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Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 24, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to Cozy Home Notes (www.cozyhomenotes.com). This Privacy Policy outlines how Cozy Home Notes (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, protects, and handles your personal information when you visit and interact with our website. We are committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring transparency. By using this website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.  

2. Who We Are

Our website address is: https://www.cozyhomenotes.com. This blog focuses on home decor, intentional living, and related topics including budget-friendly, sustainable, wellness, and eco-friendly practices. You can contact us regarding privacy matters via our Contact Page: [Click here]

3. What Personal Data We Collect and Why We Collect It

We collect information to improve your experience, operate the site, and communicate with you. The types of personal data we may collect include:

  • Comments: When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form (name, email address, website URL), and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.  
  • Contact Forms: If you use our contact form, we collect the information you provide (typically name, email address, and your message) so that we can respond to your inquiry.  
  • Email Subscriptions (Newsletters): If you subscribe to our email list, we collect your email address and potentially your name to send you newsletters, updates, or the resources you signed up for. We use Mailchimp to manage our email list. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link provided in every email.
  • Cookies: Like most websites, we use cookies (small data files stored on your browser) to enhance your user experience. These may include:
    • Necessary Cookies: Essential for the website to function properly (e.g., remembering comment form details).
    • Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with the website (see Analytics section below).
    • Preference Cookies: Remember choices you make (like username) for convenience.
    • (Future) Marketing Cookies: If we implement advertising in the future, these cookies may be used to track visitors across websites to display relevant ads. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings. Refusing some cookies may impact site functionality.
  • Analytics: We use Google Analytics (GA4) to collect information about website traffic and user behavior. This helps us understand our audience and improve the website. Google Analytics collects data such as your IP address, geographical location, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and time spent on pages. This data is aggregated and anonymized where possible. Google’s privacy policy can be viewed here: https://policies.google.com/privacy.
  • Embedded Content from Other Websites: Articles on this site may include embedded content. Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited 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 if you have an account and are logged in to that website. Please review the privacy policies of these third-party sites (e.g., Google/YouTube, Meta/Instagram, Pinterest).  
  • Server Logs: Our web hosting server automatically logs basic information like your IP address, browser type, access times, and pages visited for security and maintenance purposes.

4. How We Use Your Data

We use the collected information for purposes including:

  • To operate and maintain the website.
  • To respond to your comments or inquiries submitted via contact forms.
  • To send you newsletters or other updates if you subscribed.
  • To analyze website traffic and user engagement via Google Analytics to improve our content and user experience.
  • To detect and prevent spam (via comment data).
  • To protect the security of the website.

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell your personal data. However, we may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business, under confidentiality agreements. These may include:  

  • Analytics Providers: Google Analytics (as described above).
  • Email Marketing Services: Mailchimp (if you subscribe to our list).
  • Hosting Provider: Our website host stores site data.
  • Spam Detection Services: Comment data may be checked through an automated spam detection service.
  • [Future Use – Include if planning soon, or add later]:
    • Advertising Partners: Google AdSense
    • Affiliate Networks/Partners: None at the moment. Clicking affiliate links involves cookies managed by those third parties.

We will disclose information if required by law.

6. How Long We Retain Your Data

  • Comments: If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically.  
  • Contact Form Submissions: We retain contact form submissions for one year for customer service purposes, but we do not use the information submitted through them for marketing purposes unless explicitly stated and consented to (like a newsletter checkbox).  
  • Email List Data: We retain your information as long as you remain subscribed to our email list.
  • Analytics Data: Google Analytics data is retained for 14 months before being automatically deleted.

7. What Rights You Have Over Your Data (GDPR & CCPA/CPRA)

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
  • Rectification: You can request that we correct any inaccurate personal data.  
  • Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You can request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.
  • Restrict Processing: You can request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.  
  • Object to Processing: You can object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions (e.g., for direct marketing).  
  • Data Portability: You can request that we transfer the data that we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.  
  • California Residents (CCPA/CPRA): You have specific rights including the Right to Know what personal information is collected, used, shared or sold; the Right to Delete personal information; the Right to Opt-Out of sale/sharing; the Right to Correct inaccurate information; and the Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Information. We do not currently “sell” personal information in the traditional sense, but use of analytics or potential future advertising cookies may constitute “sharing” under CPRA. You can exercise your rights via our contact information below.  

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us via our Contact Page: https://cozyhomenotes.com/contact/

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a relevant supervisory authority.

8. Where Your Data Is Sent

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service. Data collected by third-party services like Google Analytics or our email marketing provider may be processed on servers located outside of your home country. Our website is hosted on servers located in the United States

9. Data Security

We take reasonable steps to protect your personal information. Our website uses SSL encryption (HTTPS). However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, so we cannot guarantee absolute security.  

10. Cookies

This website uses cookies to enhance user experience, analyze traffic, and potentially personalize content or ads in the future. You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings.

11. Children’s Information

Our website is not intended for children under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under this age. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us immediately.  

12. Links to Other Websites

Our website may contain links to other websites that are not operated by us. If you click on a third-party link, 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.  

13. 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 and updating the “Effective Date” at the top. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.  

14. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:  https://cozyhomenotes.com/contact/