Website Privacy Policy
Last updated 1/8/2022
The Author Encounter, doing business as The Author Encounter Limited Liability Company (“We”, “Us” or “Our”) respects your privacy and values the relationship We have with you. This Privacy Policy describes the information We may collect from you, how We use the information, with whom We share it, and the choices available to you regarding Our use of the information. We also describe the measures We take to protect the security of the information and how users of this website and Our customers can contact Us about Our privacy practices.
By using this website, you are accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use this website. We reserve the right to change or amend the terms of Our Privacy Policy from time to time without notice, so please check the Privacy Policy periodically for updates. Your continued use of the website following the posting of changes to these terms means that you accept those changes.
Information We Collect About You
We may get personal information about you from various sources. We may collect this information when you provide it over the phone or on our website. When you visit this website, blog, or associated site, i.e. landing pages. We may also collect certain information about your device or usage by automated means or by using technologies such as cookies, web server logs and web beacons. We also collect information when you register for an event and or TAE Account and/or complete your interview. We may keep your information for as long as your TAE Account is active or even after your TAE Account is terminated for reasons including, without limitation, to comply with our legal obligations, meet regulatory requirements, resolve disputes, prevent fraud and abuse, or enforce this Privacy Policy or the TAE Terms of Use.
Information You Provide.
You may choose to provide personal information to Us in several ways, such as when you create a TAE Account on this site, subscribe to TAE, purchase Our services on this site or over the phone or take part in an offer, promotion or survey. The personal information you may provide to Us includes, without limitation:
- Personal Data. Personally identifiable information, such as your name, shipping address, email address, and telephone number, and demographic information, such as your age, gender, hometown, and interests, that you voluntarily give to us [when you register with the Site [or our mobile application,] or] when you choose to take part in various activities related to the Site [and our mobile application], such as online chat and message boards. You are under no obligation to provide us with personal information of any kind, however your refusal to do so may prevent you from using certain features of the Site [and our mobile application].
- Derivative Data. Information our servers automatically collect when you access the Site, such as your IP address, your browser type, your operating system, your access times, and the pages you have viewed directly before and after accessing the Site. [If you are using our mobile application, this information may also include your device name and type, your operating system, your phone number, your country, your likes and replies to a post, and other interactions with the application and other users via server log files, as well as any other information you choose to provide.]
- Financial Data. Financial information, such as data related to your payment method (e.g. valid credit card number, card brand, expiration date) that we may collect when you purchase, order, return, exchange, or request information about our services from the Site [or our mobile application]. [We store only very limited, if any, financial information that we collect. Otherwise, all financial information is stored by our payment processor, [Amazon Payments,] [Authornize.Net,] [Braintree Payments,] [Chargify,] [Dwolla,] [Google Checkout,] [Paypal,] [SafeCharge,] [Stripe,] [WePay,] [2Checkout,] [other], and you are encouraged to review their privacy policy and contact them directly for responses to your questions.]
Information We Collect Through Automatic Means.
When you visit this website, or interact with Our emails or Our online advertisements, We collect certain information about your usage or device by automated means or by using technologies such as cookies, web server logs and web beacons. As set forth in more details below, We may also collect information about your usage and browsing habits using various web-based technologies.
The technologies We may use for this automatic data collection may include:
- Cookies (or browser cookies).A cookie is a small text file placed on the hard drive of your computer or other Internet-connected device that uniquely identifies your browser to store information or settings in your browser. You may refuse to accept browser cookies by activating the appropriate setting on your browser. However, if you select this setting you may be unable to use all of the features of this website.
- Web Server Logs.In conjunction with obtaining information through cookies, our web servers may log details such as your operating system type, browser type, domain, and other system settings, as well as the language your system uses and the country and time zone in which your device is located. The web server logs also may record information such as the address of the web page that linked you to our site and the IP address of the device you use to connect to the Internet.
- Web Beacons.Pages of our website and our emails to you may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs. pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content and verifying system and server integrity).
Facebook Permissions
The Site [and our mobile application] may by default access your Facebook basic account information, including your name, email, gender, birthday, current city, and profile picture URL, as well as other information that you choose to make public. We may also request access to other permissions related to your account, such as friends, check-ins, and likes, and you may choose to grant or deny us access to each individual permission. For more information regarding Facebook permissions, refer to the Facebook Permissions Reference page.
Data From Social Networks
User information from social networking sites, such as [Apple’s Game Center, Facebook, Google+, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter], including your name, your social network username, location, gender, birth date, email address, profile picture, and public data for contacts, if you connect your account to such social networks. [If you are using our mobile application, this information may also include the contact information of anyone you invite to use and/or join our mobile application.]
Mobile Device Data
Device information, such as your mobile device ID, model, and manufacturer, and information about the location of your device, if you access the Site from a mobile device.
Third-Party Data
Information from third parties, such as personal information or network friends, if you connect your account to the third party and grant the Site permission to access this information.
Data From Contests, Giveaways, and Surveys
Personal and other information you may provide when entering contests or giveaways and/or responding to surveys.
Targeted Advertising
We also may allow third-party advertising services and networks to use cookies, web server logs, web beacons and similar technologies on our websites and emails; on third party websites and emails; and on our advertising placed on third party websites. They use this information to provide advertisements about Our services that may be of interest to you. You may see these advertisements on other websites. We do not control these third party technologies, and they are not subject to this Privacy Policy. We do not authorize these third parties to use this technology to collect personal information about you, and they do not have access to your personal information from Us. They may, however, track your Internet usage anonymously (that is, without being able to identify you personally) over time and across other websites beyond this website. To learn more about the use of this information or to opt out of having this information used by our third party network advertisers, please visit the Network Advertising Initiative by clicking http://www.networkadvertising.org/managing/opt_out.asp.
California Do Not Track Notice
California Civil Code Section 1798.83, known as the “Shine The Light” law, permits Our customers who are California residents to request and obtain from Us a list of what personal information (if any) We disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year and the names and addresses of those third parties. Requests may be made only once a year and are free of charge. Under Section 1798.83, We currently do not share any personal information with third parties for their direct marketing purposes. Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” feature that lets you tell websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. We do not respond to these “Do Not Track” signals. At this time, we do not track your personal information about your online activities over time and across third party websites. We also do not authorize third parties to collect any personal information from you on this website for these purposes.
Mobile Application Information
If you connect using our mobile application:
- Geo-Location Information. We may request access or permission to and track location-based information from your mobile device, either continuously or while you are using our mobile application, to provide location-based services. If you wish to change our access or permissions, you may do so in your device’s settings.
- Mobile Device Access. We may request access or permission to certain features from your mobile device, including your mobile device’s [bluetooth, calendar, camera, contacts, microphone, reminders, sensors, SMS messages, social media accounts, storage,] and other features. If you wish to change our access or permissions, you may do so in your device’s settings.
- Mobile Device Data. We may collect device information (such as your mobile device ID, model and manufacturer), operating system, version information and IP address.
- Push Notifications. We may request to send you push notifications regarding your account or the Application. If you wish to opt-out from receiving these types of communications, you may turn them off in your device’s settings.
How We Use Your Information
We use the information you provide to Us and that We collect through automated means to:
- Respond to your inquiries
- Send you emails containing promotional materials or other communications
- Process your payment transactions
- To meet state and federal requirements of a professional association
- Create and manage your TAE Account and Campaigns on your behalf
- Administer your participation in special events, contests, sweepstakes, surveys, and other promotions
- Operate, optimize and improve Our products, services and operations (including developing new services; managing our communications; performing data analytics; and performing accounting, auditing and other internal functions)
- Comply with applicable legal requirements, relevant industry standards and Our policies
- Detect, investigate, and prevent activities that may violate Our policies or be illegal
- We also may use the information in other ways We describe when you provide the information, or for any other purpose with your consent
Information We Share
We do not rent lists, or sell or otherwise disclose personal information We collect about you, except as described below. We may share your personal information with:
- Our various affiliates
- Our contractors, service providers and other third parties We use to support Our business and to fulfill services requested by you, including, without limitation, credit card processing companies, marketing services providers and consultants, and public relations firms
- To a new founder or board of director, as stated in the Bylaws of The Author Encounter
- Successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution or other sale or transfer of some or all of our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation or similar proceeding, in which personal information held by The Author Encounter, llc about this website’s users is among the assets transferred. Under such circumstances We would, to the extent possible, require the acquiring party to follow the practices described in this Privacy Policy, as it may be amended from time to time. Nevertheless, We cannot ensure that an acquiring company or the merged company will have the same privacy practices or treat your information the same as described in this Privacy Policy.
- To other third parties with your express consent
We may also disclose your personal information:
- To comply with any court order, law or legal process
- To respond to law enforcement authorities or other government officials
- To enforce our agreements with you, including for billing and collection purposes
- If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to prevent physical harm or financial loss, or in connection with an investigation of suspected or actual fraudulent or illegal activity. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for the purposes of fraud protection and credit risk reduction.
Your Rights and Choices
We strive to provide you with choices regarding the personal information you provide to Us. We have created mechanisms to provide you with the following control over your information:
- Email Opt-Out. You can at any time tell us not to send you marketing communications by email at theauthorencounter@gmail.com within the marketing emails you receive from Us. This opt-out does not apply to communications We send to you in relation to your transactions with Us.
- Google Analytics Display Advertising. We utilize Google Analytics Demographics and Interest Reporting and Google Analytics Display Advertising to remarket to you by displaying Our ads to you on third party websites. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads by clicking Ads Settings or through the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, or any other available means.
- Reviewing, Updating and Modifying Personal Information. Subject to applicable law, you may have the right to request access to and receive details about you and update and correct inaccuracies in your personal information. We may not accommodate a request to change information if We believe the change would violate any law or legal requirement or cause the information to be incorrect.
POLICY FOR CHILDREN
We do not knowingly solicit information from or market to children under the age of 13. If you become aware of any data we have collected from children under age 13, please contact us using the contact information provided below.
Data Security
We take reasonable steps to help protect and secure your personal information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration and disclosure. However, please remember that no data storage or data transmission over the Internet, or by other means, can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Thus, We cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information you transmit to Us. Therefore, you understand, acknowledge and agree that you transmit your personal information to this website at your own risk.
The safety and security of your information also depends on you. You should never submit to us payment or tax information via email. Where We have given you (or where you have chosen) a password for access to certain parts of this website, you are responsible for keeping this password confidential. We ask you not to share your password with anyone.
Links To Other Websites
This website may provide links to other websites for your convenience and information. These websites may operate independently from Us. Linked sites may have their own privacy notices or policies, which We strongly suggest you review if you visit any linked websites. To the extent any linked websites you visit are not owned or controlled by Us, We are not responsible for those websites’ content, any use of the websites, or the privacy practices of the websites.
Governing Law
This website is published in the United States, and is subject to the laws of the United States and the State of Texas. We attempt to protect the personal information of all users of the website and we attempt to comply with local data protection and consumer rights laws to the extent they may apply to Our services, but the website is located and targeted to United States citizens and our policies are directed at compliance with those laws. If you are uncertain whether this Privacy Policy conflicts with the applicable local privacy laws where you are located, you should not submit your personal information to Us.
Notice To Non-US Users
If you are located outside the United States of America, you should be aware that your personally identifiable information will be transferred to the United States of America, the laws of which may be deemed by your country to have inadequate data protection. If you are located in a country outside the United States of America and voluntarily submit personally identifiable information to Us on this website, you thereby consent to the general use of such information as provided in this Privacy Policy and to the transfer of that information to, and/or storage of that information in, the United States of America.
Changes To This Privacy Policy
We may add new services and features to this website. In the event that these additions affect Our Privacy Policy, or if other changes in Our privacy practices or applicable laws necessitate changes to the Privacy Policy, this document will be updated accordingly.
Contact Information
To ask questions or comment about this Privacy Policy and our privacy practices, contact Us at:
The Author Encounter
Attn: Founders
3315 Simmons St.
Houston, TX 77004 (USA)
or through the Contact Us page.