Privacy

Privacy policy

Last updated September 4, 2026

The Island Brief ("we") publishes a free email newsletter and this website. This page explains what we collect, why, and what we do with it. The short version: we keep your email address to send you the newsletter, we count opens and clicks so we know what readers find useful, and we never sell or rent your information.

What we collect

• Your email address, when you subscribe, plus the date you subscribed and, if you arrived through a link with tracking parameters or a reader's referral link, where you came from.
• Email engagement. Each issue includes a tiny image that loads when the email is opened, and links in the email pass through our own address before reaching their destination. This lets us count opens and clicks per issue and per subscriber. Many email apps load images through a proxy or block them, so open counts are approximate.
• Website analytics. This site uses Cloudflare Web Analytics, which does not use cookies or track you across sites, to count page views.
• Replies. If you reply to an issue or email us, we keep the message so we can respond.

How we use it

To send the newsletter, to understand which stories and sections readers value, to fix delivery problems, and to report aggregate numbers (for example, how many people opened an issue) to sponsors. We do not share individual subscriber data with sponsors or anyone else.

Who processes it

The newsletter is sent by Buttondown, which stores the subscriber list and handles unsubscribes. The website, click counting and open counting run on Cloudflare. Both act as our processors and do not use your data for their own purposes.

Your choices

• Unsubscribe any time with the link at the bottom of every issue. That stops all mail immediately.
• Delete your data by emailing hello@theislandbrief.com from the subscribed address. We remove the subscription record and the engagement rows tied to it.
• Block images in your email app if you would rather not be counted as an open. The newsletter reads fine without them.

Cookies

This website sets no cookies of its own. The subscribe form posts directly to Buttondown.

Children

The newsletter is for adults. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 16.

Changes

If this policy changes in a way that matters, we will say so in an issue. Questions: hello@theislandbrief.com.

The Island Brief, Fernandina Beach, Florida 32034, United States.