01Do I even need this?
If you live in the EU or UK — or you actively sell and market to European readers — then yes, it's required, not optional. If you're a US-based author whose site simply can be read from Europe, it's genuinely optional.
Not sure which you are? Tell us where you're based and who your audience is, and we'll give you a straight answer.
02What does a compliant build include?
A zero-tracking site: no cookies, no analytics, no third-party scripts, with fonts and images served from your own site. Plus two short legal pages — an Impressum (legal notice) and a privacy policy — linked in your footer.
Your latest Substack posts still appear on the page; we fetch them privately through our own server, so no visitor data is handed to outside services.
03Will visitors get an annoying cookie pop-up?
No. Because the site sets no tracking cookies, there's nothing to consent to — so no cookie banner. The page just loads.
04What do you need from me?
One thing catches authors off guard: the Impressum legally requires a real postal address — a P.O. box isn't enough. If you write under a pen name, you'll need a business, agent, or service address you're comfortable making public. We'll help you weigh the options before anything goes live.
05Where is my data stored?
On Microsoft Azure, under Microsoft's data-processing terms. For EU-based authors we can host in an EU region, so your readers' data stays in Europe. The small amount of data involved — a contact-form message, standard server logs — is covered by the recognised EU–US transfer safeguards.
06Who's responsible for my content?
You are — it's your work, your name on it. We build and host the site; you own and are responsible for what's published. Your legal notice names you as the responsible party, which is exactly as it should be.
07Is this legal advice?
No — it's how we build. If you're established in the EU, we recommend having your finished legal pages looked over by a lawyer; the German market in particular takes these seriously, and a quick review is cheap peace of mind.