Privacy Policy
Last Updated: October 17, 2021
Privacy. Admittedly not the most exciting subject, but one we can all agree is important and so here we are! I value privacy in all cyber-things, and I think of my Privacy Policy like a cyber-version of our Frenchie, Phoebe. She’s great security (most of the time more than desired), a little annoying because she is just always there, but really you can’t help but love her because she truly has the best intentions. Moreover, I must remind myself that she was bred this way, and she views it as her job – no, her mission – to keep us safe. Ok Phoebe. You win, thank you for keeping us safe.
All that said, I’ve gone through some steps to have a cyber-version of Phoebe on my site to keep us all safe. My site is protected by SSL which ensures that everything sent to or from the server is encrypted, and I have Wordfence security software (Wordfence will track the activities within the site – not your personal information – to ensure the website isn’t being attacked). I also use Akismet to provide anti-spam services (because let’s face it, no one likes spam – ugh). Akismet tracks IP address, email address, and the contents of your comments.
These privacy tools are like when Phoebe looks at the door cracks. She’s tilting her head back and forth in intense concentration to make sense of any unfamiliar noise outside to promptly inform us if the evil squirrels who taunt her daily are planning a full-scale attack on the house. She’s pacing. Sometimes barking at nothing just to see if anything answers back. Sometimes barking at something, doing her job. Every. Hour. Of. The. Live. Long. Day.
When you stop by for a visit, and if cyber-Phoebe knows we’re friends, especially if you’ve enabled to feed her cookies, she’ll be your friend too so no worries! Please also know that if you give her a cookie, I’m not going to be a terrible friend and use your data for anything more than the basics for what is intended (which is what the below information entails).
You also have some control over what the site stores and tracks, and as a good friend I want you to feel comfortable. Know that any information you provide the website is yours to give (I won’t take it – I hate it when others do that to me).
On to what data we collect &why…
Comments
I love comments! You have the opportunity to post comments on my site, and the information collected includes the data shown in the comments form, the IP address, the browser user agent string to help spam detection, and of course the comment. An anonymized string created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
If you ever wish to have your comments removed, no problem. Send me an email and I’ll remove them as soon as I am able (please expect a delay as I’m busy, you’re busy, and life is busy)!
Media
If you upload images to the website, Phoebe would say (if she could talk) that you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website, and we don’t want that!
Cookies
I love cookies. They are literally one of my most favorite things. If you leave a comment on my site, it leaves crumbs like your name, email address and website in the form of virtual cookies, and 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, but you also have a choice to accept the cookies or not, and neither Phoebe nor I will be offended if you don’t.
Embedded content from other websites
Items 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 and may collect data about visitors, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor visitor interaction with that embedded content, including tracing interaction with the embedded content if a visitor has an account and is logged in to that website. It’s like inviting Phoebe’s puppy pals over to play, and sometimes they bring their own privacy-party-treat, including cookies.
How long we retain your data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely, and comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. This is so you are recognized by cyber-Phoebe and so that any follow-up comments are approved automatically instead of Phoebe holding them at the door until I can get to the moderation queue.
You can also request that I erase any personal data held on the website about you. This does not include any data the site is obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Changes to this Statement
If there’s one guarantee, it’s that change happens. Phoebe could grow and need a new leash or collar from time to time, so I may occasionally update the Privacy Policy. When I do, I will also revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the service constitutes your agreement to this privacy statement and any updates.
A Note to International Users
If you are accessing the Site from outside the United States, Howdy and thanks for visiting! By providing your information to this site, you are consenting to the transfer of your information to the good ol’ U.S. of A. for processing and maintenance in accordance with this Privacy Policy. You are also consenting to the application of U.S. law in all matters concerning this site.
Contact Me
If you have questions or comments about this policy, Phoebe, or anything else, please feel free to contact me using the Contact Form.
Site Content Owner
All of the content on the sites www.tashamurphy.com and www.tashamurphyauthor.com, is owned by Tasha Murphy.
