1. Introduction and Overview
This
Privacy Policy (“Policy”) explains how The Channel Press (“TCP,” “we,” “us,” or
“our”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects your personal information when
you use our website, publishing services, and related applications
(collectively, the “Services”). We are committed to protecting your privacy and
handling your personal information in an open and transparent manner. This
Policy is designed to comply with the Personal Information Protection and
Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and other applicable privacy laws.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Personal Information You Provide
In
the course of providing our Services, we collect and process the following
categories of personal information that you voluntarily provide to us:
Account and Profile Information
- Full legal name and any pen
names or pseudonyms
- Contact information (email
address, phone number, mailing address)
- Date of birth and age
verification information
- Professional credentials and
biographical information
- Profile pictures and author
photographs
- Social media handles and
website URLs
- Payment information and tax
identification numbers
- Login credentials and
password information
Manuscript and Publication Information
- Original manuscripts and
creative works
- Author biographies and
publication histories
- Copyright registration
information
- Publishing history and
rights information
- Co-author information and
permissions
- Research sources and
reference materials
- Character lists, plot
summaries, and other supplementary materials
Communication and Correspondence
- Email communications and
messaging history
- Support tickets and service
requests
- Feedback, reviews, and
testimonials
- Survey responses and market
research participation
- Comments and forum posts
- Editorial feedback and
revision notes
2.2 Information Automatically Collected
When
you use our Services, we automatically collect certain information about your
device and usage:
Technical Data
- Internet Protocol (IP)
address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating
system
- Mobile device identifiers
- Time zone setting and
location
- Browser plug-in types and
versions
- Language preferences
Usage Data
- Pages viewed and time spent
on pages
- Referring and exit pages
- Click patterns and
interaction behavior
- Content download and upload
activities
- Search queries and results
- Error logs and crash reports
- Performance metrics and
analytics data
2.3 Information from Third Parties
We
may receive information about you from third parties, including:
- Payment processors and
financial institutions
- Identity verification
services
- Social media platforms when
you connect them to our Services
- Professional references and
co-authors
- Literary agents and other
publishing industry professionals
- Public databases and
publicly available sources
3. How We Use Your Information
3.1 Primary Purposes
We
use your personal information for the following primary purposes:
Service Delivery and Management
- Creating and maintaining
your account
- Processing and evaluating
manuscript submissions
- Providing editorial and
publishing services
- Managing the publication
process
- Facilitating payments and
royalty distributions
- Responding to your inquiries
and support requests
- Sending service-related
notifications and updates
- Maintaining accurate records
of our business relationship
Communication and Engagement
- Sending important
notifications about our Services
- Providing editorial feedback
and status updates
- Responding to your questions
and concerns
- Facilitating communication
between authors and editors
- Managing your preferences
and consent settings
- Conducting surveys and
collecting feedback
- Sending newsletters and
marketing communications (with consent)
3.2 Secondary Purposes
We
may also use your information for the following secondary purposes:
Service Improvement and Development
- Analyzing usage patterns and
trends
- Identifying areas for
improvement
- Developing new features and
services
- Testing and debugging system
performance
- Conducting market research
and analysis
- Training our machine
learning models (with anonymized data)
- Improving user experience
and interface design
Marketing and Promotion (With Consent)
- Sending promotional
materials about our Services
- Creating targeted
advertising campaigns
- Developing marketing
insights and analytics
- Promoting published works
and author profiles
- Managing social media
presence and engagement
- Organizing events and author
promotions
- Conducting market analysis
and research
4. Information Sharing and Disclosure
4.1 Internal Sharing
Your
information may be shared internally among TCP staff members and departments on
a need-to-know basis, including:
- Editorial team members
working on your manuscript
- Production staff involved in
publication
- Marketing team members
promoting your work
- Customer service
representatives assisting you
- Financial staff processing
payments and royalties
- Technical staff maintaining
our systems
- Legal team addressing
compliance matters
4.2 External Sharing
We
may share your information with third parties in the following circumstances:
Service Providers
- Cloud storage and hosting
providers
- Payment processors and
financial institutions
- Email and communication
service providers
- Analytics and tracking
service providers
- Marketing and advertising
partners
- Professional service
providers (legal, accounting, etc.)
- Identity verification
services
Business Partners
- Distribution partners and
retailers
- Print and production vendors
- Marketing and publicity
partners
- Literary agents and industry
professionals
- Event organizers and venues
- Professional associations
and organizations
Legal Requirements
- In response to valid legal
requests from public authorities
- To comply with court orders
or legal obligations
- To protect our rights,
privacy, safety, or property
- To detect, prevent, or
investigate potential security incidents
- To enforce our terms of
service and other agreements
- In connection with a merger,
acquisition, or business transfer
5. Data Security
5.1 Security Measures
We
implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your
personal information, including:
Technical Controls
- Industry-standard encryption
for data in transit and at rest
- Secure socket layer (SSL)
technology
- Firewalls and intrusion
detection systems
- Access control and
authentication mechanisms
- Regular security assessments
and penetration testing
- Backup systems and disaster
recovery procedures
- Monitoring and logging of
system activities
Organizational Controls
- Employee training on data
protection and security
- Access restrictions based on
job role and need
- Written security policies
and procedures
- Regular security audits and
compliance reviews
- Incident response and breach
notification procedures
- Vendor security assessment
and management
- Physical security measures
for our facilities
5.2 Data Retention
We
retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:
- Fulfill the purposes
outlined in this Policy
- Comply with legal and
regulatory requirements
- Resolve disputes and enforce
our agreements
- Maintain appropriate
business records
After
the retention period expires, we will securely delete or anonymize your
information.
6. Your Rights and Choices
6.1 Access and Control
You
have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Access Rights
- Request access to your
personal information
- Receive a copy of your
information in a structured format
- Verify the accuracy of your
information
- Understand how we use and
share your information
Control Rights
- Update or correct your
personal information
- Request deletion of your
information
- Withdraw consent for
processing
- Object to certain uses of
your information
- Restrict processing of your
information
- Port your data to another
service provider
6.2 Marketing Preferences
You
can control your marketing preferences by:
- Opting out of marketing
communications
- Adjusting notification
settings
- Managing cookie preferences
- Controlling third-party
sharing options
- Updating communication
preferences
7. International Data Transfers
7.1 Cross-Border Transfers
We
may transfer your personal information to countries outside Canada. When we do,
we ensure appropriate safeguards are in place, including:
- Data transfer agreements
incorporating standard contractual clauses
- Privacy Shield certification
(where applicable)
- Vendor assessment and
compliance monitoring
- Encryption and security
measures
- Contractual commitments from
recipients
7.2 Storage Locations
Your
information may be stored and processed in:
- Canada
- United States
- European Union
- Other countries where we or
our service providers operate
8. Children’s Privacy
We
do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 years of
age. If you are under 13, please do not provide any information to us. If we
become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13,
we will take steps to delete such information.
9. Changes to This Policy
9.1 Updates and Modifications
We
may update this Policy from time to time to reflect:
- Changes in our practices
- New features or services
- Legal and regulatory
requirements
- Industry best practices
9.2 Notice of Changes
We
will notify you of material changes through:
- Prominent notice on our
website
- Email notification (for
registered users)
- Platform notifications
- Other appropriate
communication channels
10. Contact Information
10.1 Privacy Inquiries
For
questions about this Policy or our privacy practices, contact:
The
Channel Press
Fredericton, NB E3G 5M4 Canada
Email: [email protected]
Phone: +1 (506) 471-3958
10.2 Complaints
If
you have concerns about our handling of your personal information, you may:
- Contact us
- File a complaint with the
Privacy Commissioner of Canada
- Seek assistance from your
local data protection authority
By
using our Services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this
Privacy Policy.
Last
Updated: January 18, 2025