Affiliate Disclosure

Last Updated: November 3, 2025

At Intellectual Ignorance, we believe in complete transparency about how we earn revenue and maintain our independence. This Affiliate Disclosure explains our affiliate relationships and how we may earn commissions from your purchases.

What is Affiliate Marketing?

Affiliate marketing is a way for us to earn a small commission when you purchase products or services through links on our website. These commissions come at no additional cost to you – you pay the same price whether you use our affiliate links or go directly to the merchant's website.

Our Affiliate Relationships

Intellectual Ignorance participates in various affiliate marketing programs, including but not limited to:

Amazon Associates Program: We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com, Amazon.ca, and other Amazon international sites.

Other Affiliate Networks: We also participate in affiliate programs with:

Educational technology platforms and software
Student productivity tools and apps
Online course platforms
Digital product marketplaces
Tech products and electronics retailers
Bookstores and educational resource providers
Web hosting and domain services

How Affiliate Links Work

When you click on an affiliate link on our Site and make a purchase:

You get redirected to the merchant's website (like Amazon)
A cookie is placed on your device to track your purchase
You complete your purchase at the regular price (no markup)
We earn a commission from the merchant for referring you
You pay nothing extra – the commission comes from the merchant's advertising budget

Tracking Period: Most affiliate cookies last 24-90 days, meaning if you click our link today but purchase within that window, we may still earn a commission.

Our Editorial Independence

We Never Compromise Our Recommendations:

Our product recommendations are based on genuine research, testing, and student feedback
We only recommend products and services we believe will genuinely help college students
Affiliate compensation does NOT influence our editorial opinions
We provide honest reviews, including both pros and cons
We disclose affiliate relationships clearly before any product recommendations

Our Promise: If we wouldn't recommend a product to our own friends or family, we won't recommend it on this Site – regardless of commission rates.

When We Use Affiliate Links

You'll find affiliate links in:

Product reviews and comparisons
"Best of" lists (e.g., "Best laptops for students")
Resource recommendations in blog posts
Tool and software recommendations
Book recommendations
Study guide and course recommendations

We Always Disclose: Before any affiliate link, you'll see clear language like:

"Affiliate link"
"We may earn a commission"
"Paid partnership"
Or similar transparent disclosure

Products We Do NOT Affiliate With

To maintain trust and focus on student value, we do NOT participate in affiliate programs for:

Products or services that could harm students
Predatory loan services
Gambling or adult content
Get-rich-quick schemes
Products we haven't researched or wouldn't use ourselves

Your Rights and Choices

You're Never Obligated: You can choose to purchase through our affiliate links or go directly to the merchant. The choice is entirely yours.

You Can Opt-Out: You can block affiliate tracking cookies through:

Your browser settings
Privacy-focused browser extensions
Ad blockers that prevent tracking pixels

No Impact on Content Access: Whether you click affiliate links or not, you'll always have full access to all our content.

FTC Compliance

This disclosure complies with the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) guidelines on endorsements and testimonials, specifically:

16 CFR Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising"
We clearly and conspicuously disclose material connections before affiliate recommendations
We use plain language that students can easily understand
Disclosures appear close to affiliate links (not buried in fine print)

International Students

For EU Residents: Under GDPR, affiliate tracking cookies require your consent. Our cookie consent banner allows you to control which cookies are placed on your device.

For California Residents: Under CCPA, we disclose that affiliate networks may collect your browsing behavior. You have the right to opt-out of this tracking through your browser settings.

For Canadian Residents: We comply with Canadian advertising standards and PIPEDA privacy requirements in our affiliate marketing practices.

Student-First Approach

Why We Use Affiliate Marketing:

As a student-focused blog created to help college students navigate campus life and technology, affiliate marketing allows us to:

Keep our content completely free for students
Avoid annoying pop-up ads and intrusive advertising
Maintain editorial independence
Spend more time creating quality content
Test and review products thoroughly before recommending them

Our commitment: We earn from helping you find valuable products, not from tricking you into unnecessary purchases.

Other Ways We Earn Revenue

For full transparency, we also generate revenue through:

Digital product sales (templates, guides, planners) on Etsy and Gumroad
Display advertising (where applicable)
Sponsored content (always clearly labeled as "Sponsored")

All revenue sources are clearly disclosed in relevant content.

Updates to This Disclosure

We may update this Affiliate Disclosure as we join new affiliate programs or change our practices. Updates will be posted on this page with a new "Last Updated" date.

Questions or Concerns?

If you have questions about our affiliate relationships or want to know if a specific link is an affiliate link, please contact us:

Email: info@intellectualignorance.com
Contact Page: https://intellectualignorance.com/contact

We're happy to answer any questions about our affiliate practices.

Thank You for Your Support

By using our affiliate links when you make purchases, you're helping us continue creating free, valuable content for students. We genuinely appreciate your support and trust.

Remember: Your trust is more valuable than any commission. We're committed to maintaining that trust through transparency, honesty, and genuine recommendations.

This disclosure is part of our commitment to ethical affiliate marketing and compliance with FTC regulations, GDPR, CCPA, and Canadian advertising standards.