Last updated: October 25, 2026
Who we are
charlesas.com is run by Charles Asirifi, a cybersecurity analyst based in Ontario, Canada. The site publishes plain-English security articles and describes the security services I offer to small businesses and the self-employed.
This policy explains what information the site collects when you visit, read, comment, subscribe or contact me, why it’s collected, who it’s shared with, and the choices you have. In this policy, “I”, “me” and “my” mean Charles Asirifi as the operator of charlesas.com.
I handle personal information in line with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).
Information the site collects
Information you give me
| When you… | What’s collected | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Use the contact form or book a call | Your name, email address, and whatever you write in the message | To reply to you and, if you ask, to provide a service |
| Subscribe to the newsletter | Your email address | To send you new posts and occasional updates. Every email has an unsubscribe link |
| Leave a comment | Your name, email address, website (optional), comment, IP address and browser details | To show your comment and to filter spam |
Information collected automatically
When you visit any page, the site and the services below collect standard technical information: your IP address, browser and device type, the pages you view, how you arrived (for example, from a search engine or a link), and the date and time. This is used to understand which articles are useful, keep the site secure, and, once ads are enabled, show advertising.
I don’t ask for, and don’t want, sensitive information such as health details, passwords or financial account numbers. Please don’t send those through the contact form.
Third-party services
The site uses these services. Each one handles data under its own privacy policy, and some may process it outside Canada, including in the United States.
| Service | What it does here | Their policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics and Search Console (through Google Site Kit) | Measures visits and how people find the site | Google Privacy Policy |
| Google AdSense | Shows ads (once enabled) | How Google uses information from sites that use its services |
| Jetpack (Automattic) | Site statistics, security and the newsletter | Automattic Privacy Policy |
| Akismet (Automattic) | Filters comment spam | Automattic Privacy Policy |
| WPForms | Runs the contact form; messages are stored on this site and emailed to me | Stored on this site |
| Pixabay | Source of article photos; images are stored on this site, so loading them doesn’t contact Pixabay | Not applicable |
| Web hosting provider | Hosts the site and keeps standard server logs | Stored with my host |
Advertising and cookies
Cookies are small files a website stores in your browser. This site and the services above use them to keep the site working, count visits, remember your choices and, once ads are on, show advertising.
When ads are enabled, Google and its partners may use cookies to show ads based on your visits to this and other websites. You can:
- turn off personalized ads in Google’s Ad Settings,
- opt out of personalized ads from many companies at YourAdChoices (Canada),
- block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site still works, though some features may not.
Visitors from regions that require consent before cookies are used (such as the European Union and the United Kingdom) will see a consent banner and can choose what to allow.
How information is used, shared and kept
Use. I use your information only for the purposes described above: replying to you, sending the newsletter you signed up for, showing comments, understanding which articles help readers, keeping the site secure and, once enabled, showing ads.
Sharing. I don’t sell or rent your personal information. It’s shared only with the service providers listed above so they can do their job, or when the law requires it.
Retention. I keep information only as long as it’s needed:
- contact messages: as long as needed to deal with your request and any work that follows,
- newsletter: until you unsubscribe,
- comments: while the comment is published,
- analytics: according to the retention settings of the analytics service.
Security. I work in cybersecurity and treat this seriously. The site uses encrypted connections (HTTPS), up-to-date software, spam filtering and restricted access. No website can promise perfect security, but I take reasonable steps to protect what you share.
Your rights and how to reach me
Under Canadian privacy law you can:
- ask what personal information I hold about you,
- ask me to correct it,
- withdraw your consent, for example by unsubscribing or asking me to delete your messages or comments.
Email asirifi@charlesas.com and I’ll respond within 30 days. If you’re not satisfied with my answer, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
The site isn’t directed at children under 13, and I don’t knowingly collect their information.
Changes. I’ll update this page when the site adds or changes a service. The date at the top shows the latest version.
Last updated: October 25, 2026