Privacy & Cookie Policy

This website is a personal portfolio operated by Saeid Shahriari. I take your privacy seriously and only collect the minimum amount of data needed to respond to messages you send via the contact form.

Last updated: November 2025

1. Who is responsible for your data?

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), I act as the data controller for the personal data collected through this website.

Controller:
Saeid Shahriari
Based in Brussels, Belgium
Email: saeidshahriari1@gmail.com

2. What data do I collect and why?

2.1 Data you provide via the contact form

When you use the “Get in Touch” form, I collect the information you enter:

  • Your name
  • Your email address
  • Your message
  • Your consent choices (the two checkboxes under “Privacy”)

This data is used solely to:

  • Read and manage your message
  • Reply to you by email
  • Keep a short record of our communication if needed (for example, if we start a collaboration)

2.2 Technical and security-related data

This website is hosted and protected by Cloudflare. When you visit the site, technical information may be processed automatically, such as:

  • IP address
  • Browser type and version
  • Device and operating system
  • Date and time of your request
  • Pages visited and basic request logs

This information is used for security (for example, protecting the site against attacks and spam) and for ensuring the website is delivered efficiently via Cloudflare’s content delivery network (CDN).

3. Legal bases for processing

I process your personal data according to the GDPR on the following legal bases:

  • Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) – when you fill in and submit the contact form and tick the required checkboxes, you consent to me using your data to respond to your message.
  • Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) – for technical and security-related data needed to keep the website secure, prevent abuse and ensure it functions correctly. These interests are balanced against your rights and freedoms.

4. Who can access your data?

I do not sell your data and I do not share it for marketing or advertising. Your data may be processed or stored by the following service providers, strictly for the purposes described above:

  • Cloudflare, Inc. – hosting, CDN, security and delivery of this website, including the contact form endpoint.
  • Google (Gmail) – when I receive your message by email, it is stored in my Gmail inbox so that I can answer you.

These providers act as data processors on my behalf and process your data only according to my instructions and their own privacy and security commitments.

5. International data transfers

Cloudflare and Google may process or store data on servers located outside the European Economic Area (EEA). In such cases, they rely on appropriate safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) or equivalent mechanisms recognised under the GDPR.

6. How long do I keep your data?

  • Contact form submissions and related emails:
    kept for as long as is necessary to handle our communication and, in any case, no longer than 12 months after the last relevant contact, unless there is a legitimate reason to keep them longer (for example, an ongoing project).
  • Technical and security logs:
    stored according to the retention periods of Cloudflare and only used for security and operational purposes.

7. Cookies and similar technologies

This website itself does not use analytics, advertising, or tracking cookies that follow you across other websites. I do not run Google Analytics, Facebook pixels or similar tools here.

However, because the site is delivered via Cloudflare, some strictly necessary cookies may be set automatically in your browser. These are used for:

  • Ensuring your requests are routed efficiently
  • Detecting and mitigating malicious traffic
  • Providing basic website security and performance

These cookies are considered essential to provide the service you requested (visiting and using the site), and therefore do not require consent under the ePrivacy rules. They do not track you for advertising or marketing purposes.

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings at any time, but disabling essential cookies may affect the correct functioning of the site.

8. Your rights under GDPR

As a data subject in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

  • Right of access – to request a copy of the data I hold about you.
  • Right to rectification – to ask me to correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to erasure – to ask me to delete your data (“right to be forgotten”).
  • Right to restriction of processing – to request limited use of your data.
  • Right to data portability – to receive your data in a structured, commonly used format in certain situations.
  • Right to object – to object to processing based on legitimate interests.
  • Right to withdraw consent – where processing is based on your consent, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact me at saeidshahriari1@gmail.com. I may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. For Belgium, this is the Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit / Autorité de protection des données). You can find their contact details on their official website.

9. No automated decision-making or profiling

I do not use your personal data for automated decision-making or for profiling that produces legal effects or significantly affects you.

10. Changes to this policy

I may update this Privacy & Cookie Policy from time to time, for example if I change hosting providers, add new features such as analytics, or if the law requires updates. When I make changes, I will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.

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