policy explains what information the FilmFreebies Creative Academy (the Academy) at academy.filmfreebies.com collects, how it is used and the choices you have. The Academy is operated by FilmFreebies. If you have any question about this policy, email info@filmfreebies.com.

The short version

• You can read every lesson without creating an account.
• We do not ask for your name or email to use the Academy.
• Your lesson progress, exam scores and theme choice stay in your own browser.
• We use Google Analytics to count page views and see which lessons are used. That measurement can include your IP address, browser and the pages you open.
• We do not sell personal information, and we do not show advertising.
• Each page shows a view count. The count is a total stored in a JSON file on the server. It does not store your name.

Information stored on your device

The Academy uses your browser's local storage to remember a few things for you. This information stays on your device and is not sent to us:

• Lessons you mark as complete, and the last lesson you opened.
• Your exam results, once exams are available.
• Whether you chose the light or dark theme.

You can delete this information at any time by clearing your browser's site data for academy.filmfreebies.com.

To let you read pages you have visited when you are offline, the Academy also saves copies of those pages and its design files in your browser's cache. These copies contain no personal information and can be cleared the same way.

Information our hosting server records

Like almost every website, our hosting server automatically records basic technical information when pages are requested, such as your IP address, browser type, the page requested and the time. This is used to keep the site secure, prevent abuse and fix problems, and is kept only as long as needed for those purposes.

Page view count

When you open a page, the Academy adds one to that page's view count and stores the total in a JSON file on the server. The same page is not counted again during that browser session. The file stores the page address and the number only, not your name, email or lesson progress. A session cookie named PHPSESSID remembers which pages this visit has already counted. It is deleted when you close the browser.

Google Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4, measurement ID G-ZQEGXMJW7Q, to count visits and see which courses and lessons are opened. This is how we know the page count. Google Analytics sets cookies in your browser and receives technical information, including:

• pages you open and roughly how long a visit lasts
• browser type, device type, screen size and language
• the site that referred you, if your browser sends one
• your IP address, which we ask Google to anonymise
• a cookie identifier so repeat visits can be counted without an account

We use this only to understand how the Academy is used and to improve lessons. We do not use it to advertise, and we do not combine it with your name or email. Lesson progress stored in local storage is not sent to Google.

Google processes this information under its own terms. Google's policy is at policies.google.com/privacy. You can refuse Analytics cookies in your browser settings, or install Google's opt-out add-on from tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout. Refusing them does not stop you reading the lessons.

Google Fonts

The Academy's typefaces are loaded from Google Fonts. When your browser loads them, Google receives your IP address and basic browser information. Google Fonts does not set a cookie for this. Google's privacy policy applies to that request.

Contacting us

If you contact us by email, we receive your email address and whatever you choose to write. We use it only to reply to you and to improve the Academy, and we do not add you to any mailing list without your permission. The contact form on this site does not send or store anything itself; it simply opens your own email app.

Children

The Academy is educational and suitable for learners of many ages. We do not ask children for an account. Analytics still receives the same technical visit data from any browser that opens the site. If you believe a child has emailed us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Your rights

Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct or delete personal information an organisation holds about you, or to object to how it is used. For information you sent us by email, contact info@filmfreebies.com. For Analytics data held by Google, use the opt-out above or Google's own privacy tools.

Links to other websites

Lessons may link to other websites. We are not responsible for their content or privacy practices, so please read their policies.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy as the Academy develops. The date at the top of the page shows when it last changed.