Privacy Policy

Last updated: 2 September 2026

More Closely Aligned with Annabell & Bri (“More Closely Aligned”, “we”, “us” or “our”) respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, store and share personal data when you visit www.morecloselyalignedpod.com, contact us or submit a story or voice message.

1. Who is responsible for your data?

The data controllers responsible for this website and the More Closely Aligned podcast are:

More Closely Aligned with Annabell & Bri
Operated by: Brigitte G. H. Taylor and Annabell Merklin
Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Email: privacy@morecloselyalignedpod.com

For questions about this policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us using the email address above.

2. Personal data we collect

Depending on how you interact with us, we may collect the following information.

Information collected when you visit the website

Our website provider, Squarespace, automatically processes certain technical and usage information, which may include:

  • Your IP address;

  • Browser, device and operating-system information;

  • Approximate location based on your IP address;

  • The pages you visit;

  • The date, time and duration of your visit;

  • The website or link that directed you to our site;

  • Links, buttons or embedded content you interact with; and

  • Cookie and consent preferences.

We may access aggregated information through Squarespace Analytics to understand how visitors use the website.

Information you send by email

If you contact us by email, we may process:

  • Your name;

  • Your email address;

  • The contents of your message;

  • Any files or information you choose to include; and

  • Our subsequent correspondence with you.

The story-submission link on our website uses a mailto: link, which opens your own email application. We do not collect information through that link unless you choose to send an email.

Stories and voice messages

If you submit a written story or a voice message, we may collect:

  • Your name or chosen pseudonym;

  • Your email address or other contact details;

  • The written content of your story;

  • Your voice and audio recording;

  • Information about your job search, career or personal experiences;

  • Any other information you voluntarily include; and

  • Your publication and attribution preferences.

Please avoid sharing unnecessary information about other identifiable people. You should not submit confidential employer information, trade secrets or personal information that you do not have the right to share.

Job-search stories can sometimes contain sensitive information, including details about physical or mental health, discrimination, trade-union membership or other deeply personal circumstances. Please include such information only when it is genuinely relevant and you are comfortable sharing it with us.

Information processed by embedded services

Our website may include content or services provided by third parties, including:

  • SpeakPipe;

  • Spotify;

  • Apple Podcasts;

  • Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn or other social platforms; and

  • Squarespace.

When you load or interact with embedded content, these providers may process your IP address, device information, cookies, account information and details about your interaction. Their handling of your data is governed by their own privacy policies.

3. How we use your personal data

We may use personal data to:

  • Operate, secure and maintain the website;

  • Respond to messages and enquiries;

  • Receive and review story or voice-message submissions;

  • Contact contributors about their submissions;

  • Confirm how a contributor wishes to be identified;

  • Produce, edit and publish podcast episodes or related content when permission has been obtained;

  • Promote podcast episodes through our website and social-media channels;

  • Understand website traffic and improve our content;

  • Prevent misuse, fraud or security incidents;

  • Keep records of permissions and editorial decisions; and

  • Meet our legal obligations or establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

We do not sell personal data.

4. Publication of submitted stories and recordings

Sending us a story or voice message does not guarantee that it will be used, and it does not by itself give us permission to publish it.

Before publishing an identifiable story or recording, we will seek confirmation of:

  • Whether you consent to publication;

  • Whether we may use your real name, first name, pseudonym or no name;

  • Whether we may edit the submission for clarity or length;

  • Where the material may appear, such as the podcast, website or social media; and

  • Any material restrictions you have requested and we have agreed to.

We may make minor editorial changes for clarity, length, sound quality or the removal of identifying information. We will not intentionally change the substance of your experience.

You may withdraw your submission or publication permission by contacting us. If you withdraw before publication, we will not knowingly publish the material.

If the material has already been published, we will consider reasonable removal or anonymisation requests. Complete removal may not always be possible, particularly where an episode has already been distributed, downloaded, quoted, cached or shared through third-party platforms.

We may retain a record of the permission you gave and any agreed restrictions for as long as the relevant content remains published and for a reasonable period afterwards.

5. Our reasons for processing personal data

Depending on the circumstances and the law that applies, we process personal data on one or more of the following grounds:

  • Consent: for example, when you agree to the use of non-essential cookies or permit us to publish your story or recording;

  • Your request or an agreement with you: when we take steps requested by you or fulfil arrangements concerning a contribution;

  • Legitimate interests: to operate and improve the podcast and website, respond to enquiries, maintain security and manage our editorial activities, provided that these interests do not override your rights;

  • Legal obligations: when processing is required by applicable law; and

  • Legal claims: where necessary to establish, exercise or defend a legal claim.

Where we rely on consent, you may withdraw it at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that lawfully took place before consent was withdrawn.

6. Cookies and analytics

We use cookies and similar technologies for essential website functions, analytics and certain embedded third-party services.

For more information about the cookies we use and how to manage your choices, please read our Cookie Policy.

Where required, non-essential cookies are not activated until you provide consent through our cookie banner.

7. Who receives your data?

We may share or allow access to personal data only where necessary, including with:

  • Squarespace, which hosts and supports our website;

  • SpeakPipe, when you use the voice-message widget;

  • Email and cloud-storage providers, where correspondence or working files are stored;

  • Podcast hosting and distribution services, when authorised material is included in an episode;

  • Spotify, Apple Podcasts and other media platforms, when you interact with their services or when authorised content is distributed through them;

  • Social-media platforms, where authorised content is published or promoted;

  • Professional advisers or technical providers, where reasonably necessary;

  • Public authorities, where disclosure is required by law; and

  • The public, if you expressly permit us to publish identifiable material.

Third-party providers process some information under their own privacy policies and terms.

8. International data transfers

Some of our service providers are based in, or process information in, countries outside Switzerland, the European Economic Area or the United Kingdom, including the United States.

Where required, transfers are supported by recognised legal safeguards, such as an adequacy decision, the Swiss–U.S. Data Privacy Framework, approved contractual clauses or another legally permitted mechanism.

You can find more information about individual providers and international transfers in their respective privacy policies.

9. How long we keep personal data

We keep personal data only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected, including:

  • General correspondence: for as long as needed to respond and manage any follow-up;

  • Unpublished submissions: until they have been reviewed and are no longer reasonably required for editorial consideration;

  • Published contributions: for as long as the relevant episode or related content remains available;

  • Consent and publication records: for as long as necessary to document the permission granted and protect the rights of the contributor and the podcast;

  • Website analytics: according to the applicable Squarespace settings and retention periods; and

  • Records required for legal or security purposes: for the period required or permitted by applicable law.

When personal data is no longer required, we will delete or anonymise it where reasonably practicable. Copies may remain temporarily in secure backups or on third-party platforms outside our direct control.

10. How we protect personal data

We take reasonable organisational and technical measures to protect personal data from unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, loss or misuse.

However, no website, email service or online transmission method is completely secure. Please consider this before including sensitive or confidential information in a submission.

11. Your rights

Subject to applicable law and certain exceptions, you may have the right to:

  • Ask whether we process your personal data;

  • Request access to the personal data we hold about you;

  • Ask us to correct inaccurate or incomplete information;

  • Request deletion of your personal data;

  • Request that processing be restricted;

  • Object to certain processing;

  • Withdraw consent;

  • Receive certain data in a portable format; and

  • Complain to a competent data-protection authority.

To exercise your rights, contact us at privacy@morecloselyalignedpod.com. We may need to verify your identity before completing a request.

In Switzerland, you may contact the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner.

If EU or UK data-protection law applies to you, you may also contact the supervisory authority in the country where you live or work.

12. Children’s privacy

Our website and podcast are not specifically directed at children, and we do not knowingly solicit personal data or story submissions from children under 16.

If you are under 16, please do not submit a story or voice recording without the involvement and permission of a parent or legal guardian.

If we learn that we have collected personal data from a child without appropriate permission, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

13. External links

Our website contains links to third-party websites and services. We are not responsible for their privacy practices, security or content. We encourage you to read their privacy policies before providing personal data or using their services.

14. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy when our services, data-processing practices or legal obligations change.

The date at the beginning of the policy shows when it was last updated. Material changes may also be highlighted on the website where appropriate.

15. Contact us

For questions, requests or concerns relating to this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact:

More Closely Aligned with Annabell & Bri
Operated by: Brigitte G. H. Taylor and Annabell Merklin
Geneva, Switzerland
Email: privacy@morecloselyalignedpod.com