Privacy Policy

Overview

HardHatU is a free reference site operated independently, referred to here as "HardHatU," "we," or "us." This policy explains what information the site collects today and how that may change as new features are added. If you have questions, reach out at contact@hardhatu.com.

What we collect today

HardHatU does not currently have user accounts, sign-ups, comments, or any form that collects personal information. There is nothing to fill in and nothing to submit, you can read the entire site anonymously.

The site uses Vercel Analytics and Google Analytics to understand aggregate traffic: which pages get read, roughly how visitors arrive, and general location (city/region level, from IP address), device, and browser information. Vercel Analytics runs without setting tracking cookies. Google Analytics does set cookies, described below, and uses them to distinguish repeat visits from the same browser. Neither tool is used to identify a specific person, and HardHatU does not combine this data with anything that would.

Cookies

Google Analytics sets a small number of cookies on this site, mainly _ga and _ga_*, which last up to about two years. They don't contain your name or anything directly identifying, just a randomly generated ID used to recognize that the same browser has visited before. Vercel Analytics does not set any cookies. You can block or delete these cookies through your browser's settings at any time, or use Google's Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to stop Google Analytics from seeing your visits to any site, not just this one.

Third-party links

Some pages, particularly the software profiles, link out to third-party websites and embed YouTube videos. Those sites and services have their own privacy practices, which this policy doesn't cover. Visiting or interacting with them is subject to their own terms.

Children's privacy

HardHatU is written with high schoolers and other newcomers to the industry in mind, and the site does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone, regardless of age, since there's currently no mechanism to submit any. If that ever changes for a future feature, this policy will be updated first and any protections required for younger visitors will be built in before that feature launches.

What may change

HardHatU plans to eventually offer optional accounts for some deeper study content (lessons, interview prep, and certification prep), while careers and concepts stay free and open. If and when accounts launch, this policy will be rewritten to explain exactly what account information is collected, how it's stored, and how it's used, and that update will be dated and called out clearly, not folded in quietly.

Contact

Questions about this policy or how the site handles information can go to contact@hardhatu.com.