Privacy Notice
Last updated: 25 September 2026
Who runs this website?
Ian Beyond Borders at https://iwatkins.com is a personal travel blog run by Ian Watkins.
For questions about this notice or your personal information, email hello@iwatkins.com.
Comments
Comments are reviewed before they appear on the site. If a comment is approved, the comment and the name or display name associated with it will be publicly visible on the post. Your email address is not intended to be displayed publicly.
The site uses Akismet, a spam-protection service provided by Automattic, to help identify unwanted comments. Akismet may process information submitted with a comment, including the comment text and technical information such as your IP address and browser details. You can read Akismet’s privacy information.
Approved comments remain on the post unless they are removed. To ask about a comment you have submitted, email hello@iwatkins.com.
Please don’t include sensitive personal information in a public comment.
Contact form
If you use the contact form, it collects the first name, email address and message you enter. The form is provided by Forminator.
Form submissions are stored in the website’s WordPress database and are set to be automatically deleted after 12 months. A copy is also sent to the website’s contact email address, hello@iwatkins.com. Email copies are kept only for as long as needed to deal with the enquiry, then deleted.
Website statistics
This website uses Google Analytics, connected through Site Kit by Google, and Jetpack Stats to understand visits and how people use the site. These services may process information such as pages viewed, referral sources, device or browser details, and interactions with the site.
Analytics are used only in accordance with the choices made through the site’s cookie-preference controls. Where consent is required, analytics technologies should not be used for your visit unless you choose to allow them. You can change or withdraw your choice using the cookie-preference controls on the site.
You can read more about these providers’ privacy practices:
Cookies and similar technologies
The site displays a cookie-preference banner that allows visitors to accept, reject or customise optional cookie categories. Essential technologies needed to operate and secure the site may still be used.
Optional analytics or other third-party technologies are handled in accordance with the choices made via the banner. You can revisit or change your choice using the cookie-preference control on the site.
Hosting and security
The website is hosted on a dedicated server provided by Hetzner, located in Finland. The website and its security features may process technical information, such as IP addresses and browser or device details, to operate, protect and troubleshoot the site.
The site also uses Loginizer to help protect the WordPress login.
How and why information is used
Information submitted through comments and the contact form is used to manage comments, reply to messages, identify spam and protect the website. Website statistics are used to understand how the site is used.
For contact messages and comment moderation, I rely on my legitimate interests in running, moderating, and protecting the blog, as well as responding to people who contact me. I consider the rights and interests of people whose information I handle.
Where consent is required for cookies or similar technologies, the site relies on your choice through the cookie-preference controls.
Service providers and international processing
Some information is processed by providers that help operate the website, including Hetzner, Automattic and Google. The website server is located in Finland. These providers may process information in other countries, as explained in their own privacy information.
Your choices and rights
You can email hello@iwatkins.com to ask about information you have submitted or to request that a comment or message be corrected or removed.
Depending on the circumstances, you may have rights to request access to, correction or deletion of your personal information, or to object to or restrict some uses of it. Where processing is based on consent, you can withdraw that consent.
If you are unhappy with how your information has been handled, you can complain to the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk/make-a-complaint.
External links and embedded content
This site may link to other websites. Their privacy practices are their own.
If a page contains embedded content, such as a YouTube video, the provider may receive technical information when the content loads or when you choose to play it. This depends on how the content is embedded.
Changes to this notice
I may update this notice if the website’s features or use of information changes. The latest update date will appear at the top of this page.