San Mateo Local

Privacy Policy

Your privacy, in plain English

Last updated: July 4, 2026

San Mateo Local is a small, local guide run by real people. We collect as little as possible, we don't sell your information, and here's exactly what happens with what we do collect.

Who we are

San Mateo Local ("we," "us," or "the guide") publishes a local guide to San Mateo, California at sanmateolocal.com. If you have any questions about this policy, email us at hello@sanmateolocal.com.

What we collect

We only collect information in a few specific situations:

When you subscribe to our newsletter

If you sign up for our email list, we collect your email address (and your name, if you give it). We use our email provider, Buttondown, to store the list and send the newsletter.

When you send us a message or use a form

If you fill out a form on the site (for example, suggesting a spot or helping us confirm local history), we receive whatever you choose to share, usually a name, an email if you provide one, and your message. These form submissions are delivered to us by a service called Web3Forms.

When you simply visit

Like most websites, we use Google Analytics to understand how many people visit and which pages they read. This collects standard, mostly anonymous information such as your approximate location (city level), the pages you view, the type of device and browser you use, and how you found us. Google Analytics uses cookies to do this. We do not use this information to personally identify you.

How we use it

That's it. We do not use your information for anything else without telling you.

What we don't do

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone. We don't run ad networks that track you across the internet. We don't share your email with other businesses.

Who we share it with

We only share information with the trusted services that help us run the guide, and only so they can do their job:

Each of these has its own privacy policy. We may also share information if the law requires it, which is rare and something we take seriously.

Cookies

A cookie is a small file a website saves on your device. We use them mainly for Google Analytics, to count visits. You can block or delete cookies anytime in your browser settings, and the site will still work fine.

Your choices and rights

Children

This site is meant for a general audience and is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13.

Changes to this policy

If we update this policy, we'll change the date at the top. If a change is significant, we'll do our best to make it obvious.

Questions?

We're local and we're happy to talk. Reach us anytime at hello@sanmateolocal.com.