Privacy Policy
Smart Steps Parenting (“we,” “our,” or “us”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data in accordance with applicable privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other international and domestic privacy frameworks. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, store, and protect personal information obtained through our website at smartstepsparenting.com.
1. Commitment to Privacy and Data Protection
We recognize the importance of safeguarding personal information and are dedicated to maintaining the confidentiality, integrity, and security of your data. Our privacy practices are designed to provide transparency and ensure that your rights are upheld when you interact with our website and services.
2. Scope of Policy and Data Controller Role
This Privacy Policy applies to all users of smartstepsparenting.com and covers all personal data collected through our website and services. For the purposes of data protection laws, Smart Steps Parenting acts as the Data Controller in relation to the personal data collected via our website and email communications, and can be contacted at [email protected].
3. Categories of Data Processed
We may collect and process the following categories of personal data:
a) Usage Data:
Includes information about how you use our website, such as your IP address, browser type, pages visited, time spent on the site, referring websites, and session metadata.
b) Account Data:
Includes your name, postal address, email address, phone number, and other related identifiers provided when creating an account or filling out forms on smartstepsparenting.com.
c) Profile Data:
Includes details related to your account preferences, past purchases, saved items, interests, and behavior across our site.
d) Communication Data:
Includes communications between you and us, such as emails, customer service inquiries, support tickets, and submitted feedback or correspondence history.
e) Technical Data:
Includes device-specific information such as device model, operating system version, internet provider, system configurations, and screen resolution.
f) Transaction Data:
Includes records of purchases, payment methods, delivery addresses, billing details, and order history.
g) Preference Data:
Includes your consent preferences for receiving marketing communications, survey participation, user experience customization options, and noted product interests or dislikes.
4. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data
We process your personal data lawfully, fairly, and transparently based on one or more of the following legal grounds:
– Legitimate Interests: We process your data where necessary for the operation and growth of our business, where our interests do not override your rights and freedoms.
– Contract: We process personal data to fulfill our obligations under a contract with you, such as providing services or delivering a purchased product.
– Consent: When legally required, we obtain your explicit consent before collecting or processing your data, particularly for marketing activities or setting cookies that are not strictly necessary.
– Legal Obligation: In cases where we are required to process your data to comply with legal or regulatory requirements.
5. Your Rights
Under applicable privacy laws, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:
– Right of Access: You may request to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal data in specific circumstances (commonly referred to as the “right to be forgotten”).
– Right to Restrict Processing: You may request a temporary or permanent halt to the processing of all or part of your personal data.
– Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that your data be provided in a structured, commonly used format so it may be transferred to another data controller.
– Right to Object: You may object to the processing of your data where such processing is based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
To exercise any of your rights, please contact us at [email protected].
6. Security Measures
We employ a combination of technical and organizational safeguards to ensure your data remains protected, including but not limited to:
– End-to-end encryption for data in transit and at rest
– User authentication and role-based access control
– Secure firewall infrastructure
– Regular security audits and monitoring
– Routine system backups and disaster recovery protocols
– Staff training on data protection and privacy compliance
7. International Transfers
If and when we transfer personal data outside of your jurisdiction (including to countries outside the European Economic Area), we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:
– Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
– Privacy Shield (where applicable)
– Binding Corporate Rules or other legally recognized mechanisms
8. Data Retention
We retain your personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy or as required by law. The retention periods vary depending on the type of data:
– Usage and Technical Data: retained for up to 24 months for analytics and performance optimization
– Account and Profile Data: retained while your account is active and for up to 6 years afterward for tax and legal purposes
– Communication Data: retained for up to 3 years following your last interaction
– Transaction Data: retained for a minimum of 6 years for compliance with financial regulations
– Preference Data: retained until you withdraw your consent or for a period not exceeding 2 years if inactive
9. Cookie Policy
We use cookies and similar tracking technologies on smartstepsparenting.com for the following purposes:
– Essential Cookies: Required for the core functionality of our website, including login, navigation, and security features.
– Functional Cookies: Enhance user experience by remembering choices such as language and region.
– Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors engage with our site via data collection for statistical analysis.
– Performance Cookies: Monitor service performance and usability, enabling us to improve site speed and user experience.
10. Cookie Management and GDPR/CCPA Compliance
When you visit smartstepsparenting.com, you will be presented with a cookie banner allowing you to manage your preferences. You can accept or reject non-essential cookies and update your preferences at any time through our cookie settings link in the footer of our website.
In line with GDPR and CCPA requirements:
– Consent is obtained before setting non-essential cookies.
– You may withdraw consent at any time.
– Do Not Sell My Personal Information: We do not sell personal data under CCPA definitions. To opt out of non-essential data uses, please email us at [email protected].
11. Special Protections for Children Under 13
Our website and services are intended for adults and are not directed toward children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect, use, or disclose personal information from children under 13 without verifiable parental consent. If you believe we have collected such data in error, please contact us immediately at [email protected] so we may take appropriate action.
12. Policy Updates and User Notifications
We may update or modify this Privacy Policy from time to time in response to changes in legislation, technology, or our services. Any material changes will be communicated by posting the updated policy on smartstepsparenting.com. We encourage you to periodically review this page. Your continued use of our website following any changes to the policy constitutes your acceptance of such updates.
13. Contact
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us at:
Smart Steps Parenting
Email: [email protected]
Website: smartstepsparenting.com
We are deeply committed to privacy protection and operate in full compliance with international law, including the GDPR and CCPA. If you have any privacy-related concerns, we invite you to reach out to us directly.