Legal Policies - A Fulcrum

This page contains the Privacy Policy and Terms of Service for A Fulcrum (fulcrum.blog). Last updated: 13 March 2025.

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 13 March 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to A Fulcrum (“we”, “us”, or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit https://fulcrum.blog/ (the “Site”) or interact with our content and services.

By using the Site, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree, please discontinue use of the Site.

2. Who We Are

A Fulcrum is an independent publishing brand operated by Robert (“the Publisher”), based in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. The Site publishes articles, essays, and resources on philosophy, productivity, career strategy, along with other related topics.

For privacy enquiries, contact us at: robert@fulcrum.blog
Or via our contact page: https://fulcrum.blog/contact-me/

3. Information We Collect

3.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you subscribe to our newsletter, make a purchase, or contact us, we may collect:

Email address
First name and last name (where provided)

3.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit the Site, certain data is collected automatically, including:

IP address and general location data
Browser type and version
Pages visited and time spent
Referring website or source
Device type and operating system

This data is collected via cookies and analytics tools (see Section 5).

4. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To send you newsletters and email updates (where you have opted in)
To process purchases of digital products or memberships
To analyse Site traffic and improve the user experience
To respond to your enquiries or support requests
To comply with legal obligations

5. Analytics and Tracking

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with the Site. Google Analytics collects data such as pages visited, session duration, and traffic sources. This data is anonymised and aggregated.

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

For more information, see Google’s Privacy Policy.

6. Email Marketing

We use Sender to manage our email list and send newsletters. If you subscribe to our mailing list, your email address and name (where provided) will be stored on Sender’s platform.

You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email we send.
We do not sell, rent, or share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.

Sender’s Privacy Policy: https://www.sender.net/privacy-policy/

7. Payments and Purchases

We use third-party payment processors to handle purchases of digital products and memberships. We do not directly store your payment card details.

7.1 Ko-fi

Membership payments and tips are processed through Ko-fi.
Ko-fi Privacy Policy: https://more.ko-fi.com/privacy

7.2 Gumroad

Digital product purchases are processed through Gumroad.
Gumroad Privacy Policy: https://gumroad.com/privacy

8. Cookies

The Site uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — to improve functionality and analyse usage. The types of cookies we use include:

Essential cookies: Required for the Site to function correctly.
Analytics cookies: Used by Google Analytics to collect anonymous usage data.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Site.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law. Email subscriber data is retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion. Analytics data is retained in accordance with Google Analytics’ standard retention settings.

10. Sharing Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information. We may share data with:

Service providers (Sender, Ko-fi, Gumroad, Google Analytics) solely to operate the Site and services described in this policy.
Legal authorities, if required to comply with a legal obligation or protect our legal rights.

All third-party providers are bound by their own privacy policies and applicable data protection laws.

11. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right to access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
Right to rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
Right to erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (“right to be forgotten”).
Right to restrict processing: Request that we limit how we use your data.
Right to data portability: Receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format.
Right to object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at robert@fulcrum.blog. We will respond within 30 days. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.

12. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

We process personal data on the following legal bases:

Consent: For email marketing and optional data collection (e.g., newsletter sign-up).
Contractual necessity: To fulfil digital product purchases.
Legitimate interests: For analytics to improve the Site, where such interests are not overridden by your rights.
Legal obligation: Where processing is required by applicable law.

13. Children’s Privacy

The Site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

14. Third-Party Links

The Site may contain links to third-party websites, including affiliate links. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to read their privacy policies. Our use of affiliate links (including Bookshop.org) means we may earn a small commission on purchases at no additional cost to you.

15. Security

We take reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data from unauthorised access, loss, or disclosure. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

16. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

17. Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact:

A Fulcrum
Email: robert@fulcrum.blog
Contact form: https://fulcrum.blog/contact-me/

Terms of Service

Last updated: 13 March 2025

1. Acceptance of Terms

By accessing or using https://fulcrum.blog/ (the “Site”), you agree to be bound by these Terms of Service (“Terms”). If you do not agree to these Terms, please do not use the Site.

These Terms apply to all visitors, subscribers, and customers of A Fulcrum, an independent publishing brand operated by Robert (“the Publisher”), based in Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.

2. Changes to These Terms

We reserve the right to update or modify these Terms at any time. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the revised Terms. We encourage you to review this page periodically.

3. Use of the Site

You agree to use the Site only for lawful purposes and in a manner that does not infringe the rights of others. You must not:

Use the Site to distribute spam, malware, or harmful content.
Attempt to gain unauthorised access to any part of the Site or its infrastructure.
Scrape, copy, or reproduce Site content for commercial purposes without prior written consent.
Impersonate any person or entity, or misrepresent your affiliation with any person or entity.
Engage in any conduct that could damage, disable, or impair the Site.

4. Intellectual Property

All content published on the Site — including articles, essays, graphics, and course materials — is the intellectual property of Robert Thompson or its respective rights holders and is protected by copyright law.

You are permitted to:

Read, share links to, and quote brief excerpts from articles for personal, non-commercial purposes, provided you credit A Fulcrum and link back to the original.

You are not permitted to:

Reproduce, republish, or redistribute substantial portions of our content without written permission.
Use our content to create derivative works for commercial gain.
Remove or alter any copyright or attribution notices.

To request permission for other uses, contact robert@fulcrum.blog.

5. Digital Products and Purchases

A Fulcrum offers digital products (including guides, course materials, and resource packs) for purchase through Gumroad and Ko-Fi. The following terms apply to all purchases:

All sales are final. Due to the digital nature of our products, we do not offer refunds unless the product is materially defective or significantly misrepresented.
Purchased materials are licensed for personal use only and may not be resold, redistributed, or shared commercially.
Access to purchased products is granted upon receipt of payment confirmation from Gumroad.
We reserve the right to update or revise product content; updates will be made available to existing customers where reasonably practicable.

For any issues with a purchase, contact us at robert@fulcrum.blog within 14 days of purchase.

6. Memberships and Subscriptions

Membership tiers are offered through Ko-fi. By becoming a member, you agree to:

Pay the applicable recurring fee for your chosen membership tier.
Use member benefits (including any exclusive content or resources) for personal purposes only.
The terms and billing conditions set out by Ko-fi, as the payment processor.

You may cancel your membership at any time through your Ko-fi account. Cancellation takes effect at the end of the current billing period. We do not offer partial refunds for unused membership periods.

7. Newsletter and Email Communications

By subscribing to our newsletter, you consent to receive periodic emails from A Fulcrum. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email.

We will not use your email address for purposes other than those described in our Privacy Policy.

8. Affiliate Links and Advertising

The Site may contain affiliate links, including links to Bookshop.org (Affiliate ID: 16937) and other providers. If you make a purchase through an affiliate link, we may earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate relationships do not influence editorial content.

We do not currently display third-party display advertising on the Site.

9. Third-Party Websites

The Site may contain links to external websites. We are not responsible for the content, accuracy, or privacy practices of those sites. Links to third-party sites do not constitute an endorsement.

10. Disclaimers

The content published on A Fulcrum is provided for informational and educational purposes only. It does not constitute professional legal, financial, medical, or psychological advice. You should seek qualified professional advice before acting on any information published on the Site.

The Site is provided “as is” without warranties of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or non-infringement. We do not warrant that the Site will be uninterrupted, error-free, or free of viruses or other harmful components.

11. Limitation of Liability

To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, A Fulcrum and its Publisher shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of the Site or its content, even if advised of the possibility of such damages.

Our total liability to you for any claim arising from these Terms or your use of the Site shall not exceed the amount you paid to us in the 12 months preceding the claim, or £50, whichever is greater.

12. Governing Law

These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of England and Wales. Any disputes arising from these Terms or your use of the Site shall be subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England and Wales.

If you are a consumer located in the European Union, you may also benefit from mandatory provisions of the law of your country of residence.

13. Contact

If you have any questions about these Terms, please contact: