Last updated: January 1, 2025 · We take your privacy seriously.
The short version: We collect only what we need to run the service. We don't sell your personal data. You can request deletion of your data at any time. Click analytics are anonymized and aggregated.
This Privacy Policy explains how ShortLinks.me ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, and protects information when you use our URL shortening and link management service at shortlinks.me.
We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data in a transparent and responsible manner. This policy applies to all users of our website and services.
When you register, we collect:
When you use the Service, we collect:
When someone clicks your short links, we automatically collect:
We do not store full IP addresses in our analytics database. IPs are used only to determine country/city and are not retained after processing.
We automatically collect standard server logs including IP addresses, browser user agents, and pages visited. These are used for security monitoring and are deleted after 30 days.
| Purpose | Data Used | Legal Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Providing the Service | Account info, links, settings | Contract performance |
| Processing payments | Email, Stripe customer ID | Contract performance |
| Providing analytics to you | Click data, geo, device | Legitimate interest |
| Sending transactional emails | Email address | Contract performance |
| Security & fraud prevention | IP, usage patterns | Legitimate interest |
| Improving the Service | Aggregated usage data | Legitimate interest |
| Marketing emails (opt-in) | Email address | Consent |
When anyone clicks a short link you have created, we record analytics data on your behalf so you can understand how your links are performing. This is a core part of the Service.
Visitors clicking your short links should be aware that:
If you are a link owner and you share a short link publicly, you are responsible for informing your audience that click tracking occurs, where required by applicable law (e.g., GDPR).
We do not sell your personal data to third parties. We may share data with:
All third-party service providers are contractually bound to use your data only for the purposes we specify.
We use the following first-party cookies:
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
shortlinksme_sess | Authentication session — keeps you logged in | Session / 30 days |
csrf_token | Security — prevents cross-site request forgery | Session |
bio_unlock_* | Remembers password-unlocked bio pages | Session |
On pages shown to free-plan users and visitors, we display Google AdSense advertisements. Google may set third-party cookies including:
| Cookie | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
__gads / __gpi | Google ad personalization and frequency capping | 13 months |
NID / DSID | Google ad targeting based on browsing history | 6 months |
IDE | DoubleClick — ad conversion tracking | 13 months |
These cookies are set by Google, not by us. They allow Google to serve personalized ads based on your interests and browsing history across websites. Paid subscribers do not have ads shown and are not subject to these cookies.
You can opt out of Google's personalized advertising at google.com/settings/ads or via the NAI opt-out tool. You can also disable cookies entirely in your browser settings, though this will prevent you from logging into your account.
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including:
However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. If you believe your account has been compromised, please contact us immediately at privacy@shortlinks.me.
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal data:
To exercise any of these rights, email us at privacy@shortlinks.me. We will respond within 30 days.
If you are in the European Economic Area, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
To support the free tier of our Service, we display third-party advertisements on pages viewed by free-plan users and unauthenticated visitors. We use Google AdSense for this purpose.
When ads are shown, Google may collect and process the following data about visitors:
This data is governed by the Google Privacy Policy, not this policy. We encourage you to review it.
By default, Google may serve personalized ads based on your browsing history. You can opt out of personalized advertising at any time via Google Ads Settings.
Users on paid plans (Starter, Growth, Business) do not have advertisements shown on their account pages, links, or bio pages.
If you are located in the European Economic Area, Google is required to obtain your consent before serving personalized ads. Google manages this consent through its own consent framework. We do not independently collect consent for Google's data processing.
The Service is not directed to children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately and we will delete it.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by email or by posting a notice on the Service at least 14 days before changes take effect. Your continued use of the Service after changes take effect constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
For any privacy-related questions, requests, or concerns:
We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within 5 business days.