Privacy Policy

Wander (startwandering.com) is committed to being straightforward about what data we collect and why. This policy explains exactly that.

What we collect

We collect minimal data to keep the service running:

• Email address — only if you voluntarily join the waitlist or contact us. We use this only to send the communication you signed up for.
• Anonymous usage data — when you view or click on a site card, we record the URL (not any information about you). This is used only to surface trending sites in the algorithm.
• Standard server logs — our hosting provider (Netlify) automatically records IP addresses and browser information in access logs. These are retained per Netlify's standard policy and are not linked to any personal profile.

What we do not collect

• We do not require or create user accounts.
• We do not sell your data to anyone, ever.
• We do not use advertising trackers or third-party analytics pixels.
• We do not use cookies for tracking. Google Fonts may set a cookie — see Google's privacy policy for details.

Your preferences stay on your device

The algorithm that personalises your card deck stores your preferences (liked categories, seen cards, vote history) entirely in your browser's localStorage. This data never leaves your device and is not sent to our servers. You can clear it at any time by clearing your browser's site data for startwandering.com.

Browser extensions

The Wander Firefox and Chrome extensions follow the same minimal-data approach as the website. When installed:

• Anonymous visitor ID — a random UUID is generated the first time you use the extension and stored in your browser's extension storage. It identifies a browser, never a person, and never leaves your device beyond what's described below.
• Site impressions and clicks — when the extension shows you a site card or you click through to a site, we record the destination URL along with your anonymous visitor ID and a source tag (firefox-ext or chrome-ext). This is the same anonymous tracking the website uses, just labelled by source so we can tell extension activity apart from web activity. It feeds the trending algorithm.
• Cached site list — the extension caches the curated site list in your browser's local extension storage so new tabs are instant. This data lives only on your device.

The extension does not read or transmit your general browsing history, the contents of the pages you visit, your tabs, your cookies, or any personal information. It only knows about the URLs you click on through Wander's own surfaces. If you want to disable extension analytics entirely, open analytics.js inside the unpacked extension folder and set WANDER_TRACKING.enabled = false.

Uninstalling the extension removes all of its local data, including the visitor ID. Past records associated with that ID remain in our anonymous trending statistics.

Email communications

If you join the waitlist, your email is stored with Buttondown and used only to send Wander updates. You can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any email.

Third-party services

Wander uses the following services, each with their own privacy policies:

• Netlify — hosting and serverless functions
• Supabase — database for site listings and anonymous tracking
• Buttondown — email waitlist
• Google Fonts — typography
• Resend — transactional email (submission confirmations)

Changes to this policy

If we make material changes to this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. Continued use of Wander after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

Questions about privacy? Email us at hello@startwandering.com.