A Plain Explanation
There are really only three things a person can do on this site: look at pages, send something in to be published, or get in touch. Each of the three involves personal information in a different way. This Privacy Policy walks through them one at a time and then covers the rules that apply to all three.
One caveat before we start. Not every website has publishing tools, user accounts, or adverts. When this Privacy Policy talks about those things, it is describing what happens if they exist on this site. If they do not exist here, nothing described in those passages takes place. And once you leave this site for another website, that website's own policy takes over.
Which laws are we talking about?
Privacy laws apply according to where people live and what a website does. This Privacy Policy is intended to address the ones that apply, which may include the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the UK GDPR and applicable UK data-protection legislation, the California Consumer Privacy Act and California Privacy Rights Act (CCPA/CPRA), other U.S. state privacy laws, cookie and electronic communications rules, and other national, state, or regional privacy regulations. We mention these laws because they may be relevant, and we are not saying that all of them apply to you.
Activity One: Looking at Pages
What gets recorded
You can read this site without telling us who you are. The visit still leaves a technical trace, as it does on nearly any website. That trace may include your IP address, a rough idea of where in the world you are, what browser and device you are using, which operating system it runs, which link brought you here, which pages you looked at, and at what date and time.
Cookies and trackers
Cookies may be placed on your device while you browse. Some are essential and keep this site working. Some are functional and remember your settings. Some are for analytics and count visits. Some are for advertising. Some come from third parties. Pixels, tags, and similar tracking technologies may be used too. Which of these are present differs between websites, so this site may use only a few of them.
You are in charge of cookies. Your browser settings let you block or clear them. This site may offer its own cookie controls. Where the law calls for it, a consent management mechanism may ask what you are willing to accept.
Measuring visits
We may use third-party analytics services to understand how visitors interact with this site and to improve how it performs.
Adverts
You may or may not see third-party adverts here. If you do, advertising partners and advertising networks may be behind them, using advertising cookies, device identifiers, and other advertising technologies. Some adverts are contextual and simply match the page. Others are personalized or interest-based and draw on what your browsing suggests you like. You may have choices about advertising, including any opt-out mechanisms required by applicable law.
Signals from your browser
Your browser may be able to send a Global Privacy Control (GPC) signal, which may be recognized here where applicable law requires it. It may also send a Do Not Track signal. Websites have never agreed on a standard response to Do Not Track, and this site may not respond to it unless the law says it must.
Clicking through to other websites
Articles, press releases, directory entries, bookmarks, and listings are full of links to external websites. We do not control the privacy practices of those websites. They have their own privacy policies, and it is sensible to read them before you provide any personal information.
Activity Two: Sending Something In
What you might send
If this site takes contributions, you might send an article, a press release, a business listing, a directory listing, a URL or website submission, a bookmark, a comment, or a profile. You might attach images or documents. Your contribution may contain business information and contact information, and this site may accept other content as well. If registration is available, you may also have given us registration or account information.
What happens to it
We may use what you send to process the submission, review it, publish it if it is approved, and manage the listing or page that results.
Who can see it
Anyone. This is the part to take seriously. Information you voluntarily submit for public display may be published publicly, and then:
- Every visitor to this site can access it.
- Search engines can index it and cache it.
- Third parties can view it.
- It can be shared through external websites.
- It can be copied or redistributed outside our control.
What not to send
Never put confidential, private, or sensitive personal information in content intended for public publication. And as a general rule, do not use public submission forms for government identification numbers, financial account credentials, medical information, or other highly sensitive personal details, unless that information is specifically requested and necessary.
Activity Three: Getting in Touch
When you use a contact form, we receive the information you put in it. We use it to respond to your inquiry. The Contact Us page is also how privacy requests reach us, as explained further down.
Rules That Apply to Everything
All the reasons information may be used
Putting the three activities together, information may be used to operate and maintain this site, provide its functionality, process and review submissions, publish approved content, manage listings, respond to inquiries, prevent spam, fraud, and abuse, maintain security, carry out analytics and performance measurement, understand usage, improve functionality, comply with legal and regulatory requirements, enforce site policies, and support advertising where applicable.
Legal bases
Some laws, the GDPR and UK GDPR among them, require a legal basis for processing. Where that is so, the basis may be consent, performance of a contract, legitimate interests, or compliance with legal obligations. It depends on the specific processing activity.
Outside companies
This site may use external hosting providers, analytics providers, advertising providers, security services, spam-prevention tools, content delivery networks, embedded media providers, social media services, technical service providers, and other vendors. These third parties may process information in accordance with their own privacy policies and legal obligations.
Other disclosures
Where applicable and legally permitted, information may be disclosed to professional advisers, to legal authorities, courts, regulators, and law enforcement, and to successors in connection with a merger, acquisition, restructuring, sale, or transfer of assets.
Sale or sharing
If activities conducted through this site constitute a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information under applicable law, eligible users may have the right to opt out.
How long information is kept
Only for as long as reasonably necessary. The relevant needs include providing functionality, processing submissions, maintaining published content, administration, security, fraud prevention, recordkeeping, legal obligations, resolving disputes, and enforcing agreements.
How information is protected
Reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards may be used. We do not guarantee that information will always be completely secure, because no internet transmission or storage system can be guaranteed to be 100% secure.
Where information is handled
Information may be processed, stored, or transferred in countries other than your country of residence. Where applicable, legally required safeguards may be used for international transfers.
Children
This site is not intended to knowingly collect personal information from children below the age required by applicable law. A parent or guardian who believes a child has submitted personal information may contact us through the Contact Us page.
Your Rights
Whatever you do on this site, the law may give you rights. They depend on applicable law, may be subject to exceptions, and may require identity verification.
In Europe
Where the GDPR applies, you may have the right of access, the right to correction or rectification, the right to deletion or erasure, the right to restrict processing, the right to object, the right to data portability, the right to withdraw consent, and the right to lodge a complaint with an appropriate supervisory authority.
In the United Kingdom
Where the UK GDPR and applicable UK data-protection legislation apply, you may have corresponding rights, including the right to complain to the UK supervisory authority.
In California
Where the CCPA and CPRA apply, you may have the right to know, access, correct, and delete. Where applicable, you may have the right to opt out of the sale of personal information, to opt out of sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising, and to limit certain uses or disclosures of sensitive personal information. You have the right to non-discrimination for exercising your rights.
In other U.S. states
Residents of certain U.S. states may have privacy rights under applicable state laws, depending on place of residence, applicability thresholds, this site's activities, and applicable law.
Making a request
For requests about access, correction, deletion, data portability, restriction, objection, consent withdrawal, advertising opt-outs, sale or sharing opt-outs, or other legally available privacy rights, head to the Contact Us page on this site. We may need to verify your identity and may ask for additional information. Some requests may be subject to legal exceptions. Authorized agents may be handled where required by applicable law.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically because of changes in site functionality, data-processing practices, technologies, cookies, third-party services, business practices, applicable laws, or regulatory requirements. The revised Privacy Policy will be posted on this site. This Privacy Policy becomes effective when published on this site and may be revised from time to time.
Questions
If you have a question about privacy, your personal information, your rights, a privacy request, or this Privacy Policy, send it to us through the Contact Us page on this site.