PRIVACY POLICY
At Pennsylvania Herald (“we”, “our”, “us”), accessible via pennsylvaniaherald.com, we are committed to protecting the privacy and confidentiality of your personal information. Your trust is important to us, and safeguarding your data is one of our highest priorities. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information in compliance with applicable privacy regulations, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA).
1. INTRODUCTION
At Pennsylvania Herald, we respect your privacy and are dedicated to handling your personal data with transparency, integrity, and in full accordance with applicable data protection laws. This Privacy Policy is designed to inform you about how we collect, process, and protect your personal data when you visit pennsylvaniaherald.com or engage with us through any services provided on or in connection with the Website.
2. SCOPE OF POLICY AND DATA CONTROLLER
This Privacy Policy applies to the personal data of all visitors, users, subscribers, and customers (“you”) who interact with our Website, services, and communications. Pennsylvania Herald acts as the “Data Controller” for the purposes of the GDPR, determining the manner and purpose of personal data processing.
For any inquiries related to this Policy or your data, you may contact us at: [email protected]
3. CATEGORIES OF DATA PROCESSED
We collect and process various categories of personal data, depending on your interaction with our Website and services:
a. Usage Data
We collect data pertaining to how visitors interact with pennsylvaniaherald.com, such as Internet Protocol (IP) addresses, browser types, time zones, access times, pages viewed, and site navigation patterns.
b. Account Data
When you register, subscribe, or create an account, we may collect your full name, postal address, email address, telephone number, and authentication information.
c. Profile Data
If you personalize your profile, we may collect information such as demographic details, reading preferences, user habits, purchase history, and saved content.
d. Communication Data
When you reach out to us through contact forms, customer support, or email, we collect records of such communications, including queries, responses, and correspondence history.
e. Technical Data
We gather information related to devices used to access our Website, including device identifiers, hardware model, operating system, platform, and browser configurations.
f. Transaction Data
If you engage in transactions on pennsylvaniaherald.com, such as purchasing subscriptions or services, we collect billing addresses, payment methods, and delivery details (excluding full payment card details which are handled securely by our payment providers).
g. Preference Data
We collect your communication preferences, newsletter opt-ins, marketing opt-ins/opt-outs, and interests based on your interaction with our content and emails.
4. LEGAL BASES FOR PROCESSING
Our collection and processing of your personal data is based on the following lawful grounds under GDPR:
– Performance of a Contract: To deliver services or products you have requested.
– Legitimate Interests: To understand user behavior, enhance services, and prevent fraud, provided such interests do not override your rights.
– Consent: Where required, we seek explicit consent for email marketing or use of non-essential cookies.
– Legal Obligations: To comply with applicable legal or regulatory obligations.
5. YOUR RIGHTS
Under GDPR and applicable privacy laws, you are entitled to the following rights:
– Right of Access: Request access to the personal data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: Request correction of incomplete or inaccurate data.
– Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to legal exceptions.
– Right to Restrict Processing: Request temporary suspension of data processing in certain circumstances.
– Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to you or another controller where feasible and applicable.
To exercise any of the above rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We may require you to verify your identity before processing such requests.
6. SECURITY MEASURES
We employ robust security measures to ensure your data is protected from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. These include, but are not limited to:
– Data encryption both in transit and at rest
– Access control policies based on roles and responsibilities
– Regular backups and secure data storage
– Staff training on data protection and security practices
7. INTERNATIONAL TRANSFERS
Your personal data may be transferred to, and maintained on, servers located outside your jurisdiction. When we transfer data outside of the European Economic Area (EEA), we do so only in accordance with standard contractual clauses and other safeguards consistent with GDPR requirements, ensuring equivalent protection of your data.
8. DATA RETENTION
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. Retention periods include:
– Account Data: For as long as your account remains active, and up to 3 years thereafter
– Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years in accordance with financial recordkeeping requirements
– Communication Data: Kept for 2 years from last communication
– Usage and Technical Data: For up to 13 months for analytics and improvement purposes, unless consent is withdrawn
– Marketing Preferences: Until opt-out is received or 2 years from last engagement
9. COOKIE POLICY
We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your experience on pennsylvaniaherald.com. These include:
– Essential Cookies: Required for the functioning of the Website
– Functional Cookies: To remember user preferences
– Analytics Cookies: To understand user behavior and improve the site
– Performance Cookies: To measure the performance of content and interface
10. COOKIE MANAGEMENT AND COMPLIANCE WITH GDPR & CCPA
Upon your first visit, you will be presented with a cookie banner allowing you to accept or customize your cookie preferences. You may at any time manage your preferences or withdraw consent through our Cookie Settings tool, or by adjusting your browser settings to refuse some or all cookies. Under the CCPA, California residents can also opt out of the “sale” of their personal information by using our Do Not Sell My Personal Information link, if applicable.
11. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data from children under the age of 13 without verified parental consent. If we become aware that personal data has been collected from a child without such consent, we will promptly delete it. Parents who believe their child may have provided us information can contact us at [email protected].
12. POLICY UPDATES AND USER NOTIFICATION
We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in legal requirements or our data processing practices. Where changes are material, we will notify users through conspicuous notices or direct communication when required by law. We encourage users to review this Policy periodically for updates.
13. CONTACT US
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or your personal data, please contact:
Email: [email protected]
We are committed to complying with all data protection obligations and providing transparent, respectful, and secure handling of personal information. You may contact us at any time to exercise your rights or raise a privacy concern.