Privacy Policy for BlackTaoist.com
1. Introduction
At BlackTaoist.com, we are committed to safeguarding your personal data and upholding your fundamental rights to privacy and the protection of your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, disclose, and protect your data in accordance with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other relevant international privacy regulations. We prioritize transparency and accountability in all aspects of our data handling to foster user trust and ensure ethical and secure handling of information.
2. Scope of This Policy and Our Role as Data Controller
This Privacy Policy applies to all users of the BlackTaoist.com website and associated services. For the purposes of GDPR and other international data protection regulations, BlackTaoist.com acts as the “Data Controller” for any personal data collected from users of our platform. As such, we determine the purposes and means by which your personal data is processed.
3. Categories of Data Processed
We collect and process a variety of personal data types that enable us to deliver, personalize, and enhance your experience. These include:
a. Usage Data: Information such as your browser type, device model, IP address, time zone, referring URLs, pages visited, and session duration is collected automatically when you browse BlackTaoist.com.
b. Account Data: Information provided during account registration or updates, including your full name, billing and shipping address, email address, and phone number.
c. Profile Data: Data related to your interactions with our platform, such as saved preferences, product interests, browsing and purchasing history, and behavioral data gathered from your use of the website.
d. Communication Data: Records of communications with us, including customer support inquiries, feedback submissions, and contact form entries.
e. Technical Data: Device-specific information such as operating system, device type, browser configuration, language settings, and other system-level data necessary to provide access to the platform.
f. Transaction Data: Payment information (processed via secure third-party gateways), order history, delivery data, and related billing information.
g. Preference Data: Marketing choices you make, such as opting in or out of newsletters, communications, and your stated product or content interests.
4. Legal Bases for Processing
BlackTaoist.com processes your personal data only where lawful legal bases exist, including:
– Contractual Necessity: To fulfill contractual obligations, such as processing orders or opening an account.
– Legitimate Interest: To provide, improve, and protect our services, develop new features, and secure our platform.
– Consent: For marketing communications, industry updates, or other non-essential uses where consent is clearly obtained.
– Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws or enforce legal rights and obligations.
5. Your Rights
In accordance with GDPR and CCPA, you have the following rights:
– Right of Access: Obtain details of data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to Be Forgotten”): Request deletion of your personal data under certain circumstances.
– Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how your personal data is used.
– Right to Data Portability: Receive your personal data in a portable format or transfer it to another provider.
– Right to Object: Object to processing based on legitimate interest or for direct marketing purposes.
– Right Not to Be Subject to Automated Decision-Making: Ensure decisions affecting you are not made solely through automated processes.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected].
6. Security Measures
We implement industry-standard security techniques and organizational measures designed to protect your personal data. These include but are not limited to:
– End-to-end encryption of data in transit and at rest,
– Access controls and authentication mechanisms,
– Secure data storage and regular encrypted backups,
– Staff training on data protection principles and responding to security incidents.
7. International Data Transfers
BlackTaoist.com may transfer your personal data to servers or service providers located outside your jurisdiction. Where such transfers occur, we ensure adequate safeguards are in place, including:
– Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) approved by the European Commission,
– Compliance with the U.S.–EU and U.S.–Swiss Privacy Shield Frameworks (where applicable),
– Additional risk assessments and technical controls to ensure appropriate data protection.
8. Data Retention
We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes originally collected for or to comply with legal, accounting, or reporting obligations.
Examples include:
– Account and Profile Data: Retained while your account remains active.
– Transaction Data: Retained for up to 7 years for tax and audit purposes.
– Communication Data: Retained for up to 3 years from the last date of interaction.
– Marketing Consents: Retained until revoked or the account is deleted.
Upon expiration of retention periods, data is securely deleted or fully anonymized.
9. Cookie Policy
BlackTaoist.com uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance user experience, analyze site traffic, and support site functionality. Categories of cookies include:
– Essential Cookies: Required for core website operations like navigation and secure access to your account.
– Functional Cookies: Enable functionality such as remembering user preferences and settings.
– Analytics Cookies: Collect statistics about website usage to inform performance improvements.
– Performance Cookies: Monitor and optimize website speed and responsiveness.
10. Cookie Management and Compliance
We comply with GDPR and CCPA in our handling of cookie data. Users are presented with a cookie consent banner upon first visit and can manage cookie preferences at any time using the dedicated cookie settings available on-site. You can also control cookies through your browser settings and opt out of third-party analytics by tools such as Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.
11. Children’s Privacy
We do not knowingly collect or process personal data from children under the age of 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has submitted personal data, we will take immediate steps to delete such information. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided personal data to BlackTaoist.com, please contact us at [email protected].
12. Policy Updates
This Privacy Policy may be modified from time to time to reflect changes in our data processing practices, legal requirements, or advancements in technology. When changes are made, they will be reflected on this page, and users will be notified via prominent banners or direct communication where applicable.
13. Contact and Inquiries
If you have any questions, comments, or concerns regarding this Privacy Policy or our data handling practices, please reach out to us via email at [email protected]. We are committed to addressing privacy concerns swiftly and responsibly.
BlackTaoist.com is dedicated to compliance with all applicable data protection laws. We welcome feedback on how we handle your personal data and strive to ensure your information is treated with the utmost integrity and care.