Privacy Policy - authorcraighastings.com

I can be reached by email at [email protected]. Please include the words “Terms of Use” in the subject matter box of your email.

Summary

I take your online privacy seriously. You may visit this Website anonymously as often as you like without providing any personally identifying information (such as your name, address or email address). I do not collect personally identifying information from you except when you specifically provide it, and I protect the information I receive. If you ask to be added to a newsletter or other subscription list, I will use a cookie to keep track of your requests so that you can easily check and revise your subscriptions. I also use cookies to identify your browser so that I can provide the best link to this Website. When you give me personally identifying information for a specific purpose, I will use that information solely for that purpose unless I tell you otherwise and give you an opportunity to OPT IN and then, to OPT OUT, except in rare instances further described below.

The Information You Provide

As you explore this Website, you will come across places in which I ask you to provide me voluntarily with information about yourself. In most of these instances I am seeking only your email address so that I can send you the specific information that you request, such as a newsletter or online subscription or purchase. In other instances, such as a contest, I request both your email address and your name (along with your contest answer), so that I can contact you by name in the event that you win. If you choose to purchase an item that may be offered by me through my direct sales service, I will need to collect additional information for billing and shipping, such as your full name, home address and credit card information. All of these activities–the subscriptions, contests and on-line purchases–are purely voluntary; if you do not wish to reveal your name, email address or other information, you are free simply to ignore these offerings. If you decide to participate, then (subject to the final paragraph of this section) I will not use your name or email address for any purpose other than as stated, and will not sell or rent your name or address to third parties not affiliated with us. If you purchase an item that may be offered at this Website, I may share your credit card information with an independent third party service whose function is to verify the information you provide, and I will store and make available information about recent purchases made through this Website using your password.

At other places in this Website, I ask for your feedback, opinion or suggestions, and provide you with a link for emailing me your response. I may also ask for your zip code or city of residence to gather geographical information about the visitors to this Website. If you send your email to me, it will include your email address in the “From” line. But again, (subject to the final paragraph of this section), I promise to use the email address I receive in this manner only for the purpose of responding to your questions or suggestions, and will not approach you with unsolicited offers or provide your email address to anyone else.

Another area in which I ask for your name is on bulletin boards or forums–places on this Website where you can participate in a discussion of a particular subject by posting written comments which are then entirely public. I ask for a name simply so that other people reading a string of comments will be able to determine which comments come from the same person. You may, therefore, provide a nickname or alias, if you prefer, so that your identity is not disclosed. You should be aware that if you do voluntarily disclose personally identifying information (e.g. user name, email address) on the bulletin boards or forums, that information can be collected and used by others and may result in unsolicited messages from other posters or parties. If you choose to participate anonymously, you should remember that you are still legally liable for the material you post, including claims of libel, invasion of privacy and copyright infringement.

Finally, provided that you OPT IN, and then unless and until you OPT OUT, I may use your name and/or email address, and survey responses you have provided: for customer service purposes, to send you news about this Website and Craig Hastings’ books, and to give you the opportunity to participate in offers made by me and by my business partners and advertisers, as well as the publishers of Craig Hastings’ books. I may also share your personally identifying information with a third party in the event of a transfer of ownership or assets, or bankruptcy, by our owners. I may also disclose your personally identifying information as required or permitted by law, to protect the interests or safety of Champagne Books, Craig Hastings, or a third party, or in an emergency situation.  I may share with third parties aggregated information that does not identify you personally and is not personally identifying information.

Your Access to Your Personally Identifying Information 

If you would like to know the types of information that I collect from visitors to this Website, please contact me. If you would like to know whether I have collected about you, please send me the activities that you participated in at this Website which requested personally identifying information and after reviewing the relevant databases, I will confirm whether it has collected such information about you. You may review personally identifying information about you in my records at any time provided you first give me proof of your identity, such as by accurately stating a password. I will change any inaccuracies in the personally identifying information that pertains to you in response to a reasonable request, and/or end any direct communications with you, or even delete your personally identifying information altogether, except to the extent I am required to do otherwise under law. To convey any such request, contact webmaster@authorcraighastings, and please put “Privacy Policy” in the subject heading.

Cookies

Cookies are electronic tags that most major websites place on your computer in the process of sending your computer a file, such as a Web page. I use them in a limited fashion as well. In essence, a cookie is a unique bit of computer code that is placed on your computer the first time you visit this Website. It tells me simply when a computer that has previously visited this Website returns, allows you to pick up where you left off on a previous visit, and it identifies your computer’s browser and operating system to help me make the best connection. I also use cookies to keep track of your subscriptions at this Website. In no event does the cookie I place on your computer tell me anything about your visits to other websites or your use of the Internet in any other way.

If you would prefer not to receive any cookies, most browsers can be set to refuse cookies or to alert you when one is being sent.

Links to Other Sites

I may provide, or third parties may provide, at this Website links to other web sites or resources. I have no control over such sites and resources  Such other sites do not necessarily follow my privacy policies, and may place their own cookies on your computer. This practice is standard on the Web, and I do not control cookies placed on your computer by third parties whose advertising or links appear on this Website.

Security of Private Information

I use reasonable administrative, technical, personnel and physical measures to safeguard personally identifying information in my possession against loss, theft and unauthorized use, disclosure or modification.  I would like to be able to tell you that the information you provide me is absolutely safe. Unfortunately, several well-publicized instances of computer security breaches make it impossible for anyone to be so confident. The most I can tell you is that I take reasonable steps to protect the information you provide me from theft, alteration or unauthorized inspection. In addition, in rare instances, I will disclose private information to necessary parties to protect this Website or other visitors, or to enforce compliance with my Terms of Use.

Children

This Privacy Policy applies to adults and all children who have reached their 13th birthday. At present, I do not knowingly collect personally identifying information from anyone under the age of 13. My policy may change in the future, so please check here regularly to get my latest policy.

Parents and Guardians

I encourage you to get involved with your children’s online usage and to be aware of the activities in which they are participating. I also ask you to check here regularly to see what my latest policies are, particularly those relating to children.

You should be aware that if your children voluntarily disclose their names, email addresses or other information on bulletin boards or chat areas of websites, such disclosures may result in unsolicited messages from other parties. I suggest that you discourage your child from providing such information on this Website or elsewhere unless you are confident that the information will not be misused.

If you have any concerns regarding privacy issues, please contact me at the above email address.

Parental control protections (such as computer hardware, software, or filtering services) are commercially available and may assist in limiting access to material that is harmful to minors. You can find current providers of such technology by using the following internet search terms: “parental control protections.”

Effective Date and Changes in this Privacy Policy

The effective date of this Privacy Policy is April 7, 2023.  I will not affirmatively notify users of changes in my Privacy Policy; but I will abide by the Privacy Policy in effect at the time I collect personally identifying information from a visitor, respecting uses of that information.