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Privacy Statement

TL;DR: I store your information in a MySQL database that powers the Ghost CMS. I use Google Analytics (Tag Manager) and send email to you using Mailgun (required by Ghost). Stripe handles your subscription information. That's it.

Last Updated: November 23, 2025

Who We Are

Big Machine is an online course platform dedicated to helping people learn technology and software development. This privacy policy explains how we handle your information when you use our website and services.

Information We Collect

Information You Give Us

When you create an account or purchase a course, you provide:

  • Your name
  • Your email address
  • Payment information (processed securely through our payment provider, Stripe)

Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit our site, we automatically collect (using Google Analytics):

  • Basic usage data (pages visited, time spent, etc.)
  • Device and browser information
  • General location, without IP address (as far as I know. I disabled this in the tracking but who knows what Google does anyway)

We use this information to understand how people use the site and to make it better.

The Services We Use

We don't run everything ourselves. Here are the services that power Big Machine:

Ghost CMS

Our website runs on Ghost, an open-source content management system. Ghost handles your account, course access, and content delivery. It's a good system built by good people.

Stripe

You don't want me processing credit cards, which is why we use Stripe under full PCI compliance. Your personal information, as well as any financial bits, are all handled on Stripe's website, completely away from anything I can see. If you're interested in reading Stripe's privacy policy, head over to stripe.com.

Digital Ocean

We host everything on Digital Ocean. They provide the servers that keep the site running. Digital Ocean has their own privacy policy covering how they handle data at the infrastructure level.

Google Analytics & Tag Manager

We use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to understand how people use the site. This helps us know which content is helpful, which pages need work, and how people navigate around.

Google Analytics collects anonymous usage data. We don't use it to identify individual users or track you around the internet. We just want to know things like "people really liked that video on databases" or "the navigation menu is confusing."

If you'd prefer not to be tracked by Google Analytics, you can use browser extensions like uBlock Origin or Google's own Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Mailgun

We use Mailgun to send emails. This includes things like:

  • Password reset emails
  • Purchase confirmations
  • Course access notifications
  • Occasional updates (if you've opted in)

Ghost requires an email service to function, and Mailgun is reliable and straightforward.

Important: We don't retain your email information beyond what's necessary to send you the emails you need. We don't sell your email to third parties, rent mailing lists, or do anything sketchy with your contact information.

What We Don't Do

Let's be clear about what we don't do with your information:

  • We don't sell your data to anyone
  • We don't share your information with third-party marketers
  • We don't use your data for advertising targeting outside of our own site
  • We don't retain unnecessary information
  • We don't track you across other websites

How We Use Your Information

We use your information for straightforward purposes:

  • Account Management: To create and maintain your account
  • Course Access: To give you access to the courses you've purchased
  • Communication: To send you important updates about your account or courses
  • Payment Processing: To handle transactions when you purchase courses
  • Site Improvement: To understand how people use the site and make it better
  • Security: To protect against fraud and unauthorized access

That's it. No hidden agendas, no data mining, no selling your information to the highest bidder.

Your Rights

You have rights when it comes to your personal information:

Access Your Data

You can request a copy of the personal information we have about you. Just send us an email and we'll get it to you.

Correct Your Data

If your information is wrong or outdated, you can update it in your account settings or ask us to fix it.

Delete Your Data

You can request that we delete your account and personal information. We'll remove everything except what we're legally required to keep for financial records (like purchase history for tax purposes).

Export Your Data

You can request an export of your data in a portable format.

Opt Out of Marketing

You can unsubscribe from marketing emails at any time. We'll still send you important account-related emails (like password resets), but we won't send you promotional stuff if you don't want it.

Data Security

We take reasonable precautions to protect your information:

  • All data transmission is encrypted using SSL/TLS
  • Passwords are hashed and never stored in plain text
  • We use reputable, security-conscious service providers
  • We limit access to personal information to only what's necessary

That said, no system is 100% secure. We do our best, but we can't guarantee absolute security. If you notice anything suspicious, please let us know immediately.

Data Retention

We keep your information for as long as you have an active account. If you delete your account, we'll remove your personal information, except for:

  • Financial records we're legally required to keep for tax and accounting purposes
  • Information needed to prevent fraud or resolve disputes
  • Anonymized usage data that can't identify you personally

Cookies

Like most websites, we use cookies. These are small files stored on your device that help the site work properly and remember your preferences.

We use cookies for:

  • Keeping you logged in
  • Remembering your settings
  • Understanding site usage (via Google Analytics)

You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling them might make some parts of the site not work as well.

Children's Privacy

Big Machine is not intended for children under 13. We don't knowingly collect information from children. If we discover that we've collected information from a child under 13, we'll delete it promptly.

International Users

Our servers are located in the United States. If you're accessing Big Machine from outside the US, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States.

By using our services, you consent to this transfer. We'll treat your information according to this privacy policy regardless of where you're located.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time. When we make significant changes, we'll:

  • Update the "Last Updated" date at the top
  • Notify you via email or a prominent notice on the site
  • Give you a chance to review the changes

Continued use of the site after changes means you accept the updated policy.

Our site may contain links to other websites. We're not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites. When you leave Big Machine, we encourage you to read the privacy policies of any site you visit.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your data, please reach out:

Email: rob@bigmachine.io.

We'll do our best to respond promptly and address your concerns.

The Bottom Line

We built Big Machine to teach people, not to harvest data. We use your information only for the purposes you'd expect: running the site, delivering courses, and improving the experience. We don't play games with your privacy, and we don't sell your data.

If you have concerns or questions, we're happy to talk. We're real people running a real business, and we're here to help.