Privacy Policy
Last updated September 29, 2026
The short version
- No accounts. We never ask for your name, email, or payment details.
- We use privacy-conscious analytics (PostHog) to see how the site is used. You can turn it off below, and we honor Global Privacy Control and Do Not Track.
- Your quiz answers and streaming services stay in your browser, except when sent to our server to generate a recommendation. We don't store them.
- We don't sell or share your personal information, and we don't run ads.
Who we are
What The Hell Should I Watch (“we,” “us”) is a movie recommendation website at whatthehellshouldiwatch.com, operated by an independent developer. This policy explains what information we collect when you use the site, why, and the choices you have. Questions go to [email protected].
Information we collect
Information you give us
When you take the quiz, you tell us your mood, preferences, and which streaming services you have. Your answers are sent to our server to find a recommendation and are not stored there or tied to your identity. Your streaming service selections are saved in your own browser (see Cookies and local storage).
Information collected automatically
If analytics is on, our analytics provider, PostHog, collects:
- Pages you view, the page that referred you, and when you leave a page
- Interactions with the site, such as clicks, quiz steps, and which movies you open
- Device and browser information: browser type, operating system, device type, and screen size
- Approximate location (country and city), derived from your IP address
- A random identifier stored in your browser, which isn't linked to your name or contact details
- Technical details of errors you run into, so we can fix them
We do not record your screen or sessions, and we do not create profiles of identified people.
Server and security data
Like any website, our servers and our network providers process your IP address, browser user agent, and the pages you request in order to deliver the site and protect it. We use your IP address briefly, in memory only, to limit excessive requests. Server logs are kept only as long as needed for troubleshooting and security.
How we use information
- To give you movie recommendations and show where they're streaming
- To understand how the site is used and make it better
- To find and fix errors
- To keep the site secure and prevent abuse
We do not use your information for advertising, and we do not make automated decisions that have legal or similarly significant effects on you.
Legal bases (EEA and UK visitors)
We process information to provide the service you request, and on the basis of our legitimate interests in understanding usage, fixing problems, and keeping the site secure. Where the law requires consent, we rely on it, and you can withdraw it at any time with the analytics setting below.
Cookies and local storage
We use a small number of cookies and browser storage entries. None are used for advertising.
| Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| ph_<project key>_posthog | Cookie and local storage | Analytics. A random identifier so PostHog can tell one browser's visits apart. Not set if you opt out or your browser sends a privacy signal. | Up to 1 year |
| streaming_services | Local storage | Remembers which streaming services you selected. | Until you clear it |
| seen_movie_ids | Local storage | The last 75 movies we showed you, so we don't repeat them. | Until you clear it |
| quiz_session_v2 | Session storage | Your progress through the quiz, so a refresh doesn't restart it. | Until you close the tab |
| analytics_opt_out | Local storage | Remembers that you turned analytics off. | Until you clear it |
You can clear these at any time through your browser settings.
Your choices
You can turn analytics off for this browser here. We also treat a Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track signal from your browser as an opt-out, and don't load analytics at all.
Data retention
Analytics data is kept for the retention period of our analytics plan and then deleted. Information stored in your browser stays there until you clear it. We don't keep quiz answers.
Your rights
Depending on where you live, including the EEA, the UK, and California and other US states, you may have the right to access, correct, delete, or receive a copy of personal information about you, to object to or restrict certain processing, and to opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information (which we don't do). We will not discriminate against you for exercising these rights.
To make a request, email [email protected]. We don't know who you are, so include your anonymous analytics ID (shown in Your choices when analytics is on) so we can find your records. We respond within the timeframe required by applicable law, generally within 30 days (45 days in California). You may also lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
Children
The site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from them. If you believe a child has provided us information, contact us and we'll delete it.
International transfers
We and our service providers are based in, or process data in, the United States. If you visit from elsewhere, your information is transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from yours.
Security
The site is served only over HTTPS, and we limit the information we collect in the first place. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, but we work to protect the information we have.
Changes to this policy
If we change this policy, we'll update the date at the top of this page. For significant changes, we'll also post a notice on the site.
Contact
Questions or requests about privacy: [email protected].