Privacy policy

RETAILBOSS INC., doing business as Footwear Magazine, operates footwearmagazine.com (the “Website”). This policy explains how the Website and its connected services handle visitor information.

Scope of this policy

This policy applies to information handled through the Website and to direct communications with Footwear Magazine. It does not govern a third-party website or service you choose to visit through a link. That provider's policy applies to its own processing.

Information we handle

The Footwear Magazine Next.js application itself does not maintain reader accounts, comments, checkout, on-site forms or a local reader database. Hosting, advertising, audience and external publishing services may still process information as described below.

A light or dark theme preference may be saved in your browser's local storage so the site can remember your choice. This preference is not sent to Footwear Magazine by the theme feature.

When you open search, the Website downloads a public article index and filters it in your browser. The words you type are not submitted to a Footwear Magazine search service.

If you contact us, subscribe through Substack, or interact with advertising, the information involved depends on what you choose to do and on the connected service. Those specific activities are described below.

How we use and disclose information

Footwear Magazine may use information it controls to:

• operate, maintain, protect and improve the Website;
• respond to messages, correction requests, rights inquiries and business communications;
• maintain appropriate editorial, accessibility, security and business records;
• support advertising and audience services described below; and
• comply with law and protect the rights, safety and integrity of the publication, its readers and others.

Information may be disclosed to service providers that operate the Website or communications, to the advertising partners described below, when required by law or needed to protect legal rights and safety, or in connection with a merger, acquisition, financing, reorganization or sale of all or part of the publication. We may also use or disclose aggregated or de-identified information where permitted by law.

Journey and Grow

When advertising is enabled on the approved production domain, Footwear Magazine works with Mediavine through Journey by Mediavine and Grow for programmatic advertising, audience engagement, identity, measurement and publisher services.

Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1)

The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website.

First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser's cache. The “help” feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser's cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at the All About Cookies (opens in a new tab).

Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website.

The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads:

• IP Address
• Operating System type
• Operating System version
• Device Type
• Language of the website
• Web browser type
• Email (in hashed form)

Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor's referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising.

If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit the National Advertising Initiative opt out page (opens in a new tab). You may also visit the Digital Advertising Alliance website (opens in a new tab) and the Network Advertising Initiative website (opens in a new tab) to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the Digital Advertising Alliance's AppChoices app (opens in a new tab) to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out.

For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit Mediavine Partners (opens in a new tab).

Advertising consent and privacy controls

Journey includes a consent-management platform for advertising. Where required, it lets visitors accept, reject or manage advertising data uses. Visitors who reject personalized advertising may still see contextual ads. Depending on your location, Journey may display “Manage Preferences,” “Update Privacy Settings,” or “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” controls on this site.

For more information about Mediavine's advertising and Grow data practices and privacy controls, review the Mediavine Legal & Privacy Center (opens in a new tab).

Hosting and technical data

The site and its public image files are delivered through Vercel. Vercel may process standard technical information such as IP address, browser or device details, request data and service logs to deliver, secure and operate its services. You can read the Vercel privacy notice (opens in a new tab).

Email

If you email us, we receive the address you use and any information you include in your message. We use that information to respond, manage the request and maintain appropriate editorial or business records. Email is processed by your email provider and ours.

Newsletter and external services

Newsletter links take you to Footwear Magazine's publication on Substack. If you subscribe or interact there, Substack processes your information under its policies and may make subscriber or engagement information available to Footwear Magazine for operating the newsletter. Review the Substack privacy policy (opens in a new tab) before subscribing.

Links to social networks, the media kit and other third-party sites are governed by those services' own terms and privacy practices. The same applies to external sources, retailers and brand sites linked from articles.

Retention

Footwear Magazine retains information it controls only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this policy, including responding to requests, maintaining editorial or business records, meeting legal obligations, resolving disputes and protecting the Website. Retention periods vary by the type of information and the reason it is held. Connected providers maintain information under their own retention practices.

Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical and organizational safeguards appropriate to the information we handle. No transmission or storage method is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Email should not be used to send sensitive or confidential information without first arranging an appropriate method.

International processing

Footwear Magazine and connected providers may process information in the United States and other countries, where privacy laws may differ from those where you live. Where applicable law requires safeguards for a transfer, the responsible party must use an appropriate lawful mechanism.

Children's privacy

The Website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. Footwear Magazine does not knowingly collect personal information directly from children under 13. A parent or guardian who believes a child has provided information to us may contact us to request review and deletion, subject to applicable law.

Your choices

You can use the privacy controls Journey displays where available, adjust or clear cookies and local storage through your browser, and use a supported Global Privacy Control signal. Clearing browser storage may also clear your saved theme and consent choices.

Depending on where you live and subject to applicable exceptions, you may have rights concerning access, correction, deletion, portability, restriction or objection, consent withdrawal, sale or sharing and targeted advertising, appeals, and complaints to a privacy regulator. We will not unlawfully discriminate against you for exercising an applicable privacy right. We may take reasonable steps to verify your identity or an authorized agent's authority before acting on a request.

To make a request about personal information Footwear Magazine controls, email editor@footwearmagazine.com.

Policy updates

We may update this policy as the publication or its services change. The latest version will appear on this page with a revised date, and we will provide additional notice when required by law.

Last updated August 18, 2026.