Last updated: 1 June 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how QWAYL (“we”, “us”, “our”) collects and uses information when you visit our website at https://www.qwayl.com.
We run a gaming review and editorial website. We do not require visitors to create an account, we do not operate user comments, we do not run a newsletter, and we do not sell personal data.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you can contact us at:
Email: hello@qwayl.com
1. Who we are
For the purposes of UK data protection law, the operator of this website is:
Kristopher Mayers
Email: kris.mayers@live.co.uk
2. What information we collect
We try to keep data collection on this website limited. However, when you visit the site, some information may be collected automatically through our hosting, analytics, security, and embedded content tools.
This may include:
- your IP address;
- browser type and version;
- device type and operating system;
- pages you visit;
- the date and time of your visit;
- approximate location, such as country or region;
- referral source, such as whether you arrived from a search engine, social media site, or another website;
- interactions with pages, such as clicks, scrolling, and navigation behaviour;
- technical information needed to load and secure the website.
We do not use this information to directly identify individual visitors.
3. What we do not collect
We do not currently:
- require user accounts;
- allow public comments;
- run a newsletter or mailing list;
- sell products directly through the website;
- show third-party adverts;
- sell personal data;
- knowingly collect personal information from children.
If this changes in the future, we will update this Privacy Policy.
4. How we use your information
We use information collected through the website for the following purposes:
- to make the website available to visitors;
- to understand how people use the site;
- to improve our content, layout, performance, and user experience;
- to detect technical issues, bugs, or abuse;
- to protect the security and reliability of the website;
- to understand which reviews, articles, and pages are most useful to readers;
- to provide embedded media, such as YouTube videos;
- to link visitors to our optional donation page.
5. Our lawful basis for using personal data
Where UK GDPR applies, we rely on the following lawful bases:
| Purpose | Lawful basis |
|---|---|
| Operating, hosting, and securing the website | Legitimate interests |
| Understanding basic site traffic and performance | Legitimate interests, where the analytics are privacy-friendly and do not require consent |
| Google Analytics | Consent |
| Microsoft Clarity heatmaps and session analytics | Consent |
| YouTube embedded videos | Consent where required, or your interaction with the embedded content |
| Responding to privacy requests | Legal obligation |
| Optional donations through Buy Me a Coffee | Your interaction with Buy Me a Coffee and its payment providers |
Our legitimate interests are to run a secure, reliable, and useful gaming review website. We only rely on legitimate interests where we believe this does not override your rights and freedoms.
6. Analytics
We use analytics tools to understand how visitors use the website and to improve our content and design.
Vercel Web Analytics
Our site is hosted on Vercel and may use Vercel Web Analytics. This helps us understand general site traffic and performance, such as page views, referrers, device type, and approximate visitor location.
Vercel Web Analytics is designed to provide privacy-friendly analytics and does not require us to identify individual visitors.
Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site. Google Analytics may collect information such as:
- pages visited;
- time spent on pages;
- browser and device information;
- approximate location;
- referral source;
- interactions with the website;
- cookie or similar identifiers.
We use Google Analytics only where you have given consent through our cookie or privacy preferences banner.
You can also use browser settings, privacy tools, or Google’s own opt-out tools to limit analytics tracking.
Microsoft Clarity
We use Microsoft Clarity to help understand how visitors interact with our pages. Clarity may collect information about browsing behaviour, such as:
- clicks;
- scrolling;
- page interactions;
- session behaviour;
- device and browser information;
- approximate location;
- pages visited.
This information helps us identify confusing layouts, broken features, or parts of the website that need improvement.
We use Microsoft Clarity only where you have given consent through our cookie or privacy preferences banner.
7. Cookies and similar technologies
Cookies are small files stored on your device. Similar technologies may also be used to recognise a browser or device, remember preferences, or understand how a site is used.
We may use:
- strictly necessary technologies to make the website work properly;
- analytics cookies or similar technologies to understand site usage;
- embedded media technologies when you interact with third-party content such as YouTube videos.
We do not use cookies for third-party advertising on this website.
Where required by law, we will ask for your consent before using non-essential cookies or similar tracking technologies. This includes Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity.
You can accept, reject, or manage analytics and tracking preferences through our cookie banner or privacy settings tool, where available. You can also control cookies through your browser settings.
8. Embedded YouTube videos
Some pages on our website may include embedded videos from YouTube. These videos are provided by Google/YouTube.
When you load or interact with an embedded YouTube video, Google/YouTube may collect information such as:
- your IP address;
- device and browser information;
- the page you visited;
- video playback information;
- your interaction with the embedded video;
- cookies or similar identifiers, depending on your settings and the embed used.
Where possible, we use YouTube’s privacy-enhanced embed mode. This is intended to reduce YouTube’s use of cookies before you interact with a video. However, if you play an embedded video, YouTube may still process information about your interaction with that video in accordance with Google’s own privacy policy.
9. Optional donations
Our website may include a donation button or link to our profile on Buy Me a Coffee.
Donations are optional. If you click the donation button, you will leave our website and be taken to Buy Me a Coffee or a related payment page.
We do not directly process card payments or payment details on this website. Donation payments are handled by Buy Me a Coffee and its payment providers, such as Stripe.
If you choose to donate, Buy Me a Coffee and its payment providers may collect information such as your name, email address, payment information, donation amount, and message. Their use of your information is governed by their own privacy policies.
If Buy Me a Coffee provides us with limited supporter information, such as your name, message, or donation amount, we will only use it to view and manage donations, respond where appropriate, and keep basic records.
10. Who we share information with
We may share or make information available to the following service providers where necessary to run and improve the website:
- Vercel — website hosting, performance, and analytics;
- Google Analytics — website analytics, where consent has been given;
- Microsoft Clarity — heatmaps and behaviour analytics, where consent has been given;
- Google/YouTube — embedded video content;
- Buy Me a Coffee — optional donation link and supporter platform;
- Stripe or other payment processors — payment processing for donations through Buy Me a Coffee.
We do not sell personal data. We do not share visitor data with advertising networks because we do not run adverts on the site.
11. International transfers
Some of the services we use are operated by companies based outside the United Kingdom or European Economic Area. This means information may be processed in countries that may have different data protection laws.
Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards used by our service providers, such as adequacy regulations, standard contractual clauses, or other lawful transfer mechanisms.
12. How long we keep information
We only keep personal data for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy.
As a guide:
| Type of information | Retention period |
|---|---|
| Basic server and security logs | Kept for a limited period needed for security, debugging, and reliability |
| Vercel analytics data | Kept according to Vercel’s analytics and platform settings |
| Google Analytics data | Kept according to our Google Analytics retention settings |
| Microsoft Clarity recordings and heatmap data | Kept according to Microsoft Clarity’s retention settings |
| Cookie consent records | Kept for as long as needed to remember and evidence your preferences |
| Donation-related information we receive | Kept only as long as needed for donation records, accounting, or communication |
You can contact us if you would like more specific information about retention periods.
13. Your rights
Depending on where you live and the laws that apply, you may have rights over your personal data.
These may include the right to:
- ask for a copy of the personal data we hold about you;
- ask us to correct inaccurate information;
- ask us to delete your personal data;
- object to our use of your personal data;
- ask us to restrict how we use your personal data;
- withdraw consent where we rely on consent;
- ask for your data in a portable format, where applicable;
- complain to a data protection authority.
If you are in the UK, you can complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office, although we would appreciate the chance to deal with your concern first.
To exercise your rights, contact us at: hello@qwayl.com
14. Children’s privacy
Our website is about video games and may be visited by younger users, but it is not designed to collect personal information from children.
We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. We do not provide user accounts, comments, newsletters, or direct messaging features.
If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
15. Links to other websites
Our website may link to other websites, including game publishers, storefronts, YouTube, Buy Me a Coffee, social media platforms, and other third-party sites.
We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those websites. You should read their privacy policies before providing them with personal information.
16. Changes to this Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page.
If we make significant changes to how we use personal data, we will take reasonable steps to bring those changes to your attention.
17. Contact us
For questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle personal data, contact:
Qwayl
Email: hello@qwayl.com