Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 2026

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Gems of Budapest (“we”, “us”, or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information of visitors to www.gemsofbudapest.com (the “Website”).

Gems of Budapest is an independent travel blog created to provide informational and inspirational content about Budapest, Hungary, and surrounding areas. The Website is supported, in part, by voluntary contributions from readers.

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This Privacy Policy explains how information may be collected, used, and protected when you visit or interact with our Website.

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1. Information We Collect

You can browse and read most content on this Website without providing any personal information.

We may collect information in the following ways:

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Information you provide voluntarily

If you contact us by email, you may voluntarily provide personal information such as your name, email address, and any other information included in your message.

This information is used only to respond to your enquiry, feedback, correction request, copyright concern, or other communication.

We do not use email addresses received through direct communication for marketing purposes unless you have separately provided consent.

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Donations and voluntary contributions

Donations are processed by PayPal. If you choose to make a voluntary contribution through our PayPal donation link, you will be directed to PayPal's website to complete the transaction.

PayPal may process personal and transaction information necessary to process the payment and provide related services. Gems of Budapest may receive information made available by PayPal in connection with the transaction, such as information necessary to identify, record, manage, or respond to the payment.

Gems of Budapest does not use donor information for marketing purposes and does not subscribe donors to an email list unless they separately choose to subscribe or provide consent.

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Information collected automatically

When you visit the Website, certain technical information may be collected automatically through cookies and similar technologies.

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This may include:

• IP address;

• Browser type and version;

• Device type and operating system;

• Approximate location information derived from technical data;

• Pages visited and interactions with Website content;

• Date, time, and duration of visits;

• Referral sources;

• Information about interactions with the Website that may be used for analytics and advertising measurement.

 

The information collected through analytics and advertising technologies is used to understand Website usage, measure the effectiveness of our content and marketing activities, and improve the visitor experience.​

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2. Cookies and Analytics

This Website uses cookies and similar technologies for essential website functionality, analytics, security, and, where consent is provided, advertising and marketing purposes.

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We use CookieYes to manage cookie preferences and obtain consent for non-essential cookies where required by applicable privacy regulations.

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The services used on this Website include:

Google Analytics

Google Analytics helps us understand how visitors use our Website, including which pages are visited, how users interact with content, and general Website performance.

Wix Analytics

Wix Analytics helps us monitor Website performance, visitor activity, and technical functionality.

Meta Pixels

We use the Meta Pixel, provided by Meta Platforms, Inc., to measure interactions with our Website, understand the effectiveness of advertising and marketing activities, and, where applicable, support audience creation and advertising measurement.

The Meta Pixel may collect information about Website visits, actions, and interactions, together with technical information such as browser or device information and IP address. Depending on your consent and the configuration of the service, this information may be used by Meta to help measure advertising effectiveness or provide relevant advertising.

Where required by applicable law, Meta Pixel cookies and related tracking technologies are only activated after you have provided the relevant consent through our cookie consent system.

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​​For more information about cookies and how to manage your preferences, please see our Cookie Policy.

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3. How We Use Information

Information collected through this Website may be used to:

• Operate, maintain, and improve the Website;

• Understand how visitors use our content;

• Analyse Website traffic and performance;

• Measure the effectiveness of advertising and marketing activities;

• Improve Website performance and user experience;

• Respond to enquiries and feedback;

• Address copyright or content-related requests;

• Maintain Website security and prevent misuse;

• Comply with applicable legal obligations.

We do not sell personal information for monetary consideration. We may share certain information with third-party service providers, including Meta, Google, and Wix, as described in this Privacy Policy and our Cookie Policy.

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4. Legal Basis for Processing Personal Information

Depending on the circumstances, we process personal information based on the following legal grounds:

Consent

Where required, we rely on your consent for the use of non-essential cookies and similar technologies, including analytics and marketing technologies.

Legitimate interests

We may process certain information where necessary for the legitimate operation, security, and improvement of our Website, subject to applicable data protection requirements.

Legal obligations

We may process or disclose information where required to comply with applicable laws or lawful requests.

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5. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

For example:

• Emails and correspondence may be retained for as long as necessary to respond to enquiries, maintain records, or address related communication;

• Analytics information is retained according to the settings and policies of the relevant analytics providers;

• Information processed through advertising and marketing services is retained according to the applicable settings and policies of those providers.

• ​Information relating to voluntary donations may be retained for as long as necessary to manage the transaction and comply with applicable legal, accounting, tax, or record-keeping obligations.

When personal information is no longer required, it will be securely deleted or anonymised where appropriate.

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6. Sharing of Information

We may share certain information with third-party service providers that help us operate, analyse, secure, and promote the Website, including:

• Wix, which provides website hosting, security, and related website services;

• Google Analytics, which provides Website usage analytics;

• Wix Analytics, which provides Website performance and visitor insights;

• Meta, which provides the Meta Pixel and related advertising and measurement services;

• CookieYes, which manages cookie consent preferences.

• ​PayPal, which processes voluntary contributions and related payment transactions.

These providers may process information according to their own privacy policies and terms of service.

We may also disclose information where required by law, such as in response to a legal request, court order, or other lawful obligation.

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7. Third-Party Websites and Links

The Website may contain links to external websites, including websites of attractions, businesses, organizations, and other third-party services.

These links are provided for informational and convenience purposes only.

Gems of Budapest does not control and is not responsible for the privacy practices, security, content, or policies of external websites.

Visitors are encouraged to review the privacy policies of any third-party websites they choose to visit.

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8. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect information collected through this Website against unauthorized access, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

However, no method of internet transmission or electronic storage can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

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9. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• The right to request access to personal information we hold about you;

• The right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;

• The right to request deletion of personal information where applicable;

• The right to restrict or object to certain types of processing;

• The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.

To exercise your rights or ask privacy-related questions, please contact:

Email: contact@gemsofbudapest.com

 

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our Website, services used, technology, or legal requirements.

Any updates will be published on this page with the revised date.

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11. Contact

The Data Controller responsible for this Website is:

Gems of Budapest
Email: contact@gemsofbudapest