Privacy Policy - Growing into Silence

1. Introduction

At Growing Into Silence (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), accessible via growingintosilence.com (the “Website”), we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect personal information, and informs you of your rights in relation to your data under applicable laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA). We maintain a privacy-first approach in all aspects of our data processing operations.

2. Scope of Policy and Role of Data Controller

This Privacy Policy applies to all visitors, users, and others who access or interact with the Website. For the purposes of the GDPR and other data protection laws, we are the data controller in relation to personal data collected through growingintosilence.com. By using the Website, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.

3. Categories of Personal Data We Process

We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:

a) Usage Data: Information about how you use the Website, including browser type, IP address, access times, visited pages, referring URLs, session duration, and other diagnostic data.

b) Account Data: When you create an account or engage with our services, we may collect your name, mailing address, email address, and telephone number.

c) Profile Data: Includes information you voluntarily provide, such as your preferences, interests, feedback, purchase history, and website interaction behaviors.

d) Communication Data: Records of communications with us, including emails, support requests, and other correspondence.

e) Technical Data: Device type, operating system, network information, and system configuration details.

f) Transaction Data: Payment history, billing addresses, delivery addresses, and other information relating to orders or purchases you make on the Website.

g) Preference Data: Information about your consent status for marketing communications, newsletter subscriptions, and product or content preferences.

4. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

We process personal data under the following lawful bases:

– Consent: When you voluntarily provide data or give explicit permission for activities such as marketing communications.
– Contract: To fulfill a contract or take steps necessary to enter into a contract with you, including processing orders or managing your account.
– Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulatory requirements.
– Legitimate Interest: To enhance user experience, ensure security, conduct analytics, and improve our services, provided such interests are not overridden by your rights and interests.

5. Your Rights

Under GDPR and applicable privacy laws, you have the following rights concerning your personal data:

– Right of Access: Obtain confirmation as to whether personal data is being processed and gain access to the data.
– Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
– Right to Erasure (Right to be Forgotten): Request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances.
– Right to Restriction: Request restriction of processing in limited situations.
– Right to Data Portability: Receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format and transmit it to another controller.
– Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interests or direct marketing at any time.

To exercise your rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to lawful requests without undue delay, subject to verification of your identity.

6. Security Measures

We maintain strict technical and organizational measures to safeguard your personal data from unauthorized access, theft, or misuse. These measures include:

– SSL encryption protocols for data transmission.
– Role-based access controls for internal data handling.
– Encrypted server storage and secure payment systems.
– Regular data backups and disaster recovery mechanisms.
– Employee training regarding privacy obligations and cybersecurity awareness.

7. International Transfers

Your personal data may be transferred and stored outside your country of residence. Where such transfers occur, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including the use of European Commission Standard Contractual Clauses or, where applicable, reliance on adequacy decisions to ensure a level of data protection equivalent to that in your jurisdiction.

8. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Policy, or as required by law. Retention timeframes include:

– Usage and Technical Data: Up to 12 months after last activity.
– Account and Profile Data: For as long as your account is active or as needed to fulfill the contract.
– Transaction and Communication Data: Retained for up to 7 years for regulatory and accountability purposes.
– Preference Data: Maintained until you update or withdraw your consent.

When data is no longer required, it is securely deleted or anonymized.

9. Cookie Policy

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on growingintosilence.com. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help in:

– Essential Functionality: Maintaining session state, form security, and user authentication.
– Functional Enhancements: Remembering preferences and device settings.
– Analytics and Performance: Gathering anonymous statistics to understand Website usage and improve user experience.
– Marketing and Personalization: Delivering tailored content and promotional messaging, where consent has been provided.

10. Cookie Management and Compliance

In accordance with GDPR and CCPA requirements:

– You are presented with a consent banner upon first visit, allowing you to accept or decline non-essential cookies.
– You can modify your cookie preferences at any time through our cookie settings panel accessible from the Website footer.
– You may also disable or delete cookies using browser settings; however, this may impact certain features of the Website.
– We honor “Do Not Track” and “Global Privacy Control” (GPC) signals where required by applicable law.

11. Children’s Privacy

Growing Into Silence does not knowingly collect or solicit personal information from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal data from a child under 13 without verified parental consent, we will promptly delete the information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13, please contact us at [email protected].

12. Policy Updates

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in laws, our data practices, or the features of growingintosilence.com. Material changes will be communicated prominently on the Website. Continued use of the Website after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the revised Policy.

13. Contact

For any data protection inquiries, requests to exercise your privacy rights, or questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact our team at:

Email: [email protected]

You may also reach us via the contact form available on growingintosilence.com.

We are committed to complying fully with GDPR, CCPA, and all other applicable data protection regulations. If you have any concerns about your privacy while using growingintosilence.com, we encourage you to contact us directly.