Privacy & Cookie Policy

Updated: November 12, 2021

Genealogy Crossroads is a genealogy and history blog. As such, Genealogy Crossroads collects data from the Website and newsletter in order to better improve functionality, ensure Website security, and for internal data analysis.

This Privacy & Cookie Policy describes Our policies and procedures on the collection, use, and disclosure of Your information when You use the Service.

We use Your Personal Data to provide and improve the Service. By using the Service, You agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy & Cookie Policy.

Interpretation and Definitions

Interpretation

The words of which the initial letter is capitalized have meanings defined under the following conditions. The following definitions shall have the same meaning regardless of whether they appear in singular or in plural.

Definitions

For the purposes of this Privacy Policy:

  • Company (referred to as either “the Company”, “We”, “Us” or “Our” in this Agreement) refers to Genealogy Crossroads.
  • Cookies are small files that are placed on Your computer, mobile device or any other device by a website, containing the details of Your browsing history on that website among its many uses.
  • Device means any device that can access the Service such as a computer, a mobile phone, or a digital tablet.
  • Personal Data is any information that relates to an identified or identifiable individual.
  • Service(s) refers to the Services rendered by Genealogy Crossroads, including but not limited to the website and newsletter.
  • Service Provider means any natural or legal person who processes the data on behalf of the Company. It refers to third-party companies or individuals employed by the Company to facilitate the Service, to provide the Service on behalf of the Company, to perform services related to the Service or to assist the Company in analyzing how the Service is used.
  • Usage Data refers to data collected automatically, either generated by the use of the Service or from the Service infrastructure itself (for example, the date of a page visit).
  • Website refers to Genealogy Crossroads, accessible from www.genealogycrossroads.com
  • You means the individual accessing or using the Service, or the company, or other legal entity on behalf of which such individual is accessing or using the Service, as applicable.

Click here to go to the Cookie Policy.

Collecting and Using Your Personal Data

Personal Data Collected For Website & Newsletter

Data Provided by You

While using Our Website, We may ask You to provide Us with certain personally identifiable information that can be used to contact or identify You. This Personal Data is provided by You to communicate with Us or the public through Our services. Personally identifiable information may include, but is not limited to:

  • Email address
  • First name and last name
  • Request Details or Personal Interest Data
  • Comments

Personal Data collected from contact forms and points of direct contact between You and the Company will be used only for the purpose consented to and will not be given, shared, rented, or sold to third parties.

Posting public comments on the Website confers consent for public sharing of Your posted information, which may include Personal Data such as user/screen name, avatar, date and time of post, and Your comments. Additionally, Our website collects the IP Address and other metadata of all posts and posters for security purposes. This data will not be given, shared, rented, or sold to third parties. This data may be disclosed to a court of law, law enforcement, or other government agency if the Company is compelled to do so.

Usage Data

Usage Data is collected automatically when using the Service by Our hosting provider. We may also collect information that Your browser sends whenever You visit Our Service or when You access the Service by or through a mobile Device. This data is used for both website security purposes and for website usage analytics.

Our webservers, provided by Our hosting provider, automatically log the IP address You use to access Our website as well as other information about Your visit. This can include the pages You visit, information requests, the date and time of the request, the source of Your access to our website (e.g. the website or URL that referred you to Our website), the type of Device you use (desktop, mobile, tablet), your browser type and version, and operating system.

All usage analytic data received by Genealogy Crossroads from Our hosting provider is free of personal identifying information and is presented in anonymous, aggregate form.

Security log files of website traffic, including IP Addresses, are maintained to ensure the servers and website remain secure and uncompromised. Unless required to investigate suspicious or potential criminal activity, We do not attempt, nor do We permit Our hosting provider to attempt, to identify You from the information collected via Our server logs. Investigation can be internal or when compelled by courts, law enforcement, or other government agency.

Tracking Technologies and Cookies

We use Cookies and similar tracking technologies to track the activity on Our Website and store certain information. Tracking technologies used are beacons, tags, and scripts to collect and track information and to improve and analyze Our Service. The technologies We use may include:

  • Cookies or Browser Cookies. A cookie is a small file placed on Your Device. You can instruct Your browser to refuse all Cookies or to indicate when a Cookie is being sent. However, if You do not accept Cookies, You may not be able to use some parts of our Service. Unless you have adjusted Your browser setting so that it will refuse Cookies, our Service may use Cookies.
  • Flash Cookies. Certain features of our Service may use local stored objects (or Flash Cookies) to collect and store information about Your preferences or Your activity on our Service. Flash Cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as those used for Browser Cookies. For more information on how You can delete Flash Cookies, please read “Where can I change the settings for disabling, or deleting local shared objects?” available at https://helpx.adobe.com/flash-player/kb/disable-local-shared-objects-flash.html#main_Where_can_I_change_the_settings_for_disabling__or_deleting_local_shared_objects_
  • Web Beacons. Certain sections of our Service and our emails may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs, pixel tags, and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or opened an email and for other related website statistics.

Cookies can be “Persistent” or “Session” Cookies. Persistent Cookies remain on Your personal computer or mobile device when You go offline, while Session Cookies are deleted as soon as You close Your web browser. Learn more about cookies: What Are Cookies?

Our Website uses cookies for the purposes set out below.

Necessary / Essential Cookies

Type: Session Cookies

Administered by: Us and our Service Providers

Purpose: These Cookies are essential to provide You with services available through the Website and to enable You to use some of its features. They help to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts. Without these Cookies, the services that You have asked for cannot be provided, and We only use these Cookies to provide You with those services. These cookies expire at the end of your browser session.

User Action Cookies

Comments Related Cookies

Type: Persistent

Administered by: Us and our Service Providers

Purpose: When leaving a comment on Our site You may opt-in to saving Your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for Your convenience so that You do not have to fill in Your details again when posting future comments. Accepting the cookies is optional. You may leave a comment with or without accepting the cookies. These cookies will last for one year. Cookies can be removed by deleting your cookie history/cache in your browser settings.

Newsletter Related Cookie

Type: Persistent

Administered by: Us and our Service Providers

Submitting a request to join to Our newsletter creates a Persistent cookie from our Newsletter Service Provider, ConvertKit. This cookie collects non-personal data, as defined in ConvertKit’s Privacy Policy. The cookie “ck_subscriber_id” can be deleted or blocked; see your browser instructions for deleting or blocking cookies. Please note that deleting or blocking this cookie may create an unusual or unexpected newsletter-related experience. It will not otherwise impact Your use of Our Website.

You may unsubscribe at any time from Our newsletter. Please use the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any newsletter email message or or by messaging Us directly at info@genealogycrossroads.com.

Embedded content from other websites

Articles and other content on Our site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor is visiting the other website.

These websites may collect data about You, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor Your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking Your interaction with the embedded content if You have an account with and are logged in to that website. You may not need to interact directly with the embedded content for the content provider to utilize cookies and other tracking technology.

YouTube videos are the most commonly embedded content on Our site. Please review YouTube’s Privacy Policy: https://www.youtube.com/howyoutubeworks/user-settings/privacy/

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Use of Your Personal Data

The Company may use Personal Data for the following purposes:

  • To provide and maintain our Service and Website, in order to monitor the usage of our website.
  • To contact You: To contact You by email, telephone calls, SMS, or other equivalent forms of electronic communication regarding updates or informative communications related to Your direct inquiries with Our company or Our products and Services.
  • To provide You with news, special offers and general information about other goods, services and events which we offer that are similar to those that you have already purchased or enquired about. This information is shared through the Genealogy Crossroads Newsletter. Our newsletter’s data is managed by ConverKit. Please see their privacy policy here: https://convertkit.com/privacy.
    NOTE: You are not automatically added to the mailing list when sending direct inquiries through the Website contact form or through other direct communication methods. Joining the newsletter is voluntary and is separate from any direct inquiry. You may opt out of Your newsletter subscription at any time by using the “Unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any newsletter email message or by messaging Us directly at info@genealogycrossroads.com.
  • To manage Your requests: To attend and manage Your requests to Us. Information shared with Us through the contact forms, email, or other methods of contact is not given, shared, rented, or sold with third parties. It is used solely to initiate or continue communication between Genealogy Crossroads and You.
  • For business transfers: We may use Your information to evaluate or conduct a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of Our assets, whether as a going concern or as part of bankruptcy, liquidation, or similar proceeding, in which Personal Data held by Us about our Service users is among the assets transferred.
  • For other purposes: We may use Your information for other purposes, such as data analysis, identifying usage trends, determining the effectiveness of Our promotional campaigns and to evaluate and improve our Service, products, services, marketing and Your experience. Data used for these purposes is not given, shared, rented, or sold to third parties without your express written consent.

We may share Your personal information in the following situations:

  • With Service Providers: We may share Your personal information with Service Providers to monitor and analyze the use of our Website, to contact You, or to provide services to You. Your personal information will not be given, shared, rented, or sold to third parties for promotional or marketing purposes.
  • For business transfers: We may share or transfer Your personal information in connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, sale of Company assets, financing, or acquisition of all or a portion of Our business to another company.
  • With other users: when You share personal information or otherwise interact in the public areas with other users, such information may be viewed by all users and may be publicly distributed.
  • With Your consent: We may disclose Your personal information for other purposes with Your written consent. A written consent form will be obtained from You before disclosure.

Retention of Your Personal Data

The Company will retain Your Personal Data only for as long as is necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. We will retain and use Your Personal Data to the extent necessary to comply with our legal obligations (for example, if we are required to retain your data to comply with applicable laws), resolve disputes, and enforce our legal agreements and policies.

The Company will also retain Usage Data for internal analysis purposes. Usage Data is generally retained for a shorter period of time, except when this data is used to strengthen the security or to improve the functionality of Our Service, or We are legally obligated to retain this data for longer time periods.

If you leave a public comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This allows our servers to recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue. If you no longer want your comments retained on Our website and are unable to delete them, please contact Us at info@genealogycrossroads.com.

Transfer of Your Personal Data

Your information, including Personal Data, is processed at the Company’s operating offices and in any other places where the parties involved in the processing are located. It means that this information may be transferred to — and maintained on — computers located outside of Your state, province, country or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ than those from Your jurisdiction.

Your consent to this Privacy Policy followed by Your submission of such information represents Your agreement to that transfer.

The Company will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that Your data is treated securely and in accordance with this Privacy Policy and no transfer of Your Personal Data will take place to an organization or a country unless there are adequate controls in place including the security of Your data and other personal information.

Disclosure of Your Personal Data

Business Transactions

If the Company is involved in a merger, acquisition or asset sale, Your Personal Data may be transferred. We will provide notice before Your Personal Data is transferred and becomes subject to a different Privacy Policy.

Law enforcement

Under certain circumstances, the Company may be required to disclose Your Personal Data if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities (e.g. a court or a government agency).

Other legal requirements

The Company may disclose Your Personal Data in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

  • Comply with a legal obligation
  • Protect and defend the rights or property of the Company
  • Prevent or investigate possible wrongdoing in connection with the Service
  • Protect the personal safety of Users of the Service or the public
  • Protect against legal liability

Security of Your Personal Data

The security of Your Personal Data is important to Us, but remember that no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While We strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect Your Personal Data, We cannot guarantee its absolute security.

Additional Privacy Information

Children’s Privacy

Our Service does not address anyone under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13. If You are a parent or guardian and You are aware that Your child has provided Us with Personal Data, please contact Us. If We become aware that We have collected Personal Data from anyone under the age of 13 without verification of parental consent, We will take steps to remove that information from Our servers.

If We need to rely on consent as a legal basis for processing Your information and Your country requires consent from a parent, We may require Your parent’s consent before We collect and use that information.

Links to Other Websites

Our Service may contain links to other websites that are not operated by Us. If You click on a third party link, including social media, You will be directed to that third party’s site. We strongly advise You to review the Privacy Policy of every site You visit.

We have no control over and assume no responsibility for the content, privacy policies or practices of any third party sites or services.

Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update Our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify You of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page.

We will let You know via email and/or a prominent notice on Our Service at the time of any policy update and update the “Last updated” date at the top of this Privacy Policy.

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, You can contact us:

  • By email: info@genealogycrossroads.com

This Privacy Policy has been created with the help of the Privacy Policy Generator.