For my websites the only information that is in any way used (on one subdomain) is a cookie and that information is not collected, it remains on the users' browser for their convenience.

Unless, of course, Wordpress (being free) is doing things they don't tell you about.

I haven't seen anything that tells me of a limited free period, only hints of hooking me into wanting more.

I did come across a University Students Union website that was being used by the IVFDF (mega dance fest) for ticketing that had no SSL/TSL. As one fellow ceilidhnaut remarked that he insisted on telephoning for tickets, but then he is a retired unspecified employee of GCHQ (UK Gov mega-snoop).

Still cogitating.