Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

Grainy Plates (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “Site”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, subscribe to our newsletter, submit our contact form, or otherwise interact with us. Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Site. By accessing and using Grainy Plates, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by all the provisions of this Privacy Policy.

2. Information We Collect

A. Information You Provide Directly

Newsletter Subscription: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and may request your first name. This information is used solely to send you recipe updates, cooking tips, and related content.

Contact Form: When you submit our contact form, we collect your name, email address, and any message content you provide. This information is used to respond to your inquiry.

Comments & User-Generated Content: If you leave comments on our recipes or posts, we collect your name, email address (not displayed publicly), and comment content. Comments are moderated before publication.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes: (1) to deliver the content and services you request; (2) to send newsletter emails and updates you’ve subscribed to; (3) to respond to your inquiries and provide customer support; (4) to analyze Site usage and improve our content and features; (5) to personalize your experience; (6) to detect and prevent fraud or security issues; (7) to comply with legal obligations; and (8) for other legitimate business purposes disclosed to you. We do not use your information for purposes you did not consent to or expect.

4. Data Sharing & Third-Party Services

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. However, we use the following third-party services that may access or collect limited information:

Email Service Provider: MailChimp or similar service handles our newsletter. They access your email and name to deliver newsletters and track engagement (open rates, clicks). Their privacy policy governs their use of data.

Contact Form Provider: Contact Form 7 handles our contact form submissions. Your submitted data is temporarily stored to deliver messages and responses.

Analytics Services: Google Analytics may collect limited data (IP address, browser info, pages visited). Google’s privacy policy applies to their data collection. You can opt-out through your browser settings or Google’s opt-out tools.

Legal Requirements: We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government request. We will attempt to provide notice of such requests where permitted by law.

5. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected. Newsletter subscribers’ email addresses are retained until you unsubscribe. Contact form submissions are retained for 90 days to address follow-up questions, then securely deleted. Comments remain published unless you request deletion. Log data and analytics data are typically retained for 12-24 months. You can request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us at contact@grainyplates.com.

6. Your Rights & Choices

Newsletter: You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time by clicking the “Unsubscribe” link in any email or by contacting us directly.

Cookies: Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through settings. You can delete cookies or disable them entirely. Note that disabling cookies may affect Site functionality.

Analytics: You can opt-out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser extension or adjusting your browser privacy settings.

Your Personal Data: You have the right to access, correct, or request deletion of your personal information. Please contact us at contact@grainyplates.com with your request.

7. GDPR & CCPA Compliance

GDPR (EU Residents): If you are in the European Union, you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation. We process your data based on your consent (for newsletter) or legitimate business interests (for analytics). You have the right to: (1) access your data; (2) correct inaccurate data; (3) request deletion (“right to be forgotten”); (4) restrict processing; (5) data portability; and (6) object to processing. To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@grainyplates.com.

CCPA (California Residents): If you are a California resident, you have the right to: (1) know what personal information is collected; (2) know whether personal information is sold or disclosed; (3) request deletion of personal information; (4) opt-out of the sale/sharing of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To submit a request, contact us at contact@grainyplates.com with “CCPA Request” in the subject line.

8. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include SSL encryption for data in transit, secure servers, limited access controls, and regular security reviews. However, no data transmission over the internet or storage method is completely secure. While we take reasonable precautions, we cannot guarantee absolute security. If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at contact@grainyplates.com.

9. Children’s Privacy

Grainy Plates is not directed to children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will promptly delete such information. If you believe we have collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately at contact@grainyplates.com.

10. Third-Party Links & Websites

Our Site may contain links to external websites operated by third parties. This Privacy Policy applies only to Grainy Plates. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites before providing personal information.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. Changes are effective immediately upon posting to the website. Your continued use of the Site following any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.