Legal
Privacy Policy
Placeholder policy. Items marked like [this] must be completed, and the whole text checked by a qualified adviser, before the site goes live.
Last updated: [date]
1. Who we are
This website ([www.rpmonk.com]) is run by [legal name of the site owner, e.g. Robert Patrick Monk or publishing company] ("we", "us"). For the purposes of UK and EU data protection law we are the data controller for the personal information described here.
Contact: [postal address], [privacy contact email].
2. What we collect
- Contact form messages: your name, email address, the type of enquiry, subject and message.
- Technical information: to prevent abuse of the contact form we store a one-way hashed version of your IP address and your browser's user-agent string with the message. We cannot turn the hash back into your IP address.
- Server logs: our hosting provider may keep standard web server logs (IP address, pages requested, date and time) for security and troubleshooting. [confirm hosting provider and log retention]
We do not use advertising trackers, and this website does not sell books directly or take payments. When you follow a link to a retailer, that retailer's own privacy policy applies.
3. How we use it
We use contact form details only to read and reply to your message, and to keep a record of the conversation. We will not add you to a mailing list unless you ask us to.
4. Legal basis
We rely on our legitimate interest in answering messages sent to us, and on your consent where you choose to contact us. [adviser to confirm lawful bases]
5. How long we keep it
Messages are kept for [e.g. 24 months] and then deleted, unless we need them for an ongoing conversation or legal reason.
6. Who we share it with
We do not sell or share your personal information. It is stored with our hosting provider, [hosting provider name and location], and email is handled by [email provider].
7. Cookies
The site sets one strictly necessary session cookie when you use the contact form, to protect the form against forged submissions. It is deleted when you close your browser. The Excerpt page remembers your chosen text size and page colour in your browser's local storage; this never leaves your device. We do not use analytics or advertising cookies. [update this section if analytics are added]
8. Your rights
You can ask to see, correct or delete the information we hold about you, object to how we use it, or ask us to restrict it. Contact [privacy contact email]. If you are unhappy with our response you can complain to the Information Commissioner's Office (ico.org.uk) or your local data protection authority.
9. Security
The site uses encrypted connections (HTTPS), protected forms and access-controlled administration. No system is perfectly secure, but we take reasonable steps to protect your information.
10. Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time. The date at the top shows when it last changed.