Privacy Policy | Dave Mage Writing

Section 01Introduction

Welcome to the Dave Mage website and online store.

Dave Mage is operated by [FULL LEGAL NAME OR REGISTERED BUSINESS NAME], located in Canada. In this Privacy Policy, “Dave Mage,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to the operator of the website.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect personal information when you:

Visit [WEBSITE URL];
Read our blog, author updates, or book information;
Purchase books, merchandise, digital products, or other items;
Subscribe to our newsletter;
Complete a contact form;
Communicate with us;
Interact with our advertisements; or
Use any other service that links to this Privacy Policy.

“Personal information” or “personal data” means information about an identifiable individual. It does not generally include information that has been properly anonymized or aggregated so that it can no longer reasonably identify a person.

We handle personal information in accordance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, commonly called PIPEDA, Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation, and other privacy and consumer-protection laws that apply to our activities.

Additional rights may apply to residents of the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, California, and other jurisdictions, as described below.

Section 02Accountability

We are responsible for personal information under our control, including personal information transferred to service providers that process information on our behalf.

We have designated a Privacy Officer to oversee our privacy practices and respond to questions, complaints, and requests involving personal information.

Privacy Officer

[PRIVACY OFFICER NAME OR TITLE]
Dave Mage / [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME]
Email: [PRIVACY EMAIL ADDRESS]
Mailing address: [COMPLETE BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS]
Website: [WEBSITE URL]

Section 03Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with the website.

3.1 Contact and identity information

We may collect:

Your first and last name;
Email address;
Telephone number;
Billing address;
Shipping address;
Country, province, state, or region;
Account username, if customer accounts are offered; and
Other contact details you choose to provide.

3.2 Order and transaction information

When you make a purchase, we may collect:

Products purchased;
Order number;
Purchase date;
Purchase price;
Currency;
Billing and shipping information;
Delivery preferences;
Transaction status;
Refund, cancellation, or return information;
Discount or promotional codes;
Communications concerning the order; and
Limited payment information received from the payment processor, such as the payment method, card brand, transaction identifier, and the final digits of a payment card.

3.3 Payment information

Payments are processed through third-party payment providers such as [LIST PAYMENT PROCESSORS, FOR EXAMPLE STRIPE, PAYPAL, OR SHOPIFY PAYMENTS].

Payment card numbers, security codes, and similar financial credentials are normally submitted directly to the payment provider. We do not intentionally collect or store complete payment card numbers or card security codes on our own systems unless expressly disclosed to you.

Payment providers process payment information under their own privacy policies and security practices.

3.4 Newsletter and marketing information

When you subscribe to the newsletter or request updates, we may collect:

Your name;
Email address;
Date and method of consent;
Subscription preferences;
Information about whether an email was delivered, opened, or selected;
Unsubscribe requests; and
Other information needed to maintain evidence of consent and honour your preferences.

3.5 Contact forms and communications

When you contact us, we may collect:

Your contact details;
The contents of your message;
Attachments or information you voluntarily provide;
The date and time of the communication; and
Information connected with our response.

Please do not submit highly sensitive information through a general contact form unless we specifically request it and provide an appropriate method for submitting it.

3.6 Website and device information

When you visit the website, we and our service providers may automatically collect:

Internet Protocol address;
Browser type and version;
Device type;
Operating system;
Language settings;
Approximate location derived from an IP address;
Referring website;
Pages viewed;
Links or buttons selected;
Date and time of access;
Time spent on pages;
Shopping-cart activity;
Checkout activity;
Cookie identifiers;
Advertising identifiers; and
Diagnostic, security, and performance information.

3.7 Information from third parties

We may receive information from:

Payment processors;
Website and e-commerce platforms;
Shipping and fulfilment providers;
Newsletter and email providers;
Analytics providers;
Advertising networks;
Social-media platforms;
Fraud-prevention providers; and
Other service providers involved in delivering the website or completing your transaction.

The information received depends on your settings, your interaction with the third party, and the permissions you provide.

Section 04How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:

Operate, maintain, and secure the website;
Display information about Dave Mage, published works, and upcoming books;
Publish blog posts and author updates;
Create and manage customer accounts;
Process payments;
Complete and deliver orders;
Provide order confirmations and shipping updates;
Process refunds, returns, and cancellations;
Respond to questions and contact-form submissions;
Provide customer service;
Send newsletters, book announcements, release updates, promotions, and other marketing communications when permitted;
Remember shopping-cart and website preferences;
Measure website traffic and performance;
Understand how visitors use the website;
Personalize content and advertising;
Measure the effectiveness of advertisements;
Prevent fraud, misuse, security incidents, and unauthorized transactions;
Diagnose technical problems;
Maintain business, tax, accounting, and transaction records;
Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims;
Enforce our terms, policies, and agreements;
Comply with court orders, legal processes, and regulatory obligations; and
Carry out other purposes that we explain when collecting the information.

We will not use personal information for a materially different purpose without obtaining additional consent when consent is required by law.

Section 05Consent and Legal Grounds

5.1 Canada

Where Canadian privacy law applies, we collect, use, and disclose personal information with meaningful consent or as otherwise permitted or required by law.

The form of consent may depend on:

The sensitivity of the information;
Your reasonable expectations;
The purpose for which the information is collected; and
The circumstances surrounding the collection.

You may withdraw consent, subject to reasonable notice and any legal, contractual, fraud-prevention, accounting, or transaction-record requirements.

Withdrawing consent may prevent us from providing certain products or services. For example, we require shipping information to deliver a physical order.

5.2 European Economic Area and United Kingdom

Where the EU GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we rely on one or more of the following legal grounds:

Performance of a contract: To process your order, accept payment, deliver products, manage returns, and provide requested customer service.

Consent: To send optional marketing communications and place non-essential cookies where consent is required.

Legitimate interests: To operate and improve the website, understand general website use, prevent fraud, secure our services, respond to customers, and promote our products, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.

Legal obligations: To comply with tax, accounting, consumer-protection, regulatory, and legal requirements.

Legal claims: To establish, exercise, or defend legal rights and claims.

You may withdraw consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that was lawful before consent was withdrawn.

Section 06Newsletter and Electronic Communications

We may send newsletters, book-release announcements, store updates, promotions, and other commercial electronic messages when:

You have provided express consent;
We have a valid form of implied consent recognized by law; or
Another legal exception permits the communication.

Our marketing messages will identify the sender and contain a functioning unsubscribe method.

You may unsubscribe by:

Selecting the unsubscribe link in an email;
Adjusting your subscription preferences; or
Contacting us at [PRIVACY OR NEWSLETTER EMAIL ADDRESS].

We will process unsubscribe requests as required by applicable law. We may retain limited information on a suppression list to ensure that we continue to honour your unsubscribe request.

Unsubscribing from marketing does not stop transactional or service communications, such as order confirmations, security notices, shipping updates, or responses to your inquiries.

Section 07Cookies and Similar Technologies

Cookies are small files or identifiers stored on or accessed from your device. We may also use pixels, tags, local storage, software development kits, and similar technologies.

7.1 Essential cookies

Essential cookies support functions such as:

Website security;
Network management;
Shopping carts;
Checkout processes;
Payment processing;
Login sessions;
Fraud prevention; and
Remembering privacy choices.

These technologies may be necessary for the website to function and cannot always be disabled through our cookie controls.

7.2 Functional cookies

Functional cookies may remember:

Language preferences;
Region or currency;
Display preferences;
Account settings; and
Other optional website features.

7.3 Analytics cookies

Analytics technologies help us understand:

How many people visit the website;
Which pages are viewed;
How visitors navigate the website;
Whether pages or features are functioning correctly; and
How the website can be improved.

Our analytics providers may use IP addresses, device information, cookie identifiers, and website-interaction data.

Analytics providers may include [LIST ANALYTICS PROVIDERS, SUCH AS GOOGLE ANALYTICS].

7.4 Advertising cookies

Advertising technologies may be used to:

Display advertisements;
Limit how often an advertisement appears;
Measure advertisement performance;
Understand whether an advertisement led to a website visit or purchase;
Create or use audience segments; and
Deliver advertisements based on interests or previous website interactions.

Advertising providers may include [LIST ADVERTISING PROVIDERS, SUCH AS META, GOOGLE ADS, OR OTHER PLATFORMS].

7.5 Managing cookies

Where required, we will request consent before placing non-essential analytics or advertising technologies.

You can manage your choices through:

The cookie banner displayed on the website;
The [COOKIE SETTINGS OR PRIVACY CHOICES LINK];
Your browser settings;
Device advertising settings; and
Controls provided by the applicable analytics or advertising platform.

Rejecting or deleting cookies may affect website functionality.

Where applicable law requires us to recognize a legally valid browser-based opt-out preference signal, such as Global Privacy Control, we will process that signal as required.

Section 08Advertising, Sale, and Sharing of Personal Information

We do not sell personal information to third parties in exchange for money.

However, some privacy laws use broad definitions of “sale,” “sharing,” “targeted advertising,” or “cross-context behavioural advertising.” Under those definitions, allowing advertising or analytics providers to receive cookie identifiers, device information, or website-interaction data may be considered a sale, sharing, or use for targeted advertising.

Where applicable, you may opt out by using our:

Cookie settings;
“Your Privacy Choices” control;
Recognized browser privacy signal; or
Privacy contact information.

We do not knowingly sell or share personal information belonging to individuals under the age at which such activity is prohibited by applicable law.

Section 09When We Disclose Personal Information

We may disclose personal information to the following categories of recipients.

9.1 Website and e-commerce providers

Providers that host, maintain, support, secure, or operate the website and online store.

9.2 Payment processors

Providers that authorize payments, process transactions, prevent payment fraud, and handle refunds or chargebacks.

9.3 Shipping and fulfilment providers

Postal services, couriers, warehouses, distributors, printers, and fulfilment partners that prepare or deliver orders.

9.4 Email and customer-management providers

Providers that manage newsletter subscriptions, customer communications, contact forms, mailing lists, and customer-support records.

9.5 Analytics and advertising providers

Providers that measure website use, help improve the website, deliver advertisements, and report on advertising performance.

9.6 Technology and security providers

Cloud hosting, data storage, backup, cybersecurity, fraud-prevention, technical-support, and website-monitoring providers.

9.7 Professional advisers

Lawyers, accountants, insurers, auditors, consultants, and other professional advisers where disclosure is reasonably necessary.

9.8 Government and legal authorities

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe it is necessary to:

Comply with a law, regulation, court order, warrant, subpoena, or legal process;
Respond to a lawful government request;
Protect our legal rights;
Investigate fraud or security incidents;
Protect a person’s safety; or
Prevent unlawful activity.

9.9 Business transactions

Personal information may be disclosed as part of a proposed or completed sale, financing, restructuring, merger, acquisition, transfer, or other business transaction.

Where required, we will use appropriate confidentiality measures and limit the use of the information to evaluating or completing the transaction.

We require service providers to process personal information only for authorized purposes and to use appropriate safeguards, subject to applicable law and contractual arrangements.

Section 10International Processing and Transfers

We are based in Canada, but our service providers may process personal information in Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, the European Economic Area, or other countries where they or their subcontractors operate.

As a result:

Personal information may be transferred outside your province, state, or country;
Foreign courts, governments, regulators, or law-enforcement authorities may be able to access information under local laws; and
Privacy laws in another country may differ from the laws where you live.

Where required, we use contractual, organizational, and technical safeguards intended to provide an appropriate level of protection.

Where EU or UK transfer requirements apply, we may rely on an adequacy decision, approved contractual clauses, an international data-transfer agreement, or another legally recognized transfer mechanism.

Contact our Privacy Officer to request more information about applicable transfer safeguards.

Section 11Retention of Personal Information

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary to:

Provide the website and requested services;
Complete and document transactions;
Fulfil orders;
Maintain tax and accounting records;
Resolve disputes;
Process returns, refunds, and chargebacks;
Maintain security and fraud-prevention records;
Honour marketing and privacy preferences;
Enforce agreements;
Meet legal obligations; and
Establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

Retention periods depend on the type of information and why it was collected.

For example:

Order and transaction records may be retained for the period required by tax, accounting, consumer-protection, and limitation laws;
Newsletter information may be retained until you unsubscribe, followed by limited suppression-list information;
Contact-form information may be retained until the inquiry is resolved and for a reasonable period afterward;
Security logs may be retained for a reasonable period needed to investigate misuse or security incidents; and
Cookie and advertising information is retained according to our cookie settings and the applicable provider’s retention controls.

When information is no longer required, we will securely delete, destroy, anonymize, or de-identify it, subject to legal and technical limitations.

Section 12Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, contractual, and physical safeguards appropriate to the sensitivity of the personal information.

These measures may include:

Access controls;
Secure authentication;
Encryption during transmission;
Payment processing through specialized providers;
Restricted administrative access;
Security monitoring;
Software and system updates;
Backups;
Service-provider reviews;
Confidentiality requirements; and
Incident-response procedures.

No online system, transmission method, or storage system is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for protecting any password associated with your account and for notifying us if you believe your account or information has been compromised.

Section 13Privacy and Security Incidents

We maintain procedures for assessing and responding to suspected privacy and security incidents.

Where required by applicable law, we will:

Investigate the incident;
Take reasonable steps to contain and correct it;
Assess the risk to affected individuals;
Notify affected individuals;
Report the incident to the appropriate privacy regulator or other authority; and
Maintain legally required incident records.

Section 14Your Privacy Rights

Your rights depend on your location and the laws that apply to our processing.

14.1 Canadian privacy rights

Subject to applicable exceptions, you may request:

Information about how we collect, use, or disclose your personal information;
Access to personal information under our control;
An explanation of how your information has been used and disclosed;
Correction of inaccurate or incomplete information;
Withdrawal of consent;
Information about our privacy practices; and
Review of a concern or complaint about our compliance.

We will generally respond to a valid access request within the period required by applicable law.

14.2 European Economic Area and United Kingdom rights

Where the EU GDPR or UK GDPR applies, you may have the right to:

Receive information about our processing;
Access your personal data;
Correct inaccurate or incomplete personal data;
Request deletion;
Restrict processing;
Object to processing;
Receive portable personal data;
Withdraw consent;
Object to direct marketing;
Request information about international transfer safeguards; and
File a complaint with the data-protection authority where you live or work.

Where applicable, you also have the right not to be subject to a decision based solely on automated processing that produces legal or similarly significant effects.

We do not currently use personal information to make solely automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects.

14.3 California and other United States privacy rights

Where an applicable United States state privacy law applies to our business and your information, you may have the right to:

Know or access the personal information we collect;
Request deletion;
Request correction;
Obtain information about categories of collection and disclosure;
Receive a portable copy of certain information;
Opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information;
Opt out of targeted advertising;
Limit certain uses of sensitive personal information;
Appeal a decision concerning a privacy request; and
Exercise your rights without unlawful discrimination.

These rights are subject to eligibility requirements, legal thresholds, exceptions, and verification procedures.

14.4 Exercising your rights

To submit a request, contact:

Email: [PRIVACY EMAIL ADDRESS]
Privacy request form: [PRIVACY REQUEST FORM URL, IF AVAILABLE]
Mail: [COMPLETE BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS]

Please include:

Your name;
Your contact information;
The right you wish to exercise;
The country, province, or state where you live; and
Enough information for us to locate the relevant records.

We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. We will use verification information only for identity verification and request processing.

An authorized representative may submit a request where permitted by law. We may require proof of the representative’s authority and may verify the request directly with you.

We may refuse or limit a request where permitted by law, including where we cannot verify identity, the request would disclose another person’s information, or an applicable legal exception applies.

Section 15Right to Object to Direct Marketing

You have the right to object to our use of your personal information for direct marketing.

You may exercise this right at any time by:

Selecting the unsubscribe link in a marketing email;
Changing your newsletter preferences;
Using applicable cookie or advertising controls; or
Contacting our Privacy Officer.

Section 16Children’s Privacy

The website and store are intended for a general audience and are not designed to knowingly collect personal information directly from children who cannot legally provide valid consent in their jurisdiction.

Individuals who have not reached the age required to enter into a purchase or provide valid consent should use the website only with the involvement and permission of a parent or legal guardian.

If we learn that we collected a child’s personal information without the consent required by law, we will take reasonable steps to delete or otherwise address the information.

A parent or guardian who believes a child has submitted personal information may contact our Privacy Officer.

Section 17Third-Party Websites and Services

The website may contain links to:

Social-media platforms;
Retailers;
Publishers;
Book distributors;
Payment providers;
Video or media platforms;
Embedded content; and
Other third-party websites or services.

We do not control the privacy, security, or content practices of independent third parties. Their privacy policies apply when you use their services.

We encourage you to review the privacy policy of each third-party service before providing personal information.

Section 18Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect:

Changes to the website or store;
New products or services;
New service providers;
Changes to our information practices;
Legal or regulatory developments; or
Security and operational requirements.

The revised policy will be posted on the website with a new “Last updated” date.

Where required, we will provide additional notice or request new consent before making a material change affecting how existing personal information is used.

Section 19Questions and Complaints

Questions, privacy requests, or complaints should first be directed to our Privacy Officer:

[PRIVACY OFFICER NAME OR TITLE]
Dave Mage / [LEGAL BUSINESS NAME]
Email: [PRIVACY EMAIL ADDRESS]
Mailing address: [COMPLETE BUSINESS MAILING ADDRESS]

We will investigate privacy complaints and take appropriate steps to address valid concerns.

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to contact:

The Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada;
The privacy commissioner or regulator in your province or territory;
The data-protection authority in your European Economic Area country;
The United Kingdom Information Commissioner’s Office; or
The privacy or consumer-protection regulator in your state or country.

Nothing in this Privacy Policy limits any privacy rights available to you under applicable law.