Privacy Policy

Last updated: September 7, 2026

The Behavioral Scientist is owned and operated by Haystack Group LLC. This policy explains how we handle information when you visit thebehavioralscientist.com, contact us, or subscribe to the publication.

For privacy questions or requests concerning your information, email privacy@thebehavioralscientist.com.

Information you give us

When you use our contact form, we ask for your name, email address, and message. A submission may also include technical information, such as your IP address. We use that information to respond to your inquiry and maintain our correspondence. The form processes submissions through this website and sends a notification to our email service. Your message may be stored in the website database, email records, and backups.

When you subscribe to the newsletter, we collect your email address to send the publication and manage your subscription. Newsletter subscriptions use Substack. Substack processes subscription information and can record email opens, post views, and link clicks. We can access subscriber details and activity information through its publisher dashboard. Its own handling of information is described in Substack’s Privacy Policy.

We currently use contact messages and subscriber details only to answer inquiries and operate this publication. We do not use those records to market other businesses or provide them to partners for their marketing.

Information collected when you visit

Our hosting, delivery, and security services process technical information such as your IP address, the page requested, the time of the request, browser information, and the referring page. We use these services to deliver the website, investigate errors, and detect or prevent abuse.

Some pages use Google Analytics to measure visits and interactions, including clicks on PDF downloads. On those pages, Google Analytics can begin collecting information when the page loads. Google Analytics can collect browser and device information, approximate location, and information about how you use the site. It uses cookies to distinguish visits and users. See Google’s explanation of Analytics data collection and Google’s Privacy Policy.

We also use Cloudflare Web Analytics to measure website performance and usage. Cloudflare describes that service as not using cookies or collecting visitors’ personal data. That description applies to Web Analytics; Cloudflare’s separate website-delivery and security services process technical request information. See Cloudflare Web Analytics and Cloudflare’s Privacy Policy.

Cookies and browser storage

The website uses cookies and browser storage to support caching and remember interface choices, such as display preferences or dismissed prompts. Google Analytics also uses cookies on pages where it runs. Embedded third-party content may use its own cookies and similar technologies.

You can control or delete cookies through your browser settings. Blocking cookies or browser storage may affect some website features. Google also offers a Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on for supported browsers.

Services that process information

We use service providers to run the website and publication. These include Cloudways for hosting, Cloudflare for website delivery and security, NitroPack for performance optimization, Google Workspace for email, Google Analytics for measurement, and Substack for newsletter subscriptions. Gravity Forms processes contact-form submissions within the website, and Wordfence provides website security functions.

These services process information according to their role in providing those functions. Their own privacy notices also describe how they handle information. Service providers may process information in countries other than the country where you live.

Embedded content and external links

Some articles include YouTube videos. When an embedded video loads or you interact with it, Google may receive technical information and use cookies or other identifiers under its own policies.

The site also links to external publications, services, and retailers. When you follow a link or use a third-party service, that service’s privacy practices apply to the information you provide there.

How long information is kept

We do not currently follow a fixed deletion schedule for contact messages or subscriber exports. Those records may remain in our website database, email, or other publication records until deleted. Copies may also remain in backups. Service providers apply their own retention settings and policies to information they process.

You can ask us to delete information we hold about you by contacting privacy@thebehavioralscientist.com. Unsubscribing stops newsletter delivery; it does not necessarily delete all historical subscription or correspondence records.

Your choices and requests

You can unsubscribe from the newsletter using the unsubscribe link in an email or your Substack subscription settings.

For information we hold, you can contact us to ask what we have, request a correction, or request deletion. We may need to verify that a request relates to you. If we cannot fulfill a request in full, including where records need to be retained for legal or security reasons, we will explain the limitation.

Public comments and self-service account registration are currently disabled on this website.

Security

We use HTTPS and website security tools to help protect information and reduce unauthorized access and abuse. No website or transmission method can guarantee complete security.

Changes to this policy

We will update this policy when our practices change and revise the date above. If you have questions about this policy, contact Haystack Group LLC at privacy@thebehavioralscientist.com.