Privacy Policy

Effective date: May 29, 2026 Last updated: May 29, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Mike Writes (”the Publication”), operated by Michael Williams (”I,” “me,” or “my”), handles your information when you subscribe to, read, or otherwise interact with the Publication. The Publication is hosted on Substack, and that matters a great deal for your privacy — please read Section 3 carefully.

By using the Publication, you agree to the practices described here.

1. The Short Version

I’m an independent writer, not a data company. I don’t build profiles on you, I don’t sell your information, and I don’t run advertising. The only personal data I meaningfully work with is your email address (and optionally your name) so I can send you what you signed up for. Almost all technical data collection occurs through Substack, the platform that hosts this Publication.

2. Who Is Responsible for Your Data

There are two parties involved:

• Substack — the platform that hosts the Publication. Substack collects, stores, and processes most of the data used to run this Publication, including account details, payment information, device and usage data, and cookies. Substack acts under its own Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

• Me (Michael Williams) — I operate the Publication on Substack. I can access certain information Substack makes available to me, such as subscriber email addresses, subscriber names where provided, and aggregate or limited analytics. I use that information only to run the Publication.

Because Substack provides the underlying infrastructure, your use of the Publication is also governed by Substack’s Privacy Policy. I encourage you to read it.

3. Information Collected

Depending on how you interact with the Publication, the following information may be collected:

• Subscription information — your email address and your name or display name if you provide one, when you subscribe.

• Payment information — if you take out a paid subscription, payment is processed by Substack and its payment processor (Stripe). I do not receive or store your full card details; I only see whether a subscription is active.

• Comments and replies — any content you post in comments, or send by replying to an email, along with your display name.

• Usage and device data — collected by Substack, this can include things like opens, clicks, IP address, browser, and device type, and general location. This is gathered and held by Substack, not by me directly.

• Cookies and similar technologies — set by Substack to operate the site and provide analytics. I do not set my own cookies.

4. How Information Is Used

The information described above is used to:

• Send you the posts, newsletters, and updates you subscribed to;

• Manage your subscription, including paid subscriptions and billing;

• Respond to your comments, replies, and direct messages;

• Understand, in aggregate, how the Publication is performing (for example, how many people opened a post);

• Keep the Publication secure and address misuse.

• Comply with legal obligations.

I do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling, nor do I use it to train any artificial intelligence system.

5. Legal Bases (for readers in the EU/UK)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, the legal bases for processing your information are:

• Consent — for example, when you subscribe to receive emails (which you can withdraw at any time by unsubscribing);

• Contract — to provide a paid subscription you have purchased;

• Legitimate interests — to operate, secure, and understand the performance of the Publication, in a way that does not override your rights.

6. How Information Is Shared

I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. Information is shared only:

• With Substack and its service providers (including Stripe for payments), as necessary to operate the Publication;

• Where legally required, such as in response to a valid legal request;

• With your consent, in any other case.

7. Data Retention

Substack retains data in accordance with its own policies. I retain subscriber information for as long as you remain subscribed and for as long as needed to operate the Publication. If you unsubscribe or ask to be removed, your information will be deleted or anonymized within a reasonable period, except where I’m required to keep certain records (for example, for tax or legal purposes).

8. Your Rights and Choices

• Unsubscribe anytime — every email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can manage your subscription from your account settings.

• Access, correction, deletion — you may request a copy of the personal data I hold about you, ask me to correct it, or ask me to delete it.

• Other rights — depending on where you live (for example, under the GDPR, UK GDPR, or California’s CCPA/CPRA), you may have additional rights, such as the right to restrict or object to processing, or to data portability. California residents have the right not to be subjected to discriminatory treatment for exercising their privacy rights.

To exercise any of these, contact me using the details in Section 12. Note that much of the underlying data is hosted by Substack, so some requests may need to be directed to or fulfilled through Substack.

9. Children’s Privacy

The Publication is not directed at children under 16, and I do not knowingly collect information from them. A King’s War and certain essays contain mature themes and are intended for adult readers. If you believe a child has provided information, please contact me, and I will take appropriate steps to remove it.

10. Security and International Transfers

Substack maintains the technical and organizational measures that protect the data it processes. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and I cannot guarantee absolute security. Substack is based in the United States, so your information may be stored and processed there and in other countries whose data-protection laws may differ from those where you live.

11. Changes to This Policy

I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes take effect when posted, and the “Last updated” date is updated accordingly. Significant changes will be noted in the Publication where practical. Your continued use after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

12. Contact

Questions, concerns, or requests about your privacy or this Policy can be sent to:

mike@mikewrites.info

This Privacy Policy works alongside the Publication’s Terms of Service. By using the Publication, you acknowledge that you have read and understood both