Privacy Page

Updated 7/16/2020

Cowboys cling to their privacy, and they keep a watchful eye to keep it that way.

So Privacy is very important? Yes, it’s very special.

Because it’s special, I want you to know I value it.

No one likes getting emails they didn’t actually sign up for, no matter how cute the content. I won’t use any information you give me in any way except how it was intended.

Here’s the thing about websites – they do store SOME data. But I’m going to tell you what I store here at CarenGallimore.com (not much) and what you can do about it if you don’t like that.

First off, know that most of the information I store is information you give me freely. My site is protected by SSL which ensures that everything sent to or from my server is encrypted. In addition, I use very powerful security software to maintain security on my site to the best of my ability.

Sadly, there are many people who would love to fill any website with spam comments. My site is no exception. I use CleanTalk to provide anti-spam services.

CleanTalk is GDPR compliant. When you log in, post a comment, or send me a contact message, CleanTalk receives a copy of the information that you submit. This information is checked against a list of known spammers. If you match someone on that list, your interaction will be blocked.

CleanTalk guarantees that your data will never be used or shared in any other way. By keeping the rampaging hordes of attackers away from the site, this keeps CarenGallimore.com safe for all of us.

The only information I store is what you provide freely.

Newsletters

I collect your name, IP address, and email address so that I can send you infrequent updates about what is going on in my world. These newsletters may contain information about upcoming books, and about events. I may even throw in a freebie from time to time. Want to be removed from this list? Click unsubscribe at the bottom of any newsletter.

The newsletters send a message back to my website when they are opened or when you click on a link. This helps me to better design future content. I don’t want to bore you!

Comments

I love it when people comment. To allow for discussion, you can post comments in some areas on this website. The information collected includes your name, email address, website address, IP address, and your comments. If you ever wish to have your comments removed, send me a quick note through the contact form and I’ll remove them. No worries.

Contact Form

Information you send to me through the contact form on this site is checked for spam by CleanTalk and then sent to me through normal email procedures. It is not stored on my website.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.

These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracing your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.

Minors

Please be aware that my site is intended for use by individuals over the age of 16. If you are under 16, please get permission from a guardian before using the site.

Website Activity Tracking

My hosting company tracks basic data on those who access the site. The data stored in this manner is not traceable back to any individual and is deliberately generalized. It provides me with information related to the country of origin of site visitors, what browser they are using, and how long they stayed on the site.

In addition, Google and other search engines track website visitors. This is something that happens whenever you use the internet. If you do not want to be tracked, please consider using a private browser window.  The information that these search engines store is not traceable to one individual and so is very generic in nature. I do not store this information, however I do occasionally look at it so I can provide more relevant content.

Liking and Sharing

Sharing is a good thing! When you share or like something that you see on my site, the coordination between where you want the share to go and my site is managed by Automattic, the company that designed WordPress. They track your IP address, WordPress.com user ID, WordPress.com username, my site’s ID, post ID (of the post you liked), user agent, timestamp of event, browser language, and country code. Whew! That’s a lot. It translates to: they keep track of what you liked, when you liked it, and where you shared it to.

Use of Cookies

I wish I meant the oatmeal raisin type.

I use cookies on this site to personalize the site. A cookie is a tiny text file placed on your hard disk by a Web page server. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer.

Cookies are uniquely assigned to you, and can only be read by a Web server in the domain that issued the cookie to you.

Cookies save you time. Cool, huh?

If you leave a comment on my site, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

If you have an account and you log in to this site, my site will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

About those web beacons…

Web beacons, also known as clear gif technology, or action tags, may be used to assist in delivering the cookie. They compile aggregated statistics about web site usage, such as how many visitors clicked on key elements (such as links or graphics) on a Web page, blog, or a newsletter. I may share aggregated site statistics with partner companies who have provided customization software for use on the site. No private or personal information is transferred in this way.

You have the ability to accept or decline cookies. Many Web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser settings to decline cookies if you prefer. If you choose to decline cookies, you may not be able to fully experience the interactive features of this or other Web sites you visit.

Changes to this Statement

Change happens. I may occasionally update this privacy statement. When I do, I will also revise the “last updated” date at the top of the privacy statement. For material changes to this privacy statement, I will notify you by placing a you-can’t-miss-it notice on the home page of my Web site. I encourage you to periodically review this privacy statement to stay informed about how I am helping to protect your information. Your continued use of the service constitutes your agreement to this privacy statement and any updates.

A Note to International Users

I love visiting other continents, but I was born in and live in the US, and that’s where this site is hosted. If you are accessing the site from outside the United States, by providing your information to the site, you are consenting to the transfer of your information to the United States for processing and maintenance in accordance with this Privacy Notice. You are also consenting to the application of United States law in all matters concerning the site.

Data Protection Concerns

All of the content on this site, CarenGallimore.com, is owned by Caren Gallimore.

If you have any concerns about this policy, please don’t hesitate to contact me through the contact form.