Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 09/12/2025

 

Who we are

Formdial.com (“we”, “us”, “our”) is an independent horse racing analysis and betting-education website.
Website address: https://formdial.com

We provide betting insights, educational content, race analysis, and general commentary. We do not take or process bets.

What Personal Data We Collect and Why

A. Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, plus:

  • IP address
  • Browser user-agent string

This is required for spam detection and site security.

An anonymised hash of your email address may be sent to Gravatar to check if you use the service. Gravatar’s privacy policy is here:
https://automattic.com/privacy/

If your comment is approved, your profile image (if any) becomes visible publicly next to your comment.

B. Contact Forms / Email

If you submit a contact form, we collect the data you enter (e.g., name, email, message). These are stored only for customer-service purposes and are not used for marketing unless you explicitly opt-in.

C. Cookies

Comment Cookies

If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to save your:

  • name
  • email
  • website

These cookies last 1 year and exist purely for convenience.

Login Cookies

If you have an account and log in:

  • A temporary cookie checks whether your browser accepts cookies.
  • Login cookies last 2 days.
  • “Remember Me” extends login cookies to 2 weeks.
  • Display-settings cookies last 1 year.

Logging out removes login cookies immediately.

Editor Cookies

If you edit or publish content, a cookie will be stored to record the post ID. It contains no personal data and expires after 1 day.

D. Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles on Formdial.com may include embedded media (videos, images, tweets, etc.). Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the external site directly.

These third-party websites may:

  • collect data about you
  • use cookies
  • run tracking scripts
  • monitor your interaction with embedded content

This includes cases where you have an account and are logged into that third-party service.

E. Analytics (Google Analytics)

We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors use the site.

Analytics may collect:

  • pages visited
  • time spent on site
  • device/browser type
  • general location (city-level only)
  • referral sources

All data is processed anonymously.
Google’s data policies: https://policies.google.com/privacy

You may opt-out of Google Analytics tracking:
https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout/

F. Anti-Spam & Security

Visitor comments may be checked through automated spam detection services such as Akismet or equivalent tools. These systems may log IP addresses and user-agent details for protection purposes.

G. Affiliate Links & Advertising

Formdial.com may include:

  • affiliate links
  • suggested bookmaker offers
  • product recommendations

Clicking these links may allow third-party partners to track referral activity via cookies. No personal identity data is shared by us — only anonymous referral attribution.

Who we share your data with

We do not sell or trade your data.

We may share necessary information with:

  • Hosting provider (Hostinger) – for site functionality
  • Spam detection providers – for comment screening
  • Analytics providers (Google Analytics) – anonymised usage statistics
  • Email service providers – if you subscribe to updates or contact us

If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email for security purposes.

How long we retain your data

Comments: stored indefinitely so follow-up comments can be auto-approved.

User accounts: profile information is stored until the user edits or deletes it.

Contact form messages: retained for a reasonable period for customer-service purposes.

Analytics data: retained according to Google’s standard retention settings.

Administrators can view and edit all user information stored on the site.

What rights you have over your data

If you have an account or have left comments, you can request:

  • an exported file of the personal data we hold about you
  • deletion of any personal data we store

This excludes data we are required to retain for:

  • legal obligations
  • fraud prevention
  • site security
  • administrative functions

To make a data request, email: [email protected]

Where your data is sent

Visitor comments: processed through automated spam detection services

Analytics data: processed by Google Analytics

Affiliate link tracking: handled by third-party advertisers

Hosting logs: processed by Hostinger for performance and security

All standard transfers comply with UK GDPR requirements.

How We Protect Your Data

We use:

  • SSL encryption (HTTPS)
  • restricted administrator access
  • regular security monitoring
  • secure hosting infrastructure
  • anonymised analytics

Cookie Banner Usage

Formdial.com uses a cookie consent banner to inform users about cookie usage and to comply with UK GDPR and ePrivacy requirements.

The banner:

  • notifies you that cookies are used
  • links to this privacy policy
  • allows you to dismiss or manage preferences (depending on plugin configuration)

Changes to This Policy

This Privacy Policy may be updated occasionally. Changes will be reflected on this page with a new “Last updated” date.

Contact Information

For privacy questions or data requests:

Email: scott@formdial
Website: https://formdial.com