Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 2026

1. Introduction

CivilFlow is an engineering technology platform that provides free calculators, technical references, and educational resources to civil and structural engineers, students, and construction professionals worldwide. We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us.

This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and what choices you have. It applies to all visitors of the CivilFlow website. We follow privacy-first principles: we collect only the data needed to operate the platform, we are transparent about what we collect, and we never sell your information. By using CivilFlow, you agree to the practices described in this policy.

2. Information We Collect

We collect minimal information to maintain and improve CivilFlow. We do not require registration, user accounts, or personal details to use any calculator or resource on the platform.

Information Automatically Collected

When you visit CivilFlow, certain technical information is automatically collected by our analytics and infrastructure services. This includes the pages you visit, the type of browser and device you are using, your operating system, language preference, approximate geographic region derived from your IP address, the referring website, and the date and time of each visit.

This information is used in aggregate to understand how the platform is used, which calculators are most popular, how users navigate the site, and where technical improvements are needed. We do not use this data to identify individual users.

Analytics Information

CivilFlow uses Plausible Analytics, a privacy-first analytics service designed to collect anonymous usage statistics without cookies or personal identifiers. Plausible does not track users across websites, does not use any persistent identifiers, and does not collect or store IP addresses in a identifiable format. The data we receive includes page views, referral sources, browser names, device types, and broad geographic regions.

We use this data to improve the accuracy of our calculators, identify which resources matter most to our users, optimize website navigation, and resolve technical issues.

3. Engineering Calculator Data

CivilFlow's engineering calculators process numerical values that you enter to perform calculations and return results. These calculations are performed in real time within your browser or on our servers. We do not permanently store the values you enter into calculators unless explicitly stated otherwise.

Engineering calculations provided by CivilFlow are for informational, educational, and preliminary design purposes. They are not a substitute for professional engineering judgment. You should independently verify all results and consult the applicable building codes, standards, and a qualified professional engineer before making any engineering or construction decision. CivilFlow accepts no liability for decisions made based on calculator outputs.

4. Cookies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your web browser. Websites use cookies to remember preferences, understand usage patterns, and deliver relevant content.

CivilFlow uses cookies only where necessary. We categorize them as follows:

Essential Cookies. Necessary for basic website operation. They enable core functionality such as theme preference persistence. Without these, certain features may not function correctly.

Analytics Cookies. CivilFlow does not use analytics cookies. Our provider, Plausible, operates without cookies and does not store any data on your device.

Advertising Cookies. CivilFlow uses Google AdSense to display advertisements. Google may place cookies on your browser to deliver relevant ads. These cookies are managed entirely by Google and are subject to its Privacy Policy.

You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of some features on CivilFlow. To manage advertising cookies specifically, visit Google's Ad Settings page.

5. Advertising and Google AdSense

CivilFlow is committed to keeping all engineering calculators and educational resources free for every user. To sustain this commitment, we display advertisements through Google AdSense.

Google AdSense uses cookies and web beacons to serve advertisements based on your prior visits to CivilFlow and other websites. This enables Google to show ads that are more relevant to your interests.

You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ad Settings page or through the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page. We do not control which advertisements are shown, and we do not share personal information with advertisers. CivilFlow does not sell or trade your personal information for advertising purposes.

6. How We Use Information

The information we collect is used exclusively to improve website performance, develop and refine our engineering calculators, understand which resources are most valuable to our community, enhance user experience, maintain platform security, diagnose technical issues, and measure aggregate platform growth. CivilFlow does not sell your personal information to anyone.

CivilFlow does not sell your personal information to anyone. We do not use your data for creditworthiness assessment, automated decision-making, or any purpose not disclosed in this policy.

7. Data Protection and Security

We implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards to protect the information we collect. These include secure HTTPS connections, regular security monitoring, access controls on servers and analytics accounts, and limiting data collection to only what is necessary for platform operation.

No method of electronic storage or data transmission is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. We encourage you to use appropriate security practices when accessing any website, including using up-to-date browsers and operating systems.

8. Third-Party Services

CivilFlow uses two third-party services that may process data:

Plausible Analytics. Plausible provides privacy-first, cookie-free website analytics. Their service processes anonymized page view data to help us understand platform usage. Plausible does not track users across sites or build visitor profiles. Their privacy policy is available at plausible.io/privacy.

Google AdSense. Google AdSense serves advertisements on CivilFlow. Google may use cookies and other tracking technologies to deliver personalized advertisements. Google's use of your data is governed by Google's Privacy Policy.

These third-party services operate independently and have their own privacy policies governing the data they collect. CivilFlow does not control their data practices. We encourage you to review their policies for a complete understanding of how they handle your information.

9. External Links

CivilFlow may contain links to external websites, including engineering references, academic resources, and standards organizations. We provide these links as a service and are not responsible for the privacy practices or data handling of external sites. We recommend reviewing the privacy policy of any external website you visit.

10. Children's Privacy

CivilFlow is designed for engineering professionals, university students, and construction industry practitioners. It is not directed at children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided personal information through CivilFlow, please contact us so we can take appropriate action.

11. International Users

CivilFlow serves a global community of engineers. Our website is hosted on servers that may be located in different countries. By using CivilFlow, you acknowledge that your data may be transferred to and processed in countries where our infrastructure operates.

We aim to follow recognized privacy principles that align with frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Economic Area and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) in the United States. If you have specific rights under your local legislation, we will respect them to the best of our ability. Please contact us with questions about how your privacy rights apply.

12. Your Rights and Choices

You have the following rights and choices regarding your privacy on CivilFlow:

You may control or disable cookies through your browser settings at any time. You may opt out of personalized advertising through Google's Ad Settings page. You may use private or incognito browsing to limit data stored during your visit. You may contact CivilFlow with questions about our data practices.

Since we do not maintain user accounts or collect personally identifiable information, we may not be able to delete specific data associated with your browsing activity. However, we will address any legitimate privacy concern raised by a user.

13. Changes to This Privacy Policy

CivilFlow may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our services, technology, or legal requirements. When we make changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Material changes will be communicated through a notice on the website. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

14. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, concerns about your data, or would like clarification about any of these practices, please contact us through our contact page.