Privacy Policy

The short version

We don't sell your personal information, we don't run ad trackers on this site, and we only use what you send us (or what you authorize us to access) to reply to you, work with you, and run Made the Cut. Email max@made-the-cut.com any time to see, correct, or delete your data.

Who we are

Made the Cut ("Made the Cut," "we," "us," or "our") is an independent product-review and content-creation project run by Max. This policy covers the website at made-the-cut.com (the "Site"), our social media channels, our communications with readers and brands, and any apps or integrations we operate that connect to third-party platforms (together, the "Services").

Information we collect

Information you give us

• Messages and inquiries. When you email us or reach out through the Site or social media, we receive your name, email address, and anything you choose to include, such as your company, product details, or questions.
• Brand partnership details. If you work with us as a brand, we collect business contact details, product information, shipping details for product samples, agreements, and invoicing information. Payments are handled by third-party payment processors; we do not store full card or bank account numbers.

Information collected automatically

• Server logs. Our hosting provider automatically records standard technical data when you load a page, such as IP address, browser type, the page requested, and the date and time. We use it only to operate and secure the Site.
• No advertising trackers. We do not use advertising cookies, tracking pixels, or cross-site analytics on the Site. If we add privacy-friendly, aggregate analytics in the future, we will update this policy first.

Information from third parties

• Affiliate programs. Programs such as Amazon Associates give us aggregated reports (for example, the number of items ordered through our links). These reports do not identify you to us.
• Social platforms. When you interact with our public social media content (comments, messages, follows), we can see the information that platform makes visible to account owners, such as your username and what you wrote.

Connected platforms & APIs

Made the Cut uses official APIs from Meta, Google (including YouTube), TikTok, and Amazon to publish and manage content, read performance data, respond to comments and messages, and manage seller and advertising accounts. These integrations are used for accounts operated by Made the Cut and for accounts whose owners explicitly authorize our app. We access only the data covered by the permissions (scopes) granted, and only for the feature that needs it.

Meta (Facebook & Instagram)

• Data we may access: account ID, name or username, and profile picture; information about Facebook Pages and Instagram professional accounts you authorize; media, captions, and metadata we publish; comments and messages on those accounts; and account and content insights (such as reach and engagement).
• Why: to publish content, respond to comments and messages, and measure how content performs.
• Revoke access: Facebook → Settings & privacy → Settings → Apps and websites, or Instagram → Accounts Center → Apps and websites.

Google & YouTube

• Data we may access: basic Google account information (name, email address, profile picture); YouTube channel information; videos, playlists, and their metadata; comments; and YouTube Analytics reports for channels you authorize.
• Why: to sign you in, upload and manage videos, respond to comments, and report on channel performance.
• YouTube API Services. Made the Cut uses YouTube API Services. By using features that connect to YouTube, you agree to the YouTube Terms of Service, and Google's handling of your data is described in the Google Privacy Policy.
• Limited Use. Made the Cut's use and transfer to any other app of information received from Google APIs will adhere to the Google API Services User Data Policy, including the Limited Use requirements. We do not use Google user data for advertising, we do not sell it, we do not let humans read it except with your consent, for security, or as required by law, and we do not use it to develop, improve, or train generalized AI or machine-learning models.
• Revoke access: myaccount.google.com/permissions(Google's security settings page).

TikTok

• Data we may access: basic profile information (open ID, display name, avatar), profile statistics, your public video list and video metadata, and, for TikTok Shop accounts you authorize, shop, product, order, and fulfillment information.
• Why: to publish videos, display and report on content performance, and manage TikTok Shop listings and orders.
• Revoke access: TikTok → Settings and privacy → Security & permissions → Apps and services permissions, or TikTok Shop Seller Center for shop authorizations.

Amazon

• Data we may access: through Login with Amazon, your name and email address; through the Selling Partner API, listings, inventory, orders, and reports for seller accounts that authorize us; through the Amazon Ads API, campaign and performance data for advertising accounts that authorize us.
• Why: to sign you in, manage listings, inventory, and fulfillment, and analyze sales and advertising performance.
• Customer information. Any Amazon customer personal information (such as a shipping address) is used only to fulfill orders, meet tax obligations, or comply with law. It is retained no longer than 30 days after order delivery unless the law requires otherwise, is encrypted in transit and at rest, is never used for marketing, and is handled under Amazon's Data Protection Policy and Acceptable Use Policy.
• Revoke access: Seller Central → Apps and Services → Manage Your Apps, or Amazon.com → Your Account → Login with Amazon.

Our commitments for all platform data

• We never sell platform data, never use it to build advertising profiles, and never transfer it to data brokers or ad networks.
• We share it only with service providers that host or process it on our behalf, or when the law requires it.
• Access tokens and platform data are stored with encryption in transit (TLS) and at rest, and access is limited to Made the Cut.
• When you revoke access or ask us to delete your data, we delete the related tokens and data within 30 days, unless the law requires us to keep specific records.
• We follow each platform's developer terms and policies, and we are not affiliated with or endorsed by Meta, Google, TikTok, or Amazon.

How we use information

• To reply to your messages and evaluate partnership requests.
• To plan, create, publish, and deliver content, including sponsored content for brand partners.
• To receive and return product samples, send invoices, and keep business and tax records.
• To measure how our own content performs.
• To operate, secure, and improve the Site and Services, and to prevent abuse.
• To comply with legal obligations, including advertising disclosure rules.

Where the law requires a legal basis (for example, under the GDPR or UK GDPR), we rely on: your consent; the steps needed to enter into or perform a contract with you; our legitimate interests in running and improving Made the Cut and responding to inquiries; and compliance with legal obligations.

How we share information

We do not sell personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We share it only:

• With service providers that help us run the Services, such as website hosting, email, file storage, invoicing, and payment processing, under terms that limit their use of the data.
• With brand partners, only as needed to carry out a partnership you are part of.
• For legal reasons, if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of Made the Cut, our users, or others.
• In a business transfer, if Made the Cut is ever sold or merged, subject to this policy.
• With your consent, or at your direction.

Cookies & third-party links

The Site itself does not set cookies. It links to and may display content from third-party sites, including Amazon, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube. When you click an affiliate link or view third-party content, that company may set its own cookies and collect information under its own privacy policy. For example, Amazon uses a cookie to attribute qualifying purchases to our Associates account. Web fonts are loaded from Google Fonts, which receives your IP address to deliver them. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third parties, and we encourage you to read their policies.

How long we keep it

We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above. Correspondence that doesn't lead to a partnership is generally deleted within 24 months. Partnership records, contracts, and invoices are kept as long as required for tax, accounting, and legal purposes (typically up to 7 years). Data received through platform APIs is kept only as long as needed for the feature that uses it, or as the platform's terms require.

Your rights & choices

Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:

• Know what personal information we have about you and get a copy of it.
• Correct inaccurate information.
• Delete your information.
• Object to or restrict certain processing, or withdraw consent you gave earlier.
• Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information. We don't sell or share it, so there is nothing to opt out of, but you can still contact us.
• Not be discriminated against for exercising these rights.
• Complain to your local data protection authority.

California residents have these rights under the CCPA/CPRA; residents of other U.S. states with privacy laws, and people in the EEA, UK, and Switzerland have similar rights. To exercise any of them, emailmax@made-the-cut.com. We may need to verify your identity, and we will respond within the time the law requires (usually 30 to 45 days). You can use an authorized agent if you give them written permission.

Data deletion requests

Full instructions are also on our data deletion page. To have your data deleted, including any data we received through Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, or another connected platform:

1. Email max@made-the-cut.com with the subject "Data deletion request."
2. Include the email address and/or platform username connected to your data.
3. We will confirm when we receive your request and delete the data within 30 days, unless we are legally required to keep certain records (such as invoices). If so, we'll tell you what we kept and why.

You can also remove our app's access to your account at any time from that platform's settings, as listed underConnected platforms & APIs.

Children

The Services are not directed to children under 13 (or under 16 in the EEA and UK), and we do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, contact us and we will delete it.

Security & international transfers

We use reasonable safeguards, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and reputable service providers, to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure. Made the Cut is based in Massachusetts, United States, and information may be processed in the U.S. and other countries where our service providers operate. Where required, we rely on appropriate safeguards for international transfers.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will change the "Last updated" date above, and for significant changes we will provide more prominent notice.

Contact

Questions or requests about privacy? Email max@made-the-cut.com. See also our Terms of Service.