Last updated: August 9, 2026
First Layer HQ (“we”, “us”, “the site”) operates firstlayerhq.com . This policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and what choices you have. We have tried to write it in plain language rather than legal boilerplate.
If you have a question this page does not answer, contact us at mannymathis24@gmail.com .
The short version
We collect very little. If you subscribe to our newsletter, we store your email address so we can send it to you. Our analytics tell us which pages get read. We earn commissions from some links. We do not sell your data, and we never will.
Information we collect
Information you give us
The only personal information we ask for is your email address, and only if you choose to subscribe to our newsletter, The First Layer. If you email us directly, we receive whatever you choose to include in that message.
We do not require you to create an account, and we do not ask for your name, address, phone number, or payment details. We never collect payment information, because we do not sell anything directly on this site.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, our hosting provider and analytics record basic technical information when you visit: pages viewed, approximate region, referring site, browser type, and device type. This is aggregate traffic data used to understand which articles are useful. It is not used to build a profile of you as an individual.
How we use your information
We use your email address for one purpose: to send you the newsletter you asked for. We do not send you unrelated marketing, and we do not email you on behalf of anyone else.
We use analytics data to decide what to write about next and to find broken pages.
Email and your choices
Our newsletter is delivered through Kit (kit.com), which stores subscriber email addresses on our behalf and is bound by its own privacy policy.
Every email we send includes an unsubscribe link. Unsubscribing takes effect immediately and removes you from the list. You may also email us and ask to be removed, and we will do it manually.
You can request a copy of the information we hold about you, or ask us to delete it, by emailing mannymathis24@gmail.com . We will action deletion requests within 30 days.
Affiliate links and advertising
First Layer HQ participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases.
Some links on this site are affiliate links. If you click one and buy something, we may receive a commission at no additional cost to you. This never changes what we recommend or what we write. We are not paid by manufacturers to review products, and a commission does not buy a better verdict.
When you click an affiliate link, the destination retailer may set its own cookies and collect its own data under its own privacy policy. We have no control over that and no access to it.
Cookies
We do not use cookies to track you across other websites, and we do not run behavioral advertising networks on this site. Cookies that do get set come from our analytics and from third parties whose links you choose to click.
You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site works fine without them.
Third parties we rely on
We keep this list short on purpose:
- Netlify hosts the site and processes standard server request logs.
- Kit stores newsletter subscriber email addresses and delivers our emails.
- Amazon Associates provides the affiliate links described above.
- Google Search Console reports how the site performs in search results, using aggregate data.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to anyone, for any purpose.
Data retention
We keep newsletter subscriber email addresses until you unsubscribe or ask us to delete them. Aggregate analytics data is retained by those providers under their own retention schedules.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or restrict the use of your personal information, and the right not to be discriminated against for exercising those rights. We honour these requests regardless of where you live. Email mannymathis24@gmail.com and we will handle it.
We do not sell personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of on that front.
Children
This site is not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect information from them. If you believe a child has given us their email address, contact us and we will delete it.
Security
Subscriber data is held by Kit under its security practices. No method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security, but we collect so little that there is very little to expose.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy we will update the date at the top of this page. Material changes will be noted in the newsletter.
Contact
Questions about this policy, or about your data: