10/8/2016 ~ When you visit my site which I made in WordPress using the responsive theme, Montezuma, meaning that my site adjusts to the screen size of the device you are using, your visit is tracked by WordPress and Google Analytics so that I can see what pages are visited most, what type of device is used, the location of visitors, as for instance are they in Ireland or the United States, how long visitors stay on a page, and some other similar things to help me decide how to format my pages so that the most people have the least trouble viewing them. Because I can see how long people stay on my pages, I can better understand if the page is interesting and useful, or not, so that I can make improvements.
If I go to the specific data I can see the IP addresses, but I hardly ever do that because I have a bit of brain injury and it’s just too much information for me to sort out. I have, however, begun using some security that protects my sites from would-be hackers at certain IP addresses.
The Google ads I have on my site are governed by policies which you can read, in full, here. You may be interested to know that Google terminates thousands of accounts each year for using those annoying pop-up ads, which violate Google policy:
Advertising keeps Google and many of the websites and services you use free of charge. We work hard to make sure that ads are safe, unobtrusive and as relevant as possible. For example, you won’t see pop-up ads on Google and we terminate the accounts of hundreds of thousands of publishers and advertisers that violate our policies each year – including ads containing malware, ads for counterfeit goods or those that attempt to misuse your personal information.
Google uses several different kinds of cookies, and you can read about them here.
You can also watch a pretty interesting video on how Google uses cookies, here.
Google also provides information on how you can manage the advertising you see.
As far as I know, and judging from my experience, none of these cookies slows down a computer.
When you buy something via a Google ad on my site, I get a commission. I totally love that. I can buy healthy food and it makes me feel wonderful and not impoverished, though my overall income (primarily social security) is poverty level. In my fight to keep my home from Wells Fargo who qualified me for a HAMP loan modification, then reneged and has threatened foreclosure ever since, I am counting on my Google ads to help me pay for a lawyer. I am hopeful.
I also have Amazon, Linkshare other affiliate ads on my site, and to my knowledge and from my experience, they don’t slow down computers.
You can read Amazon’s full Privacy Policy here.
My affiliate ads allow me to receive a commission on products and services purchased after clicking on the ads. For instance, when people order methylcobalamin I get a commission, and it makes me very happy because then I know my site has helped someone understand the vital role of the active form of vitamin B12 in health.
On some of my pages I have a comments box. I’m new to this WordPress form of site, so I don’t know if I’ll leave the comment boxes. In any case, the comments are moderated and published, if they are published, after I have read them. If a comment appears to be from a real person, hundreds are from bots, then I write an email reply and may or may not publish the comment and reply. I have recently learned that comments can contain bugs, so I’m reluctant to publish comments at the risk of computer infections.
My site may ask for an email address. My original plan was to have a newsletter so I could write to people when I found new information that would be helpful, especially in relation to vitamin B12 and nerve health. But there’s been so much stress in my life due to the outdoor toilet pit that was under my condo and caused hydrogen sulfide inside my condo, which led to me falling and hitting my head on the brick floor and injuring my brain… so that now my home, the townhome I moved to, is in foreclosure, though I’m hopeful to keep my home… basically I’ve just been too overwhelmed to follow through.
I do not sell email addresses. If you leave me your email address you will not start getting spam emails from people selling all sorts of things you don’t want (or want) for that matter.
I hope this is helpful.
If you have any questions you can leave me a comment in the box provided.
Karen Kline 10/8/2016