Privacy Policy – SwicyBee

How SwicyBee protects your information

Last Updated: September 15, 2025

The Short Version: Look, nobody loves reading privacy policies (including me), but this stuff is important. Here’s the deal: I collect only what I need to make SwicyBee work better for you, I never sell your information to anyone, and I’m always transparent about what I’m doing with your data. If you have questions, just email me directly at contact@swicybee.com– I actually read and respond to those emails myself.

Who We Are

SwicyBee is owned and operated by Michael Carter, a food enthusiast based in New York City who’s obsessed with hot honey recipes. This privacy policy covers the SwicyBee website located at swicybee.com and explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information.

Information We Collect

We collect information to provide better services to all our readers. Here’s what we gather and why:

Information You Give Us Directly

  • Email Address: When you sign up for our newsletter, comment on recipes, or contact us directly
  • Name: If you choose to provide it when commenting or contacting us
  • Comments and Reviews: When you leave feedback on recipes or blog posts
  • Contact Form Info: Any information you share when reaching out through our contact forms

Information We Collect Automatically

  • Website Usage Data: Pages you visit, time spent on site, how you found us
  • Device Information: Type of device, browser type, operating system (to make sure the site works well for you)
  • Location Data: General location (city/state level) to understand our audience and provide relevant content
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies: Small files that help us remember your preferences and improve your experience

How We Use Your Information

Everything we collect serves a purpose – here’s how we use your data:

  • Provide and Improve Our Service: Deliver recipes, respond to comments, fix bugs, and make the site better
  • Communicate With You: Send newsletters (only if you sign up), respond to your questions, and notify you about important updates
  • Understand Our Audience: Learn which recipes are popular, what content you find most helpful, and how to serve you better
  • Prevent Spam and Abuse: Keep the comment sections friendly and protect against malicious activity
  • Legal Compliance: Meet legal requirements and protect our rights when necessary

What We DON’T Do With Your Information

I want to be crystal clear about this: We never sell your personal information to anyone, ever. We don’t share your email with other companies for marketing purposes. We don’t use your data for anything sketchy or weird. Your information stays with SwicyBee and is only used to make your experience better.

Cookies and Tracking

Like most websites, we use cookies and similar technologies. Here’s what’s happening:

Essential Cookies

These are necessary for the website to function properly – things like remembering you’re logged in or keeping items in your favorites list.

Analytics Cookies

We use Google Analytics to understand how people use our site – which recipes are popular, where visitors come from, what devices they use. This helps us create better content and fix problems.

Preference Cookies

These remember your settings, like whether you prefer metric or imperial measurements, or if you want to see vegetarian recipe suggestions.

Social Media and Advertising

We may use pixels from Pinterest, Instagram, and other platforms to understand how our content performs and to show relevant recipe suggestions to people interested in food content.

Third-Party Services We Use

To provide the best possible experience, we work with several trusted services:

  • Email Service (ConvertKit): Manages our newsletter subscriptions and sends recipe updates
  • Analytics (Google Analytics): Helps us understand website performance and user behavior
  • Comments (WordPress/Disqus): Powers our recipe comment system
  • Hosting Provider: Keeps our website running smoothly and securely
  • Social Media Platforms: For sharing recipes and connecting with our community

Each of these services has their own privacy policies, and we choose partners who take data protection seriously.

Your Privacy Rights

You have control over your personal information. Here’s what you can do:

Correct Your Information

If something we have is wrong or outdated, let us know and we’ll fix it promptly.

Delete Your Information

Want us to delete your data? No problem. We’ll remove your personal information from our systems (though we may keep anonymous analytics data).

Unsubscribe

You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email, or by contacting us directly.

Control Cookies

Your browser settings let you control cookies. Keep in mind that disabling certain cookies might affect how well the website works for you.

Data Protection and Security

We take protecting your information seriously. Here’s how we keep it safe:

  • Secure Hosting: Our website uses SSL encryption and secure hosting practices
  • Limited Access: Only authorized personnel (basically just me, Mike) can access personal information
  • Regular Updates: We keep our website software and security measures up to date
  • Data Minimization: We only collect what we actually need and delete old data we no longer require

Children’s Privacy

SwicyBee is not intended for children under 13. We don’t knowingly collect personal information from kids under 13. If you’re a parent and think we might have information about your child, please contact us immediately at contact@swicybee.com and we’ll delete it right away.

International Visitors

SwicyBee is based in the United States, and your information may be stored and processed here. If you’re visiting from outside the US, your data may be transferred to and stored in the US, which may have different privacy laws than your country.

For European Union Visitors (GDPR)

If you’re in the EU, you have additional rights under GDPR:

  • Legal Basis: We process your data based on legitimate interests (improving our service) and consent (for newsletters)
  • Data Portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format
  • Right to Object: You can object to our processing of your data for marketing purposes
  • Supervisory Authority: You can file complaints with your local data protection authority

For California Residents (CCPA)

California residents have specific rights regarding their personal information:

  • Right to Know: What personal information we collect and how it’s used
  • Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
  • Right to Opt-Out: We don’t sell personal information, so there’s nothing to opt out of
  • Non-Discrimination: We won’t treat you differently for exercising these rights

Changes to This Privacy Policy

I may update this privacy policy from time to time – usually when we add new features or if privacy laws change. When I make significant changes, I’ll:

  • Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
  • Send an email to newsletter subscribers about important changes
  • Post a notice on the website for at least 30 days

I encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.

Contact Information for Privacy Concerns

If you have any questions about this privacy policy, how we handle your data, or want to exercise any of your privacy rights, please contact me directly:

Privacy Contact: contact@swicybee.com

Mailing Address: 7019 20Th Ave Brooklyn, New York, 11204 United States

I personally handle all privacy-related inquiries and will respond within 48 hours during business days. If your request is complex, I might need up to 30 days to fully address it, but I’ll keep you updated on the progress.

A Personal Note on Privacy

Look, I know privacy policies can feel overwhelming and impersonal. Here’s the honest truth: SwicyBee is my passion project, and your trust means everything to me. I’m not some faceless corporation – I’m just Mike, a guy who loves hot honey and wants to share great recipes with fellow food enthusiasts.

I handle your information the same way I’d want someone to handle mine – carefully, respectfully, and only for good reasons. If you ever have concerns or questions about privacy stuff, don’t hesitate to reach out. I’m always happy to explain what we’re doing and why.

Thanks for trusting SwicyBee with your information. Now let’s get back to talking about delicious food!