The Cuppa Travis Tea Privacy Policy
Who I Am
My name is Travis Ray Garner, and the Cuppa Travis Tea website is my website. Furthermore, my website address is as follows: https://www.cuppatravistea.com.
What Personal Data I Collect and Why I Collect It
Comments
On some websites, when a visitor decides to write a comment, not only that comment but also the Internet Protocol (or, IP) address and the browser user agent string are stored either on those websites or with some third party through some type of agreement (or maybe in some air-conditioned governmental building). The reason: to help with spam detection (or to keep tabs on the human populace).
Moreover, the email address of that visitor (i.e., the hash value) creates an anonymized string, which is provided, in some cases, to the Gravatar service to learn if that same visitor uses the Gravatar service, too. (See, e.g., Automattic, Privacy Policy (last visited July 14, 2019).) And if a particular website publishes the comment of that visitor, then the profile picture associated with that visitor appears publicly within the context of that published comment from that same visitor.
However, on Cuppa Travis Tea, I have chosen to disable all commentary from the public. My reason is simple: Bots, cyborgs, and trolls are nothing more than a pestilence of the twenty-first century. After all, folks who take the time to learn a bit of code so as to create fictitious online accounts to spread disinformation or misinformation, which then operate twenty-four hours a day, relentlessly, are not worthy of my time (nor yours, dear reader). Besides, when I was a boy, I read quite often the old Norse tale about the Three Billy Goats Gruff, so I am well-versed in the ways of how to handle bots, cyborgs, and trolls.
Media
On some websites, when someone uploads images to those websites, one should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (i.e., Exchangeable Image File format [or, EXIF GPS]). Otherwise, a visitor to a website could not only download but also extract location data from those images on those websites.
Nevertheless, on Cuppa Travis Tea, visitors cannot upload media files to my website. Of course, barring user-error (on my part), I will do my utmost best to protect any personal information about me associated with any media files that I upload to my website—in particular, for anyone out there on the World Wide Web who likes to copy media for goodness knows what curious purposes.
Contact Form
Visitors to Cuppa Travis Tea are always welcome to email me. Travel to my Contact Me web page for more information.
However, if you were to decide to send me your suggestions, your questions, or your comments to me in an email through my Contact Me web page, then you would need to provide me with the following:
(1) Your first name;
(2) Your last name (or, surname); and
(3) An email address of yours.
Moreover, I have taken steps to remain compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (or, GDPR) of the European Union (or, EU) through my Contact Me web page. In short: I require your explicit consent to collect some personal data about you (i.e., your first name, your last name, and an email address) in return for an email from you.
In addition, under the GDPR, members of the European Union not only have the right to a copy of their personal data but also have the right to request of someone (e.g., like me) to delete their personal data. As a result, upon such a request, I will remain diligent to remain compliant with the tenets of the GDPR.
Furthermore, under the GDPR, when a data breach occurs on a website, folks who operate that website must notify the proper authorities in the European Union within a seventy-two hour period—that is, except in instances when the data breach is harmless and any personal data was never at risk. But if the data breach is not without harm, then the operators of that website must alert any individuals whose personal data became compromised. As such, I shall keep vigilant to remain compliant with the rules of the GDPR.
Finally, in my never-ending work to outwit the bots, cyborgs, and trolls of planet Earth, who dwell underneath their decrepit digital bridges on the World Wide Web, I have installed reCAPTCHA, courtesy of the men and women of Google (or is it Alphabet?). Therefore, you may find that you will need to perform a few extra steps to send me your suggestions, your questions, or your comments in an email.
Cookies
On some websites, when a visitor decides to leave a comment on a website, the operator of that website may choose to save the name, email address, and website in the form of a cookie. According to the folks over at Merriam-Webster Dictionary, a cookie (in this context) is “a small file or part of a file on a World Wide Web user’s computer, created and subsequently read by a website server, and containing personal information (such as a user identification code, customized preferences, or a record of pages visited)”. The rationale behind a cookie is for convenience, so that a visitor to a website does not need to fill in personal information all over again, while seeking to leave a comment on a website. The cookie lasts for one year.
However, on Cuppa Travis Tea, although public commentary is forbidden—because bots, cyborgs, and trolls need only to stay festering under their dilapidated digital bridges on the World Wide Web, as they attempt to sway public discourse around the globe with disinformation or misinformation—the accessibility toolbar in the footer section of each web page of Cuppa Travis Tea uses cookies to follow the commands of a visitor to my website. And whenever the accessibility toolbar is not in use, it will not bake any cookies; moreover, the toolbar itself does not collect any personal information about a visitor to Cuppa Travis Tea (that is, so the creator of the toolbar states in good faith).
Embedded Content from Other Websites
My published essays on Cuppa Travis Tea may embed content (e.g., videos, images, or articles); therefore, any and all embedded content from other websites shall hopefully behave in the exact same way as if a visitor to my website had visited another website. It is possible, though, that other websites may collect data about that visitor; might use cookies on that visitor; could even embed third-party tracking services for that visitor; or possibly monitor the interactions of that visitor with any embedded content on that other website, including any specific interactions with any embedded content while the visitor remained logged onto that other website with a personal account—either under a genuine name or under a false name.
Google Analytics
I have opted to use Google Analytics. My reason is simple: I find it beyond fascinating to learn from where on planet Earth fellow members of the human race were at a particular moment in time while visiting my website: Cuppa Travis Tea. Thus, per the terms of service, I need to let you know about my use of Google Analytics on my website.
Under section seven of the Google Analytics Terms of Service, it states that I “must disclose the use of Google Analytics, and how it collects and processes data.” (See, e.g., Google, Google Analytics Terms of Service (last visited July 14, 2019).)
Fair enough. That sounds relatively easy. However, I am just a wee lad with a pair of Associate degrees, a Bachelor’s degree in the English language, and a Juris Doctor degree. I am not a computer scientist. Not even in the slightest. So: How do I describe a highly technical process which is most likely proprietary in nature?
Well, fortunately for me (and you, too), I can satisfy this disclosure condition with the publication of another hypertext link. Therefore, if you are curious to learn what the men and women at Google (or is it Alphabet?) have to say about how Google Analytics works, then read the next hypertext link. (See, e.g., Google, How Google Uses Information from Sites or Apps That Use Our Services (last visited July 14, 2019).)
Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-On
However, if you were to decide that you would like the choice to avoid Google Analytics, then you might like to learn that you have a say in the matter. Consider downloading the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-On. Here is a link to that web page which shall set you on your path to freedom from Google Analytics. (See, e.g., Google, Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-On (last visited July 14, 2019).)
Google Analytics Remarketing
As far as I am aware (or, the last that I checked, which was while composing the Cuppa Travis Tea Privacy Policy), I have not linked my account with Google Analytics to either the Remarketing or the Advertising Reporting Features of Google (or is it Alphabet?). Therefore, on my website, Cuppa Travis Tea, you will not see such things as Google AdSense, Google Ads, or Google Ad Exchange. The reason: Because I simply do not want any commercial advertisements to appear on my website—that is, save for my artistic work or anything affiliated with it.
What Rights You Have Over Your Data
You may request that I erase any personal data that you have given to me. However, this request does not include any data that I am obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Conclusion
The Cuppa Travis Tea Privacy Policy is subject to change in the future, especially when I learn about new ways to make my website even better. In such instances, I will update this web page beneath this initial publication. Until such time, take care, dear reader.
Last but not least, I thank you very much, both for your time and for your consideration.
And always remember:
Give no quarter to the bots, cyborgs, and trolls of planet Earth.
As always, yours in service,
Travis Ray Garner
Sunday, 22 November 2020