Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Information You Provide

• Story submissions: When you submit a story (minorstone), we collect the title, your name (author), content (text and any images you provide), and optionally an image URL. This information is displayed publicly on the Site once approved.
• Newsletter subscriptions: When you subscribe to our mailing list, we collect your name and email address. We use this to send you updates about Minorstones.

1.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Log data: Our servers may log your IP address, browser type, device type, referring URL, pages visited, and timestamps.
• Cookies and similar technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies for: (a) remembering that you have accepted our cookie notice; (b) tracking which posts you have “loved” (so you cannot love the same post twice); (c) analytics to understand how the Site is used. See Section 4 for more detail.
• Usage and interaction data: We may collect data about how you interact with the Site, such as post views, love clicks, and general usage patterns.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Display, moderate, and manage story submissions on the Site
• Send newsletter emails to subscribers
• Operate the love feature and prevent duplicate loves
• Analyse site usage to improve the experience and content
• Prevent abuse, fraud, and security threats
• Comply with legal obligations and respond to lawful requests
• Enforce our Terms & Conditions

3. Legal Basis for Processing (UK/EEA)

Where applicable (e.g., for users in the UK or European Economic Area), we process your personal data on the following bases: (a) Consent – for newsletters and optional features such as cookie consent; (b) Contract – to provide the services you request (e.g., publishing your story); (c) Legitimate interests – for analytics, security, and improving the Site; and (d) Legal obligation – where we are required to retain or disclose data by law.

4. Cookies and Tracking

We use the following types of cookies and similar technologies:

• Essential/functional: Cookies necessary for the love feature (to remember which posts you have loved) and to record your cookie consent choice.
• Analytics: We may use Google Analytics or similar services to understand traffic, demographics, and behaviour. These services may set their own cookies and collect data as described in their respective privacy policies.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may affect your ability to use some features (e.g., the love feature).

5. Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information with: (a) Service providers who assist us in hosting, analytics, email delivery, or other operations (e.g., Google Analytics); (b) Legal authorities when required by law, court order, or to protect our rights, safety, or that of others; (c) Potential acquirers in the event of a merger, sale, or transfer of assets, subject to the same privacy protections. We do not sell your personal data to third parties.

6. Data Retention

We retain your information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfil the purposes described in this policy. Published stories may be retained indefinitely unless you request removal. Newsletter data is retained until you unsubscribe and for a reasonable period thereafter for record-keeping. Logs and analytics data may be retained for a limited period (e.g., 14–26 months). Cookie data is retained according to the cookie’s expiry (e.g., the love cookie is set for a long period to remember your choices).

7. Data Security

We implement reasonable technical and organisational measures to protect your personal data against unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

8. International Transfers

Your information may be processed and stored in countries outside your country of residence, including where data protection laws may differ. Where we transfer data from the UK or EEA to countries not deemed adequate, we will implement appropriate safeguards (e.g., Standard Contractual Clauses) as required by applicable law.

9. Your Rights

Depending on your location, you may have the right to:

• Access – request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
• Rectification – request correction of inaccurate data
• Erasure – request deletion of your data in certain circumstances
• Restriction – request that we limit processing in certain cases
• Portability – receive your data in a structured, machine-readable format
• Object – object to processing based on legitimate interests
• Withdraw consent – where processing is based on consent (e.g., unsubscribe from emails)
• Complain – lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority

To exercise these rights, contact us via @minorstones on X or through the Site’s feedback channels. We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law.

10. Children

The Site is not intended for children under 13 (or the applicable age of digital consent in your jurisdiction). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If you believe we have collected data from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

11. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you may have the right to: (a) know what personal information we collect, use, and disclose; (b) request deletion of your personal information; (c) opt out of the “sale” of personal information (we do not sell personal information); and (d) non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. To exercise these rights, contact us as described above.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version on this page and indicate the date of the last update. Your continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy. For material changes, we may provide additional notice (e.g., via email or a banner on the Site).

13. Contact

For privacy-related questions, requests, or complaints, please contact us via @minorstones on X or through the feedback channels on the Site.