Privacy Policy
This notice is for the website scottiswriting.com, owned by Scott Walker. It explains how I control, process, handle and protect your personal data when you use this website or sign up for my mailing lists. It also explains your rights under current laws and regulations.
I am protective of my privacy, and I take a similar approach to information you are willing to share with me (e.g., when you provide your email address in order to sign up for my newsletters). Whenever possible, I give you control over your information collected by or shared with me.
I review this policy and update it as necessary to accurately reflect how I am using your personal data.
PROCESSING OF PERSONAL DATA
I control personal information about you electronically, and I use service providers to process your information (e.g., MailerLite). In GDPR terms, I am the Controller of your personal data, and I use services who act as Processors of your personal data.
SHARING OF PERSONAL DATA
I take your privacy seriously and will not share your personal data with others, except as permitted by applicable law or as set out below. I do not sell your personal data to third parties, but I do share your personal data as necessary to provide services or functions on my behalf to those who require the information to provide those specific services or functions to me.
These service providers may include social media advertising platforms such as Facebook and advertising services such as Google Adwords. Why would I do this? These services help me efficiently and cheaply advertise to people who may be interested in the goods and services I offer. The services do this by creating for me custom audience demographics.
Facebook remarketing service is provided by Facebook Inc. You can learn more about interest-based advertising from Facebook by visiting this page: https://www.facebook.com/help/164968693837950. To opt-out from Facebook’s interest-based ads follow these instructions from Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/help/568137493302217.
Facebook adheres to the Self-Regulatory Principles for Online Behavioral Advertising established by the Digital Advertising Alliance. You can also opt-out from Facebook and other participating companies through the Digital Advertising Alliance in the USA at: http://www.aboutads.info/choices/, the Digital Advertising Alliance of Canada in Canada http://youradchoices.ca/, or the European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance in Europe http://www.youronlinechoices.eu/, or opt-out using your mobile device settings.
For more information on the privacy practices of Facebook, please visit Facebook’s Data Policy: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation
Please note I have appropriate data privacy safeguards in place with these parties with whom we share personal data as described above and who are providing services or functions on my behalf.
YOUR RIGHTS
Under the GDPR your rights are as follows:
• the right to be informed;
• the right of access;
• the right to rectification;
• the right to erasure;
• the right to restrict processing;
• the right to data portability;
• the right to object; and
• the right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.
You may contact me at any time to exercise these rights or ask me questions about your personal data.
COMMENTS
When leaving a comment on this website, you will required to provide your name and email address, and you will have the option of sharing a website link. You will also have the option of having your information saved on this website’s database to make it easy to comment again in the future. This website and its database are hosted at Squarespace.
When posting comments, your personal data will be shared with an anti-spam service called Askimet to help prevent spam from being posted on this website. If you have an avatar (or similar service) account and post a comment on this website using your account email, your information will be shared with that service to allow your avatar to be associated with your comment and appear on this website.
Your personal data will be stored in this website’s database in order to keep your comment on display. You may request that I remove this information from my database and delete your comment(s); if you would like to make such a request, please contact me.
MAILING LISTS
I only need your email address in order to communicate with you via email, so that’s all I ask for. My newsletters contain information about you, such as your email address and the IP address of the device used at the time you signed up.
I use MailerLite as my email service provider, and your information will be stored by MailerLite.
Emails I send to your address will use cookies and other technologies to help me know if you have opened an email or clicked on a link in an email. MailerLite will record information such as your email address, IP address, date and time you opened the email or clicked on the link. I use this information to better understand what people like about my newsletters and how I can improve them. If you do not want this information being collected, you must unsubscribe from my newsletter using the link at the bottom of the email.
WEBSITE COOKIES
This website uses cookies to provide you with a better user experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device / computer hard drive to track how you use the website.
Some cookies are required to enjoy and use the full functionality of this website. For example, if I embed a YouTube video, you may not be able to watch it without allowing this website to store cookies on your computer or device.
Some cookies are used for analytical purposes to help me understand how visitors use this website. I use Google Analytics for this purpose. Google Analytics collects information such as which pages you visited, how long you stayed on a particular page, what operating system your device is using when you accessed this website. I do not link any of this information to your personal data.
You will be given the option to opt-in to the use of these cookies when you visit this site (see the notice bar at the bottom of any page when you first visit this website). Your web browser should also provide you with the controls to manage and delete cookies from your device (please see your web browser options).
DATA RETENTION PERIOD
I will use and store your personal data only for as long as necessary, bearing in mind the uses of your personal data as described in this privacy policy and otherwise as communicated to you.
Example #1: comments you post on this website will remain indefinitely
Example #2: When you sign up for one of my newsletters by sharing your email address with me, I will retain it until you instruct me to delete it.
I review the personal data I hold at regular intervals and permanently delete or anonymize any personal data which is no longer necessary.
CHILDREN
This website is aimed at adults. I do not knowingly collect any personal data relating to children who are not old enough to legally interact with or use this website. If you are not legally allowed to interact with or use this website, please do not provide me with any of your personal data.
DATA SECURITY AND PROTECTION
I ensure the security of any personal information I hold by using secure data storage practices (complex passwords, need-based access, etc.).
EMAIL MARKETING MESSAGES & SUBSCRIPTIONS
Under the GDPR I use the consent lawful basis for anyone subscribing to my newsletter or marketing mailing lists. Any email marketing messages I send are done so through MailerLite, an email marketing service provider.
You can opt out of receiving emails, ask to see the data I hold for you, or request I remove your data at any time by the following methods:
Unsubscribe using the link at the bottom of the email
Contact me using my Contact Form
PRIVACY SUMMARY
I will only use your information with your explicit consent.
You can provide or withdraw your consent at any time.
Your privacy is important to me, and it will always be the most important consideration when I use your information.
The only times I will use your information without your consent is if I have a legal or contractual obligation to do so.
UPDATED FEBRUARY 28TH, 2022