PRIVACY POLICY

Who we are

Calgary Guitar Collective (“CGC”, “we”, “our”, “us”).
Website: https://calgaryguitarcollective.ca
Contact: info@calgaryguitarcollective.ca

This policy explains what personal information we collect, why we collect it, how we use it, and your choices. It applies to our website, contact forms, mailing list sign-ups, and any events or promotions we run.

The information we collect

We collect the following categories of information:

  • Contact details such as name and email address when you join the mailing list or contact us.
  • Form submissions such as your message and any preferences you share.
  • Comments left on the site, including the data shown in the comments form, your IP address, and browser user agent for spam detection.
  • Media uploads you submit. Avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS).
  • Technical data and cookies such as IP address, device, browser, pages viewed, and referrers. Cookies may remember preferences and keep you logged in.
  • Embedded content from other sites (for example YouTube or social posts) which may collect data as if you visited their site directly.

How we use your information

We use your information to:

  • Send mailing list emails about meetups, events, workshops, and community news.
  • Respond to enquiries and provide support.
  • Administer the website, analyze performance, and prevent spam or abuse.
  • Run promotions or surveys with your consent.
  • Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms.

Email marketing and consent

If you join our mailing list, you agree to receive emails from us about CGC activities and related promotions. We use MailerLite to manage subscriptions and send emails. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in any email.

We follow Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). We rely on your consent to send marketing emails. We may also email you to respond to a direct enquiry you have made.

Legal bases for processing (GDPR, where applicable)

Where GDPR applies, we process personal data on these legal bases:

  • Consent for mailing list and certain cookies.
  • Legitimate interests to operate, secure, and improve our site and respond to enquiries.
  • Legal obligation where we must retain certain records.

Cookies

We use cookies that are necessary for the site to function and may use optional cookies to improve the experience.

  • Required cookies keep you logged in and remember basic preferences.
  • Analytics or performance cookies may be used to understand site usage.
  • Third-party embedded content (for example YouTube) may set their own cookies.

You can control cookies in your browser settings. If you leave a comment, you may opt in to saving your name and email in cookies for convenience.

WordPress-related cookies

  • Login cookies last up to two days. If you select “Remember Me,” your login persists up to two weeks.
  • Screen options cookies last up to one year.
  • If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie stores the post ID for one day.

Comments and Gravatar

When visitors leave comments, we collect the data shown in the form and the IP address and browser user agent to help with spam detection. An anonymized string created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. Gravatar’s privacy policy is at https://automattic.com/privacy. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Data sharing and service providers

We share data with trusted providers who help us run CGC:

  • Website hosting: HostGator (site and databases).
  • Email hosting: Microsoft 365 / Exchange Online (sending and receiving email).
  • Email marketing: MailerLite (subscription forms, mailing list delivery).
  • Spam prevention and security: WordPress plugins and tools used for moderation and firewall.

These providers process data on our behalf under their own privacy and security terms.

We do not sell personal information. We may disclose data if required by law or to protect our rights and users.

International transfers

Our providers may store or process data in other countries. We take steps to ensure an adequate level of protection, including vendor data processing terms and safeguards.

Data retention

  • Mailing list: retained until you unsubscribe or we delete inactive contacts.
  • Enquiries: retained as long as needed to respond and for reasonable backup or recordkeeping.
  • Comments: retained indefinitely so we can recognize and approve follow-ups automatically.
  • Registered users (if any): profile information is stored in the user profile and can be edited or deleted by the user or by a site admin.

Your rights and choices

You can:

  • Unsubscribe from emails at any time using the link in our messages.
  • Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
  • Request correction or deletion of your information, subject to legal obligations.
  • Object to or restrict certain processing where applicable by law.
  • Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you are in a region with that right.

To make a request, contact info@calgaryguitarcollective.ca.

Security

We use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information. Passwords stored by the site or its providers are encrypted or hashed. Transmission of data on the internet can never be guaranteed as fully secure, but we work to protect data from unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.

Children’s privacy

Our site and events are intended for a general audience. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If you believe a child has provided personal information, contact us to delete it.

Embedded content

Articles on this site may include embedded content such as videos, images, or social posts. Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if you visited the other site. Those sites may collect data about you, use cookies, and track your interaction with the embedded content.

Contact us

Questions about this policy or your data rights: info@calgaryguitarcollective.ca.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes to our practices or for legal reasons. We will post the updated version with a new “Last updated” date.