1. Who We Are
This website (“us”, “we”, or “our”) is governed by the following privacy practices, in compliance with applicable U.S. federal and state privacy laws, including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA).
2. What Personal Information We Collect
- Comments & Feedback: When visitors leave comments, we collect information provided in the comment form, along with IP address and browser user agent, to help avoid spam.
- Gravatar: We may generate a hashed (anonymized) version of your email to check your Gravatar profile; refer to Gravatar’s Privacy Policy for details.
- Media Uploads: If you upload images, please avoid including location metadata (EXIF GPS data), as it may be visible to others.
- Cookies & Local Storage:
- You can opt to save your name, email, and website in cookies when commenting. These cookies last for one year.
- Temporary cookies are used on the login page to determine if the browser accepts cookies; they expire when the browser is closed.
- Login session cookies last for two days; “Remember Me” extends this to two weeks; screen options settings are saved for up to one year.
- Additional cookies (e.g., post-ID tracking when editing content) expire after one day.
3. Embedded Content From Other Websites
Embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles) functions as though the user visited that external site directly; those third-party sites may collect data, use cookies, and track interactions.
4. Who We Share Your Data With
- Password reset requests may include your IP address in the reset email.
- Comments may be processed through automated spam detection services.
5. Data Retention
- Comments and metadata are stored indefinitely for follow-up moderation purposes.
- Registered user profiles: You can view, edit, or delete your personal information (except your username); administrators also have access.
6. Your Rights (Including CCPA/CPRA Rights for California Residents)
Rights Available to All Users
- Access & Data Portability: You can request an export of data we hold about you.
- Deletion: You may request deletion of your personal data, except if retention is required for legal, administrative, or security purposes.
Additional Rights under CCPA/CPRA (for California Residents)
You may have the following additional rights:
- Right to Know: Request disclosure of the categories of personal information collected, sold, or shared; business purposes of collection; and third parties to whom data is disclosed.
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal data subject to certain exceptions (e.g., legal obligations).
- Right to Opt-Out: You have the right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information.
- Right to Non-Discrimination: You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for exercising any of these privacy rights.
7. How to Exercise Your Rights
To request access, deletion, or portability of your data, or to exercise other rights listed above, please contact us via the website’s contact form or at the email address provided in the footer/contact page. We will respond within applicable time frames stipulated by law.
8. California-Specific Addendum
If you are a California consumer, you have additional rights under CCPA/CPRA:
- Verification: We will require verification steps to confirm your identity before fulfilling requests.
- Authorized Agent: You may designate an authorized agent to make privacy requests on your behalf, with appropriate written authorization.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in laws, our practices, or for clarity. We will post the revised policy on this page and may provide notice for significant changes.
10. Contact Us
For questions or requests regarding this policy or your personal data, please reach out via our contact page or email address listed on the website.
