Sylvia's Snapshots: Privacy

This Privacy Policy deals with the collection, use and disclosure of personal information and other data on the "Sylvia's Snapshots" website. It includes: who is doing the collecting, what data is being collected, how the data will be used, to whom data may be disclosed, and the consequences of refusing to give information. It also addresses the principles of choice, access, security, and enforcement.

Who is doing the collecting?
- - Just one person operates this site: I, Sylvia Joyce, do. You can contact me online. If you are looking for my street address or phone number, please read the note at the bottom of this page.
- - This site is hosted by Virgin Media. One copy of this website is on Virgin Media's hosting computers, one backup copy is kept on disc by me personally.

What data is being collected?
I collect data in the following ways: a Hit Counter, this site's Visitors Book, and anything you disclose in any Email to me. I don't collect anything else, and I don't use cookies.
- - When you enter this site, a Hit Counter will automatically register that "a visitor" has viewed the index page. No other information is collected by this counter. The count is stored as a simple text document (.txt file) on the Virgin Media hosting computer.
- - If you sign the Visitors Book, it will show whatever information you choose to post. If you post your email address, it will show your email address. If you post your name, it will show that. If you post the URL of your website, it will show that. In addition, it will show the date and time of your post. This information is stored by Virgin Media, and is visible to anyone viewing the Visitors Book. All posts are checked by me personally within a few hours at most from the time of posting. If the post is, or appears to be, made by a child under 13 years of age, I guarantee to delete anything I consider to be potentially revealing personal information immediately.
- - If you send me any Email, I will have your email address as well as anything else you tell me. Anyone can email me and tell me anything they want. What data I 'collect' from such emails depends upon the content of each individual email. If any email is, or appears to be, from a child under 13 years of age, I will respond to that email and then delete it completely.

How will collected data be used?
- - The number registered by the Hit Counter is merely to satisfy my and/or a visitor's curiosity. I can't imagine any other use for it.
- - Any information you choose to post in the Visitors Book will be visible to anyone viewing the Visitors Book. If your post includes your URL or email address, I might go look at your website or email you, just as any other person might. I won't keep or use any posted information beyond that.
- - If you send me any Email, I will use your email address to write you back. How I 'use' any other data contained in such emails depends upon the content of each individual email. If any email is, or appears to be, from a child under 13 years of age, I won't keep or use any information contained in that email beyond using the email address to write back.

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To whom may data be disclosed?
I don't 'disclose' data to anyone.
- - If you post information in the Visitors Book, then you are 'disclosing' your information to the general public.
- - If you send me information in an Email, you are disclosing that information to me and only me. I will not disclose your information (or your email address!) to anyone else unless you specifically request me to do so. (In which case, I am merely acting as your intermediary.)

What are the consequences of refusing to give information?
- - If you somehow prevent your visit being registered by the Hit Counter, there will be no consequences whatsoever to you. I do not require that your visit to my site is registered.
- - If you sign the Visitors Book, the whole world can see whatever information you post: if you don't, they can't. There are no other consequences. I do not require you to sign the Visitors Book.
- - If you send me an Email, I will write you back. If you have some specific request to make of me, I will attempt to comply with that request. If you don't send me any email, I will never even know you exist. There are no other consequences. I do not require you to send me email.

Choice: I give people choice(s). No one needs to disclose personal information if they don't want to. Except for the obvious (like not receiving an email from me if you don't give me your email address) there are no consequences of nondisclosure. If you change your mind after having posted any information in the Visitors Book and you want your post altered or removed, all you have to do is contact me and tell me what information you want me to alter or remove. If you are a parent, and I have inadvertantly allowed your child to post personal information in the Visitors Book, you can ask to have it deleted and refuse to allow any further collection or use of your child's information. All you need to do is contact me. (I have no fancy procedures for verifying your bona fides: I would rather remove all personal information from my Visitors Book than chance putting even one child at risk!)

Access: There is only one instance where I may store information which is not publicly accessible via this website. If someone has sent me an email, I will have a copy of that email on my own hard drive.

Security: Obviously, any information publicly available via the Visitors Book is just that ... publicly available. As detailed in the previous paragraph, the only other information I may store is some emails. I have measures in place to ensure that I am the only person with access to these emails, and I guarantee not to reveal them to anyone else.

Enforcement: I consider this Privacy Policy to be a legally enforceable contract between myself and the public at large. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this site, or your dealings with this website, please contact me (Sylvia). I welcome all feedback.

Notes:
- - Personal Information is defined as: individually identifiable information that is collected online, such as full name, home address, email address, telephone number or any other information that would allow someone to identify or contact a child. Also other types of information (for example, hobbies, interests and information collected through cookies or other types of tracking mechanisms) when they are tied to individually identifiable information.
- - My Own Personal Information: My apologies, but, with the present dangers of identity theft and harrassment, I am not prepared to disclose my street address or phone number on this or any other non-secure website. If, for any reason, you wish to contact me by ordinary mail or by telephone, please send me your own street address or phone number and I will get in touch with you. If you personally are concerned about privacy and safety on the web, I am sure you will appreciate my position.
- - Children Under 13 Years Of Age: I am an ordinary human being, not a clairvoyant or a superwoman. If a person communicating with me in any way does not admit to being under the age of 13 years, and their communication is presented in such a way that it appears to be from a person over the age of 13 years, then I believe it is reasonable for me to assume that such a person is indeed over the age of 13 years until and unless I am reliably informed otherwise.

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