PRIVACY POLICY

Last updated September 30, 2023

This privacy notice is for functionfountain.com, and it describes how and why we might collect, store, use, and/or share ("process") your information when you use our services ("Services"), such as when you:

  • Visit our website at https://functionfountain.com, or any website of ours that links to this privacy notice.
  • Engage with us in other related ways, including any sales, marketing, or events.

Questions or concerns?

Reading this privacy notice will help you understand your privacy rights and choices. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Services. If you still have any questions or concerns, please contact us at info@functionfountain.com.

SUMMARY OF KEY POINTS

  • What personal information do we process?
    When you visit, use, or navigate our Services, we may process personal information depending on how you interact with us and the Services, the choices you make, and the products and features you use. Learn more.

  • Do we process any sensitive personal information?
    We do not process sensitive personal information.

  • Do we receive any information from third parties?
    We do not receive any information from third parties, except for Google AdSense and Google Analytics, and the server used by Vercel.

  • How do we process your information?
    We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent. We process your information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so. Learn more.

  • In what situations and with which types of parties do we share personal information?
    We may share information with Google AdSense and Google Analytics, and the server used by Vercel. Learn more.

  • How do we keep your information safe?
    We have organizational and technical processes and procedures in place to protect your personal information. However, no electronic transmission over the internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. Learn more.

  • What are your rights?
    Depending on where you are located geographically, the applicable privacy law may mean you have certain rights regarding your personal information. Learn more.

  • How do you exercise your rights?
    The easiest way to exercise your rights is by submitting a data subject access request, or by contacting us. We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws.

Want to learn more about what we do with any information we collect?

Review the privacy notice in full.

1. WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

Personal Information You Disclose to Us

In Short: We collect information that you provide to us voluntarily.

We gather personal information that you willingly provide to us when expressing an interest in our products and Services, participating in activities on the Services, or when you contact us. All the information provided must be true, complete, and accurate, and any changes to this information should be promptly notified to us.

Sensitive Information: We do not process sensitive information.

Information Automatically Collected

In Short: Certain information, like your IP address and browser and device characteristics, is collected automatically when you visit our Services, including through the use of Google AdSense and Google Analytics.

We automatically collect some information as you visit, use, or navigate the Services. This information does not reveal your specific identity but may include device and usage information. This information is primarily needed for maintaining the security and operation of our Services, for our internal analytics and reporting purposes, and for advertising.

Google AdSense & Google Analytics: We use Google AdSense to display ads and Google Analytics to collect data about website usage. This information may include your IP address, browser type, the pages you visit, and the duration of your visit. We use this information to optimize our Services and to measure the effectiveness of our advertising. For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

We, like many businesses, also collect information through cookies and similar technologies. More details can be found in our Cookie Notice: functionfountain.com/cookie.

The Information We Collect Includes:

  • Log and Usage Data: Service-related, diagnostic, usage, and performance information collected when you access or use our Services.
  • Device Data: Information about the device you use to access the Services, such as IP address, device and application identification numbers, browser type, and other related information.
  • Location Data: Information about your device's location, which can be either precise or imprecise, depending on the type and settings of the device you use to access the Services.

You can opt out of allowing us to collect this information either by refusing access to the information or by disabling your Location setting on your device. Note, opting out may impact your ability to use certain aspects of the Services.

2. HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?

In Short: We process your information to provide, improve, and administer our Services, communicate with you, for security and fraud prevention, and to comply with law. We may also process your information for other purposes with your consent.

We process your personal information for a variety of reasons, depending on how you interact with our Services, including:

  • To Deliver Targeted Advertising to You: We may use your information, including through Google AdSense, to develop and display personalized content and advertising tailored to your interests, location, and more. For more information, see our Cookie Notice: functionfountain.com/cookie.

  • To Identify Usage Trends: We may use your information, including through Google Analytics, to understand how our Services are being used and to identify trends, helping us to improve them.

  • To Determine the Effectiveness of Our Marketing and Promotional Campaigns: We may process your information, including through Google Analytics, to understand the effectiveness of our marketing and promotional campaigns and to provide more relevant campaigns to you.

  • To Save or Protect an Individual's Vital Interest: We may process your information when necessary to save or protect an individual’s vital interest, such as to prevent harm.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

3. WHAT LEGAL BASES DO WE RELY ON TO PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?

In Short: We process your personal information only when we have a valid legal reason to do so under applicable law, such as with your consent, to comply with laws, to provide you with services, to fulfill our contractual obligations, to protect your rights, or to fulfill our legitimate business interests, including the use of Google AdSense and Google Analytics.

If you are located in the EU or UK, this section applies to you.

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and UK GDPR require us to explain the valid legal bases we rely on to process your personal information. We may rely on the following legal bases:

  • Consent: We may process your information, including through Google AdSense and Google Analytics, if you have given us specific permission to use your personal information for a specific purpose. Learn more about withdrawing your consent.

  • Legitimate Interests: We may process your information when it is reasonably necessary to achieve our legitimate business interests, such as to develop and display personalized and relevant advertising content, analyze how our Services are used, and support our marketing activities.

  • Legal Obligations: We may process your information where necessary for compliance with legal obligations, such as cooperating with law enforcement or regulatory agencies.

  • Vital Interests: We may process your information where necessary to protect your vital interests or those of a third party.

If you are located in Canada, this section applies to you.

We may process your information if you have given us specific permission to use your personal information for a specific purpose, or in situations where your permission can be inferred. In some exceptional cases, we may be legally permitted to process your information without your consent under applicable law.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

4. WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

In Short: We may share information in specific situations and/or with the following categories of third parties, including Google AdSense and Google Analytics.

Vendors, Consultants, and Other Third-Party Service Providers.

We may share your data with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents ("third parties") who perform services for us or on our behalf and require access to such information to do that work. Examples include:

  • Google AdSense: For displaying advertisements.
  • Google Analytics: For analyzing website usage and user behavior.
  • Cloud Computing Services: For hosting and storing data.
  • Website Hosting Service Providers: For hosting our website.

We have contracts in place with our third parties, designed to help safeguard your personal information. They can only use your personal information as instructed by us and must protect the data they hold on our behalf and retain it for the period we instruct.

Business Transfers.

We may share or transfer your 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.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

5. WHAT IS OUR STANCE ON THIRD-PARTY WEBSITES?

In Short: We are not responsible for the safety of any information that you share with third-party services, such as Google AdSense and Google Analytics, or any other third parties that we may link to or who advertise on our Services.

The Services may link to third-party websites, online services, or mobile applications and/or contain advertisements from third parties, including Google AdSense, that are not affiliated with us and which may link to other websites, services, or applications. We use Google Analytics to analyze website usage and user behavior. Accordingly, we do not make any guarantees regarding such third parties, and we will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by the use of such third-party services.

The inclusion of a link towards a third-party service does not imply an endorsement by us. We cannot guarantee the safety and privacy of data you provide to any third parties, including data provided to Google AdSense and Google Analytics. Any data collected by third parties, including data collected by Google AdSense and Google Analytics, is not covered by this privacy notice.

We are not responsible for the content or privacy and security practices and policies of any third parties, including other services that may be linked to or from the Services. You should review the policies of such third parties, including the Google Privacy & Terms, and contact them directly to respond to your questions.

6. DO WE USE COOKIES AND OTHER TRACKING TECHNOLOGIES?

In Short: We, along with third-party services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics, may use cookies and other tracking technologies to collect and store your information.

We may use cookies and similar tracking technologies (like web beacons and pixels) to access or store information. Google AdSense uses cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website or other websites. Google Analytics uses cookies to help us analyze how users interact with our Services. Specific information about how we use such technologies and how you can refuse certain cookies is set out in our Cookie Notice: functionfountain.com/cookie.

7. HOW LONG DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION?

In Short: We keep your information, including information collected by services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics, for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy notice unless otherwise required by law.

We will only keep your personal information for as long as it is necessary for the purposes set out in this privacy notice, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. This includes information collected by third-party services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. When we have no ongoing legitimate business need to process your personal information, we will either delete or anonymize such information, or, if this is not possible, then we will securely store your personal information and isolate it from any further processing until deletion is possible.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

8. HOW DO WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SAFE?

In Short: We aim to protect your personal information, including information processed by Google AdSense and Google Analytics, through a system of organizational and technical security measures.

We have implemented appropriate technical and organizational security measures designed to protect the security of any personal information we process, including information processed by third-party services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. However, no electronic transmission over the Internet or information storage technology can be guaranteed to be 100% secure, so we cannot promise or guarantee that hackers, cybercriminals, or other unauthorized third parties will not be able to defeat our security and improperly collect, access, steal, or modify your information. You should only access the Services within a secure environment.

9. DO WE COLLECT INFORMATION FROM MINORS?

In Short: We do not knowingly collect data from or market to children under 18 years of age, including through Google AdSense and Google Analytics.

We do not knowingly solicit data from or market to children under 18 years of age. By using the Services, you represent that you are at least 18 or that you are the parent or guardian of such a minor and consent to such minor dependent’s use of the Services, including services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. If we learn that personal information from users less than 18 years of age has been collected, we will deactivate the account and take reasonable measures to promptly delete such data from our records. If you become aware of any data we may have collected from children under age 18, please contact us at info@functionfountain.com.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

10. WHAT ARE YOUR PRIVACY RIGHTS?

In Short: In some regions, you have rights that allow you greater access to and control over your personal information, including information processed by Google AdSense and Google Analytics. You may review, change, or terminate your account at any time.

In some regions (like the EEA, UK, Switzerland, and Canada), you have certain rights under applicable data protection laws. These may include the right:

  • (i) to request access and obtain a copy of your personal information,
  • (ii) to request rectification or erasure,
  • (iii) to restrict the processing of your personal information,
  • (iv) if applicable, to data portability,
  • (v) not to be subject to automated decision-making.

In certain circumstances, you may also have the right to object to the processing of your personal information, including information processed by services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. You can make such a request by contacting us using the contact details provided below.

We will consider and act upon any request in accordance with applicable data protection laws. If you believe we are unlawfully processing your personal information, you also have the right to complain to your local data protection authority.

Withdrawing your consent

If we are relying on your consent to process your personal information, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of the processing before its withdrawal. You can withdraw your consent by contacting us using the contact details provided below.

Cookies and similar technologies

Most Web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove cookies and to reject cookies. This could affect certain features or services of our Services, including services provided by Google AdSense and Google Analytics. For further information, please see our Cookie Notice: functionfountain.com/cookie.

If you have questions or comments about your privacy rights, you may email us at info@functionfountain.com.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

11. CONTROLS FOR DO-NOT-TRACK FEATURES

In Short: Most web browsers offer a Do-Not-Track ("DNT") feature that signals to services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics your preference not to have your online browsing activities monitored and collected. However, no uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized, so we do not currently respond to them.

Most web browsers and some mobile operating systems and mobile applications include a Do-Not-Track ("DNT") feature or setting you can activate to signal your privacy preference not to have data about your online browsing activities monitored and collected, including by third-party services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics. However, at this stage, no uniform technology standard for recognizing and implementing DNT signals has been finalized. As such, we do not currently respond to DNT browser signals or any other mechanism that automatically communicates your choice not to be tracked online. If a standard for online tracking is adopted that we must follow in the future, we will inform you about that practice in a revised version of this privacy notice.

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

12. DO UNITED STATES RESIDENTS HAVE SPECIFIC PRIVACY RIGHTS?

In Short: If you are a resident of California, Colorado, or Virginia, you are granted specific rights regarding access to your personal information, including information processed by Google AdSense and Google Analytics.

What categories of personal information do we collect?

We have collected the following categories of personal information in the past twelve (12) months:

  • A. Identifiers: Contact details, such as real name, alias, postal address, telephone or mobile contact number, unique personal identifier, online identifier, Internet Protocol address, email address, and account name.
  • F. Internet or other similar network activity: Browsing history, search history, online behavior, interest data, and interactions with our and other websites, applications, systems, and advertisements.

Examples Collected

  • Identifiers: YES
  • Internet or other similar network activity: YES

We retain your personal information for as long as it is necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by applicable laws or contracts. For instance:

  • Information collected through Google Analytics is retained for 2 months.
  • Personalized ad data collected through Google AdSense is retained for up to 30 days.

How do we use and share your personal information?

Learn about how we use your personal information in the section, "HOW DO WE PROCESS YOUR INFORMATION?"

We collect and share your personal information, including through services like Google AdSense and Google Analytics, through:

  • Targeting cookies/Marketing cookies

Will your information be shared with anyone else?

We may disclose your personal information with our service providers pursuant to a written contract between us and each service provider. The categories of third parties to whom we disclosed personal information for a business or commercial purpose can be found under "WHEN AND WITH WHOM DO WE SHARE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?"

For more information on how Google uses data when you use our site, please visit Google’s Privacy & Terms.

California Residents

California Civil Code Section 1798.83, also known as the "Shine The Light" law, permits our users who are California residents to request and obtain from us, once a year and free of charge, information about categories of personal information (if any) we disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared personal information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to us using the contact information provided below.

If you are under 18 years of age, reside in California, and have viewed content on the Site, you have the right to request removal of unwanted data that you publicly post on the Site. To request removal of such data, please contact us using the contact information provided below, and include the email address associated with your viewing and a statement that you reside in California. We will make sure the data is not publicly displayed on the Site, but please be aware that the data may not be completely or comprehensively removed from all our systems (e.g., backups, etc.).

CCPA Privacy Notice

This section applies only to California residents. Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), you have the rights listed below.

The California Code of Regulations defines a "resident" as:

  1. Every individual who is in the State of California for other than a temporary or transitory purpose and
  2. Every individual who is domiciled in the State of California who is outside the State of California for a temporary or transitory purpose

All other individuals are defined as "non-residents."

If this definition of "resident" applies to you, we must adhere to certain rights and obligations regarding your personal information.

Your rights with respect to your personal data

  • Right to request deletion of the data — Request to delete You can ask for the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions provided by law.

  • Right to be informed — Request to know Depending on the circumstances, you have a right to know:

    • whether we collect and use your personal information;
    • the categories of personal information that we collect;
    • the purposes for which the collected personal information is used;
    • whether we sell or share personal information to third parties;
    • the categories of personal information that we sold, shared, or disclosed for a business purpose;
    • the categories of third parties to whom the personal information was sold, shared, or disclosed for a business purpose;
    • the business or commercial purpose for collecting, selling, or sharing personal information; and
    • the specific pieces of personal information we collected about you.

Google AdSense and Google Analytics

This website utilizes Google AdSense and Google Analytics to enhance user experience and analyze traffic. These services may collect information, including your IP address, in a manner consistent with their respective privacy policies. This website does not offer any services and only provides blog content.

Verification process

Upon receiving your request, we will need to verify your identity to determine you are the same person about whom we have the information in our system. We will only use personal information provided in your request to verify your identity or authority to make the request.

Other privacy rights

  • You may object to the processing of your personal information.
  • You may request correction of your personal data if it is incorrect or no longer relevant, or ask to restrict the processing of the information.
  • You can designate an authorized agent to make a request under the CCPA on your behalf.

To exercise these rights, you can contact us by submitting a data subject access request, by email at info@functionfountain.com, or by referring to the contact details at the bottom of this document. If you have a complaint about how we handle your data, we would like to hear from you.

Colorado Residents

This section applies only to Colorado residents. Under the Colorado Privacy Act (CPA), you have the rights listed below. However, these rights are not absolute, and in certain cases, we may decline your request as permitted by law.

  • Right to be informed whether or not we are processing your personal data
  • Right to access your personal data
  • Right to correct inaccuracies in your personal data
  • Right to request deletion of your personal data
  • Right to obtain a copy of the personal data you previously shared with us
  • Right to opt out of the processing of your personal data if it is used for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects ("profiling")

To submit a request to exercise these rights described above, please email info@functionfountain.com or submit a data subject access request.

If we decline to take action regarding your request and you wish to appeal our decision, please email us at info@functionfountain.com. Within forty-five (45) days of receipt of an appeal, we will inform you in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decisions.

Connecticut Residents

This section applies only to Connecticut residents. Under the Connecticut Data Privacy Act (CTDPA), you have the rights listed below. However, these rights are not absolute, and in certain cases, we may decline your request as permitted by law.

  • Right to be informed whether or not we are processing your personal data
  • Right to access your personal data
  • Right to correct inaccuracies in your personal data
  • Right to request deletion of your personal data
  • Right to obtain a copy of the personal data you previously shared with us
  • Right to opt out of the processing of your personal data if it is used for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects ("profiling")

To submit a request to exercise these rights described above, please email info@functionfountain.com or submit a data subject access request.

If we decline to take action regarding your request and you wish to appeal our decision, please email us at info@functionfountain.com. Within sixty (60) days of receipt of an appeal, we will inform you in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decisions.

Virginia Residents

Under the Virginia Consumer Data Protection Act (VCDPA):

  • "Consumer" means a natural person who is a resident of the Commonwealth acting only in an individual or household context. It does not include a natural person acting in a commercial or employment context.
  • "Personal data" means any information that is linked or reasonably linkable to an identified or identifiable natural person. "Personal data" does not include de-identified data or publicly available information.
  • "Sale of personal data" means the exchange of personal data for monetary consideration.

If this definition of "consumer" applies to you, we must adhere to certain rights and obligations regarding your personal data.

Your rights with respect to your personal data

  • Right to be informed whether or not we are processing your personal data
  • Right to access your personal data
  • Right to correct inaccuracies in your personal data
  • Right to request deletion of your personal data
  • Right to obtain a copy of the personal data you previously shared with us
  • Right to opt out of the processing of your personal data if it is used for targeted advertising, the sale of personal data, or profiling in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects ("profiling")

Exercise your rights provided under the Virginia VCDPA

You may contact us by email at info@functionfountain.com or submit a data subject access request.

If you are using an authorized agent to exercise your rights, we may deny a request if the authorized agent does not submit proof that they have been validly authorized to act on your behalf.

Verification process

We may request that you provide additional information reasonably necessary to verify you and your consumer's request. If you submit the request through an authorized agent, we may need to collect additional information to verify your identity before processing your request.

Upon receiving your request, we will respond without undue delay, but in all cases, within forty-five (45) days of receipt. The response period may be extended once by forty-five (45) additional days when reasonably necessary. We will inform you of any such extension within the initial 45-day response period, together with the reason for the extension.

Right to appeal

If we decline to take action regarding your request, we will inform you of our decision and reasoning behind it. If you wish to appeal our decision, please email us at info@functionfountain.com. Within sixty (60) days of receipt of an appeal, we will inform you in writing of any action taken or not taken in response to the appeal, including a written explanation of the reasons for the decisions. If your appeal is denied, you may contact the Attorney General to submit a complaint.

Google AdSense and Google Analytics

This website utilizes Google AdSense and Google Analytics to enhance user experience and analyze traffic. These services may collect information, including your IP address, in a manner consistent with their respective privacy policies. This website does not keep a registry of users or provide any service other than the blogs displayed in it.

13. Do Other Regions Have Specific Privacy Rights?

In Short: You may have additional rights based on the country you reside in.

Australia and New Zealand

We collect and process your personal information under the obligations and conditions set by Australia's Privacy Act 1988 and New Zealand's Privacy Act 2020 (Privacy Act). This privacy notice satisfies the notice requirements defined in both Privacy Acts, including what personal information we collect from you, from which sources, for which purposes, and other recipients of your personal information.

If you do not wish to provide the necessary personal information, it may affect our ability to:

  • Offer you the products or services that you want
  • Respond to or help with your requests

You have the right to request access to or correction of your personal information by contacting us using the contact details provided in the section "How Can You Review, Update, or Delete the Data We Collect from You?"

Republic of South Africa

You have the right to request access to or correction of your personal information by contacting us using the contact details provided in the section "How Can You Review, Update, or Delete the Data We Collect from You?"

If you are unsatisfied with how we address any complaint regarding our processing of personal information, you can contact the office of the regulator at:

  • The Information Regulator (South Africa)
    • General enquiries: enquiries@inforegulator.org.za
    • Complaints: PAIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za & POPIAComplaints@inforegulator.org.za

14. Do We Make Updates to This Notice?

In Short: Yes, we will update this notice as necessary to stay compliant with relevant laws.

We may update this privacy notice from time to time. The updated version will be indicated by an updated "Revised" date and will be effective as soon as it is accessible. We encourage you to review this privacy notice frequently to be informed of how we are protecting your information.

15. How Can You Contact Us About This Notice?

If you have questions or comments about this notice, you may email us at info@functionfountain.com.

16. How Can You Review, Update, or Delete the Data We Collect from You?

Based on the applicable laws of your country, you may have the right to request access to the personal information we collect from you, change that information, or delete it. To request to review, update, or delete your personal information, please fill out and submit a data subject access request.

Google AdSense and Google Analytics

This website utilizes Google AdSense and Google Analytics to enhance user experience and analyze traffic. These services may collect information, including your IP address, in a manner consistent with their respective privacy policies. This website does not keep a registry of users or provide any service other than the blogs displayed in it.