Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 16, 2025

At Gift Card Guide, your privacy is a paramount concern. Because we are a strictly educational and non-commercial resource, we have designed our website to collect the absolute minimum amount of information necessary to provide a functional and accessible experience. We do not sell products, we do not have user accounts, and we do not track your behavior for advertising purposes.

1. Information We Collect

We do not collect personal identification information (PII) such as your name, address, phone number, or financial details. We do not have a registration system, and we do not use third-party tracking pixels or behavioral analytics tools.

The only data we process is non-identifying technical information required for the website to function:

  • Language Preference: We store your choice of English or Spanish in your browser's local storage so the site appears in your preferred language during future visits.
  • Theme Preference: We store your choice of "light" or "dark" mode in local storage to maintain your visual preference.
  • Consent Status: We store your acceptance of this policy to prevent the notification banner from appearing repeatedly.

2. No Financial Data Collection

As stated throughout this site, Gift Card Guide is purely educational. We never ask for, and you should never provide, gift card numbers, PINs, bank account details, or any other financial information. If you receive a communication claiming to be from us asking for such data, please ignore it—it is a scam.

3. Cookies and Local Storage

We do not use traditional tracking cookies. We use a browser technology called "Local Storage" for the following functional purposes only:

  • theme: To remember if you prefer light or dark mode.
  • language: To remember if you prefer English or Spanish.
  • topbar-dismissed: To remember if you have closed the educational notice bar.
  • cookie-consent: To remember that you have seen and acknowledged our privacy information.

This data remains on your device and is not transmitted to our servers or any third party.

4. No Third-Party Disclosure

We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer your information to outside parties. Since we do not collect personal data, there is nothing for us to share or sell. We do not participate in advertising networks or use affiliate marketing programs.

5. External Links

Our educational articles contain links to official government, regulatory, and non-profit websites (such as the FTC or CFPB). Once you click these links and leave our site, we have no control over the privacy practices of those external websites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you visit.

6. Children's Online Privacy Protection

Our website is intended for a general audience interested in financial literacy. We do not knowingly collect any information from children under the age of 13. Given our lack of data collection, our site is compliant with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).

7. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our website's functionality or legal requirements. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date.

8. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us via our Contact Page.