Privacy Policy
Effective Date: May 12, 2026
Welcome to BiteSienna. I’m Sienna, and I run this personal food blog from my home kitchen with the goal of sharing simple, real-life recipes with home cooks across the United States. Your privacy matters to me, and this Privacy Policy explains how I collect, use, and protect your personal information when you visit bitesienna.com or subscribe to my weekly newsletter.
Running this blog is a labor of love, and transparency about data practices is part of that commitment. I believe you deserve to know exactly what happens when you land on my site or join my mailing list. By using this website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy. If you do not agree with the terms outlined here, please do not use the site or submit your personal information.
1. Information I Collect
Personal Information You Provide Directly
The only personal information I actively collect is the email address you voluntarily provide when signing up for the BiteSienna newsletter. I use this email address solely to send you weekly recipes, meal planning tips, kitchen secrets, and occasional updates about new content on the blog. I do not sell, rent, or trade email addresses with any third parties for marketing purposes.
Voluntary Correspondence
If you contact me directly through the contact page or via email, I may receive additional information about you such as your name, the contents of your message, and any attachments you choose to send. I keep these communications only as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry.
Information Collected Automatically
When you browse bitesienna.com, certain information is collected automatically through standard web technologies. This may include your Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type and version, device type, operating system, referring URLs, pages viewed, and the dates and times of your visits. This data is collected via server logs and basic analytics tools to help me understand which recipes are popular and how visitors navigate the site. This information is generally anonymous and cannot be used to identify you personally.
2. Cookies and Similar Technologies
BiteSienna uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help the website remember your preferences and understand usage patterns. The types of cookies used on this site include:
- Essential Cookies: Necessary for the website to function properly, such as maintaining site security and basic performance.
- Analytics Cookies: Help me understand how visitors interact with the site by collecting and reporting information anonymously.
You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, some portions of the site may not function as intended.
3. How I Use Your Information
I use the information I collect for the following purposes:
- To send you the newsletter and email updates you requested
- To respond to your inquiries submitted through the contact page
- To monitor and analyze site traffic and usage trends
- To detect, prevent, and address technical issues or security concerns
- To improve the content, layout, and overall user experience of BiteSienna
I do not use your email address for any purpose other than the newsletter distribution and direct communication you initiate. Because BiteSienna operates without affiliate links or sponsored advertising networks, you will never receive emails promoting third-party products on my behalf. Every message comes directly from my kitchen to your inbox. Since this is a personal blog with no affiliate partnerships, your data is never used for affiliate tracking or commission-based marketing.
4. Legal Basis for Processing
For visitors in regions with applicable privacy laws, I process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:
- Consent: When you voluntarily enter your email address to subscribe to the newsletter, you consent to receive communications from me. You may withdraw this consent at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or contacting me directly.
- Legitimate Interest: Automatically collected data such as IP addresses and browsing behavior is processed based on my legitimate interest in maintaining website security, preventing fraud, and improving site performance.
5. Third-Party Service Providers
I rely on a small number of trusted third-party services to operate BiteSienna. These providers have access to your personal information only to perform specific tasks on my behalf and are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. These services include:
- Email Marketing Provider: Used to manage newsletter subscriptions, deliver emails, and track open rates and click-through rates on an aggregated basis.
- Web Hosting Provider: Stores website files and databases, including any information submitted through the site.
- Analytics Provider: Collects anonymous traffic data to help me understand visitor behavior and content performance.
Each of these providers maintains its own privacy policy and security practices. I encourage you to review their policies if you wish to understand how they handle data.
6. Data Security
I take reasonable precautions to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. The blog is built on a secured WordPress platform with regular maintenance, and my email service provider uses industry-standard encryption for data transmission. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While I strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, I cannot guarantee its absolute security.
7. Your Privacy Rights
Depending on your state of residence, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information under United States privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and similar state regulations. These rights may include:
- The right to know what personal information is being collected about you
- The right to know whether your personal information is sold or shared, and to whom
- The right to request deletion of your personal information
- The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights
Since BiteSienna does not sell personal information and only shares it with essential service providers, most of these rights are straightforward to honor. Please note that I may need to verify your identity before processing certain requests to protect your privacy and security. This helps ensure that your personal information is not disclosed to unauthorized individuals. To exercise any of these rights, or if you have questions about the personal data I hold about you, please contact me using the information at the end of this policy. I will respond to verifiable consumer requests within the timeframe required by applicable law.
8. Data Retention
I retain your email address only for as long as you remain subscribed to the BiteSienna newsletter. If you unsubscribe, your email address will be permanently deleted from my active mailing list within thirty days, unless I am required by law to retain it for a longer period. Automatically collected log data is typically retained for a shorter period and is used solely for security and analytical purposes before being purged.
9. Children’s Privacy
BiteSienna is intended for a general audience and does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of thirteen. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided me with personal information without your consent, please contact me immediately. If I become aware that I have collected personal information from children under thirteen without verification of parental consent, I will take steps to remove that information from my servers.
10. Links to External Websites
My recipes and posts may occasionally contain links to external websites that are not operated by me, such as ingredient resources or cooking tools. If you click on a third-party link, you will be directed to that site. I strongly advise you to review the privacy policy of every external site you visit, as I have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies, or practices of any third-party sites or services.
11. Changes to This Privacy Policy
I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices, legal requirements, or website functionality. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated effective date. I encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how I am protecting your information. Your continued use of the site after any modifications constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
12. Contact Me
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the handling of your personal information, please do not hesitate to reach out. You can contact me via email at contact@bitesienna.com or by visiting my contact page. I aim to respond to all inquiries within two business days.
Whether you have a question about a recipe or a concern about your data, I read every message personally and appreciate you taking the time to connect. Thank you for being part of the BiteSienna community. Your trust means everything, and I am committed to keeping your personal information safe while I share my love of cooking with you.