Privacy Policy

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At Book Island, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or make a purchase. We are committed to protecting your personal information in accordance with Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We collect information you voluntarily provide when you:

• Create an account or place an order (name, email address, shipping address, billing address, phone number)
• Subscribe to our newsletter (email address, name)
• Contact us through our contact form (name, email, phone number, message content)
• Sign up for services like Personal Book Curation or Blind Date With a Book (preferences, reading history you share)
• Participate in surveys, contests, or community features (responses, submitted content)
• Apply for our Micro-Residency program (application details)

Payment Information

When you make a purchase, payment information (credit card numbers, billing details) is collected and processed directly by our secure payment processors. We do not store complete credit card numbers on our servers. We retain only partial card information (last four digits, expiry date) for order reference purposes.

Automatically Collected Information

When you browse our website, we automatically collect certain technical information, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website
• Device information

This information is collected through cookies and similar technologies. Please see our Cookie Policy for more details.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Order Fulfillment: Processing and shipping your orders, sending order confirmations and updates
• Customer Service: Responding to your inquiries, resolving issues, and providing support
• Personalization: Tailoring book recommendations and improving your shopping experience
• Communications: Sending newsletters, promotional materials, and updates about our services (with your consent)
• Service Delivery: Providing purchased services like Personal Book Curation
• Website Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance site functionality
• Legal Compliance: Meeting our legal and regulatory obligations

Information Sharing and Disclosure

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their marketing purposes. We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Service Providers: We share information with trusted third parties who assist in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving you (e.g., shipping carriers, payment processors, email service providers). These parties are contractually obligated to keep your information confidential.
• Legal Requirements: We may disclose information when required by law, court order, or government request, or when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
• Business Transfers: If Book Island is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

Third-Party Services We Use

Our website may use the following types of third-party services:

• Analytics: We use analytics services to understand how visitors interact with our site. These services may collect anonymized data about your browsing behavior.
• Email Marketing: If you subscribe to our newsletter, your email address is stored with our email service provider to send you communications.
• Payment Processing: Payment transactions are handled by secure, PCI-compliant payment processors.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Specifically:

• Order records: 7 years (for tax and legal purposes)
• Account information: Until you request deletion
• Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
• Contact form submissions: 2 years

Your Rights and Choices

Under Canadian privacy law, you have the right to:

• Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal retention requirements)
• Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent to data processing where consent is the legal basis
• Unsubscribe: Opt out of marketing communications at any time via the unsubscribe link in emails or by contacting us

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include encryption, secure servers, and access controls. However, no method of transmission over the Internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected such information, please contact us immediately so we can delete it.

International Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than Canada, where our service providers are located. When we transfer data internationally, we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your information in accordance with this policy and applicable law.

Advertising Policy Compliance

Book Island is committed to ethical advertising practices. We do not use advertising content that violates applicable advertising policies, including those of major advertising platforms. Our marketing materials are truthful, not misleading, and do not promote prohibited content.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically. Significant changes will be communicated via email or prominent notice on our website.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us:

Book Island
Privacy Officer
100 King Street West, Suite 5700
Toronto, ON M5X 1C7
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 705-238-5464

Complaints

If you are not satisfied with our response to a privacy concern, you have the right to file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada at www.priv.gc.ca.