Privacy Policy

Last updated: April 2026

1. Information We Collect

Email address — only if you voluntarily subscribe to the newsletter via a form on this site. Email addresses are stored by Buttondown (our newsletter provider) and are never shared with third parties or used for any purpose other than sending the newsletter.

Analytics — we may use privacy-respecting analytics (such as Cloudflare Web Analytics) to understand aggregate traffic patterns. This does not use cookies and does not identify individual users.

Server logs — Cloudflare, which hosts this site, may retain standard access logs (IP address, page requested, timestamp) for security and operational purposes. Cloudflare's privacy policy applies to this data.

2. Cookies

PowerRef does not set any first-party cookies. Third-party services integrated into this site (listed below) may set their own cookies subject to their own policies.

3. Third-Party Services

• Buttondown (privacy policy) — newsletter subscription. Used only if you subscribe.
• EthicalAds (privacy policy) — privacy-preserving advertising. No tracking cookies. No cross-site tracking. Ads are targeted by page context only.
• Cloudflare (privacy policy) — site hosting and CDN.

4. Affiliate Links

Some links on this site to Digi-Key, Mouser, and other distributors are affiliate links. If you click one and make a purchase, PowerRef may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Affiliate links are marked with rel="sponsored" in the HTML and noted on relevant pages.

We only link to distributors whose products are genuinely referenced in our content. Affiliate relationships do not influence which components we cover or what specs we report — all spec values trace to manufacturer datasheets or distributor APIs regardless of any affiliate arrangement.

5. FTC Disclosure

In accordance with the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines, PowerRef discloses that distributor buy links (Digi-Key, Mouser) may be affiliate links that earn us a commission on qualifying purchases. This disclosure applies site-wide wherever such links appear.

6. Data Retention

Email subscribers can unsubscribe at any time via the link in any newsletter email. Upon unsubscribe, your email address is removed from our mailing list. We do not retain email addresses after unsubscription.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have rights under GDPR, CCPA, or other applicable privacy laws to access, correct, or delete personal data we hold about you. Since the only personal data we hold is your email address (if subscribed), you can exercise these rights by unsubscribing from the newsletter or contacting us.

8. Children's Privacy

PowerRef is a technical reference site intended for professional engineers and adults. We do not knowingly collect information from anyone under 13 years of age.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy occasionally. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

10. Contact

Questions about this policy can be submitted via the newsletter (reply to any issue) or by opening an issue in our public repository.