Privacy and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
This privacy policy sets out how Maison Cupcake (we, us, our) uses and protects any information that you give us when you use this website.
We are committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information by which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement.
We may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes.
This page was last updated on 15 March 2021.
What we collect
We have only ever used an opt-in email subscribe system and our email newsletters have always included an “unsubscribe” option.
Since around 2011-2012 we have used Mailchimp. Rare exceptions to this are individuals I met in person (at an event) and who wrote down their email addresses on my note pad asking to stay in touch.
I will never share your details with any third party without your explicit consent.
The data we hold about Mailchimp subscribers is limited to:
- Email address
- Subscription date
- An automatic 1-5 “star” rating based on your rates of opening and clicking on links within those emails.
- Which emails you have received and whether they were opened
- Your usual email client i.e. Google/gmail or iPhone/Apple Mail.
- Occasionally, a geographic location (typically a server located within several miles of where you use the internet)
- Occasionally, your name and surname – if you signed up via a much older sign-up form from 2014 or earlier
- Occasionally, your avatar picture if you use a service such as “Gravatar”
Data we hold on readers leaving comments on the site is limited to:
- Email address
- Name or pseudonym
- Date comment(s) submitted
- IP address
- Any information disclosed within the text of that comment.
Historically, the site has held giveaways requiring participants to leave comments under those giveaway posts but at the time of writing this has not occurred for over 5 years.
Data we hold on anyone directly emailing the site owner is limited to:
- Email address
- Name or pseudonym as supplied
- Date message(s) sent
- IP address
- Content of that email correspondence and subsequent email threads.
Email correspondence is archived after 12-24 months. Email correspondents are never added to our email marketing lists unless they specifically requested this in writing.
Third party services
We may also access some limited data via third party services (such as WordPress plug-ins or Rafflecopter, a competition tool) such as your social media IDs.
What we do with the information we gather
The only reason we gather contact details is where readers voluntarily subscribe to receive our publications directly. We will never share your data with a third party without your explicit consent. In fact, where we need to put you in touch with a brand sponsor, we will ask you to contact them directly rather than going through us.
Security
We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online.
How we use cookies
A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs, likes and dislikes by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.
We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to readers’ needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.
Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.
Links to other websites
Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over that other website. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should exercise caution and look at the privacy statement applicable to the website in question.
This website uses affliate marketing which may for a time track your activity after leaving this site, namely spending on other websites we have linked to with whom we have affiliate status.
Controlling your personal information
You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:
- If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to or emailing the site at “sarah AT maisoncupcake DOT com”
- You may also click the “unsubscribe” link in any Maison Cupcake email newsletters.
We will not sell, distribute or lease subscribers’ personal information to third parties.
If you would like further details of any data information held on you please write to “sarah AT maisoncupcake DOT com” in the first instance.
If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to or email us as soon as possible, at the above address. We will promptly correct any information found to be incorrect.
