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Disclosures 📜

All views and opinions expressed are my own.

Last updated: November 3, 2025
Version: 2.0

Employment 💼

I work at Google as a Software Engineer. Everything on this site represents my personal perspective—not Google's position, not Google-approved content, and definitely not me speaking on behalf of Google or Alphabet Inc.

This website, its content, and all associated social media are maintained in my personal capacity on my own time using my own resources. I respect my employment agreements and don't share confidential, proprietary, or non-public information. When I write about technology, AI, or industry topics, I'm drawing from public sources, personal analysis, and general industry knowledge—not insider information.

Finances 💰

No sponsored content: I don't accept payment to write about specific products, services, or topics. This blog is independent and self-funded.

No affiliate links: Currently, this site doesn't use affiliate marketing or earn commissions from product recommendations. If this changes, I'll update this policy and clearly mark affiliate links in posts.

Stock disclosure: I own Google (Alphabet) stock through employment compensation. I may own stock in other technology companies through index funds or personal investments. These holdings don't influence my writing, but transparency matters.

Income sources: My primary income comes from my day job at Google. This blog generates no direct revenue.

AI Usage 🤖

I use Artificial Intelligence throughout my writing process, including research, drafting, editing, and media generation. All AI-generated content undergoes thorough human review and fact-checking. The core ideas, analysis, and opinions are my own, and I take full responsibility for all published content.

AI limitations: AI systems can produce errors, hallucinations, and biased outputs. While I review all AI-assisted content carefully, mistakes can slip through. Please verify important information from authoritative sources, especially for technical implementations.

Attribution approach: I maintain AI attribution and citations on a dedicated page rather than cluttering every post with boilerplate disclaimers. Substantial AI contributions are noted in individual posts when relevant.

Models used: I primarily use frontier, commercial AI models from Anthropic, Google, and OpenAI; other models—for example image generation—can and will be used.

Content Philosophy 🌟

I generally don't critique products, companies, or ideas on this site. Product reviewers and influencers have that covered, and I prefer to write positive content about the niche subjects that interest me. Good vibes only.

I make mistakes all the time. I believe the important thing is admitting them, learning from them, and not dwelling on them. When I discover errors, I will correct them promptly and transparently.

Content Disclaimers ⚖️

Not Professional Advice

Everything here is for informational and educational purposes only. This site doesn't provide professional technical, legal, financial, medical, or security advice. Technology changes rapidly—what works today might be deprecated tomorrow. Always consult appropriate professionals or reputable sources for critical decisions.

Use At Your Own Risk

You're solely responsible for how you use information from this site. Always:

  • Test code and configurations thoroughly in non-production environments
  • Verify critical information from multiple authoritative sources
  • Consider your specific context and requirements
  • Follow your organization's policies and best practices

Code & Software

All code examples, scripts, and technical instructions are provided "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement.

I make no guarantees that code is:

  • Error-free or bug-free
  • Secure or vulnerability-free
  • Suitable for production use
  • Compatible with your environment
  • Compliant with regulations

Code licensing: Unless otherwise specified, code snippets are released under the MIT License and may be used in personal and commercial projects. Attribution appreciated but not required. Longer code examples may have different licenses as noted.

Security warning: Never use example code with untrusted input without proper validation and sanitization. Security examples are for educational purposes—always use current, secure alternatives in production.

External Content

Links to external sites are provided for convenience and reference. I'm not responsible for the content, accuracy, availability, or practices of external sites. External links don't imply endorsement. Websites change—a link that's helpful today might be harmful tomorrow.

No Liability

To the maximum extent permitted by law, I shall not be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages arising from your use of this site or its content, including but not limited to:

  • Data loss or corruption
  • System damage or downtime
  • Business interruption
  • Lost profits or opportunities
  • Security breaches
  • Any other damages, even if advised of the possibility

Privacy 🔐

What I Collect

This site uses Google Analytics to understand visitor behavior. Information collected includes:

  • Pages viewed and time on site
  • General geographic location (city level)
  • Device type, browser, and operating system
  • Referral sources
  • No personally identifiable information is intentionally collected

How It's Used

Analytics data helps me:

  • Understand which content is useful
  • Identify technical issues
  • Improve site performance
  • Make informed content decisions

Your Rights

Opt-out: Install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on to prevent tracking.

GDPR/CCPA: While this personal blog likely doesn't meet thresholds for formal compliance, I respect privacy rights. Contact me to request data deletion or access.

Cookies: This site uses cookies for analytics and functionality. By continuing to browse, you consent to cookie use. Use browser settings to block cookies if preferred.

Third-Party Services

  • Ghost CMS: May collect technical logs
  • DigitalOcean: Hosts the site and may collect access logs
  • Cloudflare: If used, may collect traffic data for security
  • Google Analytics: Collects anonymous usage data

Intellectual Property 📝

My Content

© 2016–2025 Illya Starikov. All rights reserved.

Original content, including text, images, and creative works, is copyrighted. Feel free to:

  • Share links to articles
  • Quote excerpts with attribution
  • Use ideas for inspiration

Please don't:

  • Republish entire articles without permission
  • Claim my work as your own

Fair Use

I respect intellectual property and use others' content under fair use principles for:

  • Commentary and criticism
  • Educational purposes
  • Transformative works
  • News and reporting

If you believe I've used your content inappropriately, please contact me.

DMCA

While this personal blog doesn't host user-generated content requiring formal DMCA procedures, I respect copyright. Report concerns via email.

Corrections 📝

Mistakes happen. When I discover errors or content becomes outdated:

  • Corrections: Factual errors are corrected promptly with notes like "[Correction: MM/DD/YYYY]: Fixed [error description]"
  • Updates: Technical content is updated for new versions with "[Update: MM/DD/YYYY]: Updated for [change]"
  • Security issues: Receive immediate priority with prominent warnings
  • Transparency: Significant changes are noted; minor typos fixed silently

To report an error: corrections [at] starikov.co

Technical Stack 🛠️

This site runs on:

Accessibility ♿

I strive to make content accessible to everyone. The site aims for WCAG 2.1 Level AA compliance where feasible. If you encounter accessibility barriers, please contact me.

Governing Law ⚖️

This site operates from California, USA. Any disputes shall be governed by California law, without regard to conflict of law principles.

Changes to This Page

This disclosure page may be updated periodically to reflect changes in practices, regulations, or my situation. Check the "Last updated" date below for the most recent version.

This content represents my personal thoughts and experiences. I am not acting as a representative of any employer, client, or business partner. This website serves as my personal digital space for sharing ideas and insights in my individual capacity.