Terms of Use
Last updated: November 5, 2026
1. Acceptance
By using Survive in China ("the Site"), you agree to these Terms of Use. If you disagree, please don't use the Site.
2. Our Services
We provide tips, guides, and content to help foreigners live and travel in China. Some content is free; some requires membership. We aim to be useful, not creepy.
3. No Tracking. No Cookies. No Funny Business.
We do not track you. No analytics that follow you around. No "engagement metrics" sold to the highest bidder.
We do not use cookies for ads or tracking. If we use cookies at all, it's only for essential stuff like keeping you logged in—not for building a profile to sell.
We do not sell your data to Google, Amazon, or anyone else. Not to ad networks, not to data brokers, not to that guy in the dark alley. We're not in the "monetize your eyeballs" business. Your reading habits stay yours.
🤔 Why Does Amazon (or Any Shopping Site) Know What I Looked At? A Quick 101
Ever looked at something on one website, then opened Amazon (or another store) and saw that exact product in an ad? Feels like magic—or surveillance. Here's the boring truth:
- Third-party cookies & tracking scripts: Many sites embed code from ad networks (Google Ads, Facebook Pixel, etc.). Those scripts set cookies that follow you across sites. Visit Site A (about hiking boots) → open Site B (Amazon) → the ad network says "this person was interested in hiking boots" and serves that ad.
- Retargeting: Advertisers pay to "retarget" people who visited a product page but didn't buy. You see the ad again on other sites. It's not mind-reading—it's tracking.
- First-party data: Amazon knows what you searched and bought on Amazon. That's their own data. But the "you looked at it elsewhere" effect usually comes from third-party tracking, not Amazon reading your mind.
We don't participate in that. No third-party ad trackers, no pixels that phone home to Google or Amazon. So if you browse Survive in China and then see China travel gear on Amazon—coincidence, or Amazon's algorithm guessing based on your Amazon history. Not us snitching.
4. Account & Sign-In
When you sign up (Google or email), we store only what we need to run your account: email, display name, your onboarding answers. We use Firebase (Google's backend) for auth and data—so your auth data is with Google, but we don't sell or share it for ads.
You can delete your account anytime from your profile. That removes your data from our systems.
5. Content & Accuracy
We try to keep tips accurate and up to date. But China changes fast—rules, apps, and practices shift. Use our content as a starting point, not legal or official advice. Verify important stuff yourself.
6. Paid Services
If you pay for membership or downloads, refunds follow our payment provider's (Stripe) policies. You can cancel membership anytime.
7. Limitation of Liability
We provide the Site "as is." We're not liable for decisions you make based on our content, or for service interruptions, bugs, or third-party issues. Use at your own risk.
8. Changes
We may update these terms. We'll note the "Last updated" date at the top. Continued use means you accept the new terms.
9. Contact
Questions? Reach out via our Contact page.
TL;DR: We don't track you, don't use creepy cookies, and we're definitely not selling your browsing habits to Google or Amazon. That's their game, not ours.