Privacy Policy

THIS PRIVACY POLICY WAS LAST UPDATED AND IS EFFECTIVE AS OF JULY 1, 2024.

INTRODUCTION

The following privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) applies to all users of www.theblackteachronicles.com, including its associated websites, features, content, and any materials, apps, products, and/or services (collectively, the “Services”), which are owned and/or operated by The Black Tea Chronicles, LLC (“The Black Tea Chronicles,” “us,” or “we”).
For the purposes of the General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”), The Black Tea Chronicles, LLC is a company established in the United States with a registered office at [Your Office Address], and we are the data controller in respect of the personal data processed in connection with the Services.
Please read this policy so that you understand your rights in relation to your personal data and how we will collect, use, and disclose (“process”) your personal data. Personal data is any data that either directly or indirectly identifies you. If you do not agree to the processing of information described in this Privacy Policy or any part of it, do not use the Services. When you access or otherwise use the Services, you understand that we process data and related information about you in various ways as outlined in the Privacy Policy.

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

2.1 TECHNICAL USAGE INFORMATION

We collect certain technical information from you including by using cookies, pixels, and beacons (see paragraph 4 below) when you use our Services. This technical usage information consists of usage data, information on your general settings, referring/exit pages and URLs, your internet service provider, the type of browser you use, your operating system, platform types, the device type from which you access the relevant Services, device ID, IP address, the pages viewed and the time spent using the Services as well as the time and date of access and your other interactions with the Services (“Usage Information”). This information is sent to our third-party analytics providers who provide us with information on how users use the Services. We separately allow third-party analytics providers to collect your IP address so they can use it to infer general geolocation information.

2.2 INFORMATION YOU GIVE US

We collect personal data from you when you submit it or otherwise provide it to us, such as when you email us, sign up for our newsletter, make a purchase on our online store located on or through the Services, or otherwise interact with our Services.

In order to receive certain of our Services, for example, to make a purchase on our online store or register for an account, we will collect your first name, last name (if provided), street address, billing address, telephone number, e-mail address, and/or billing information.

To sign up for our newsletter, we will collect your name, e-mail address, country of residence, zip/post code, and telephone number. When you make a purchase through our shop, your delivery address and payment details are provided to our third-party e-commerce platform and payment processors to effect the transaction.

HOW DO WE USE YOUR INFORMATION?

As it is in our legitimate interests to be responsive to you and to ensure the proper functioning of the Services, we will use your information to:

Provide the Services;
Send you our newsletter where you have subscribed to this;
Send marketing text messages and other similar communications;
Advertise across The Black Tea Chronicles entities;
Respond to your requests;
Provide you with user support and improve customer service;
If you have opted in to marketing or purchased goods/services from us and we wish to market similar goods/services to you, we will use your information to send you electronic newsletters or to provide you with special offers or promotional and marketing materials, including to let you know about new products, services, or upcoming events. If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future promotional email communications, we include detailed unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of each promotional email. You can also unsubscribe by clicking the footer in marketing communication(s) we send;
Identify your Service preferences (e.g., language) so that you can customize your experience on the Services;
Improve, diagnose, and support our Services;
Manage risk, or to detect, prevent, and/or remediate fraud or other potentially prohibited or illegal activities;
Manage and protect our information technology infrastructure, enforce our terms of use and policies, and comply with our legal and regulatory obligations;
Serve adverts to you when you are using social media platforms;
For internal business purposes;
Administer a contest, promotion, survey, or other Services;
For purposes disclosed at the time you provide your information or as otherwise set forth in this Privacy Policy;
Provide customer support, including to resolve disputes and troubleshoot problems; and
Contact you with regard to your use of the Services and, in our discretion, changes to the Services and/or the Services’ policies.

COOKIES AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES

4.1 WHAT IS A COOKIE?

Cookies are small files of letters and numbers that are downloaded onto your computer or mobile or other handheld device when you access certain websites. Cookies allow a website to recognize a user’s device and help your browser navigate through the website by allowing you to log in automatically or remember settings you selected during earlier visits (among other functions). Cookies do not harm your computer. If you would like to learn more about cookies in general, you can visit www.allaboutcookies.org.

Cookies help us to provide you with a good experience when you browse this website. We do not use cookies to collect or record information such as your name, address, or payment details.

Cookies and similar technologies will be set when you access and/or use our Services.

4.2 WE USE THE FOLLOWING COOKIES ON OUR WEBSITE:

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics, which is a web analytics tool that helps us understand how users engage with the Services. Google Analytics collects the technical usage information set out above. Like many services, Google Analytics uses first-party cookies to track user interactions, as in our case, where they are used to collect information about how users use our site. This information is used to compile reports and to help us improve our Services. The reports disclose website trends without identifying individual visitors. You can opt out of Google Analytics without affecting how you visit our site – for more information on opting out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites you use, visit this Google page: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Duration: 26 months

Google DoubleClick: We use Google DoubleClick, which is a web advertising tool that helps us gather information and understand how users engage with our Services and advertisements, and deliver advertisements. Google DoubleClick collects the technical usage information set out above. Google DoubleClick uses third-party cookies to track user interactions, as in our case, where they are used to collect information about how users use our site, and deliver advertisements accordingly.
Duration: 24 months

4.3 HOW TO MANAGE COOKIES AND RELATED TECHNOLOGIES

You can enable or disable cookies by changing your website browser settings to accept or reject cookies as required or by using the specific opt-out we have provided regarding Google Analytics (see above). How you do this will depend on the browser you use.

If you are not happy with the way that we use cookies, then you should disable cookies in accordance with your specific browser’s capabilities, delete cookies once you have visited the Services using your browser’s usage setting. Please bear in mind that if cookies are not enabled on your computer, your activities may be restricted to viewing the Services (e.g., browsing the website) and you will not be able to experience all the functionality of the Services (e.g., add products to your shopping bag and buy them).

4.3 DO NT TRACK SIGNALS

Your browser settings may also allow you to transmit a “Do Not Track” signal when you visit various websites. Like many websites, our Services are not designed to respond to “Do Not Track” signals received from browsers. To learn more about “Do Not Track” signals, you can visit http://www.allaboutdnt.com/.

DO WE DISCLOSE ANY INFORMATION?

We do not sell, rent, lease, provide, or otherwise disclose your personal data to third parties except as detailed in this Privacy Policy.

In using certain functions of the Services, you have the option to link to other accounts you may have which are operated on third-party sites. If you choose to do so, then we will share your pictures and other user content (as defined in the terms of use) with such third-party sites.

We share your personal data across The Black Tea Chronicles in order to provide and operate the Services.

We also share your personal data with third parties, as follows:

Cloud storage providers who provide us with third-party storage and hosting
Third-party payment providers which collect payment for services we provide to you
Our e-commerce platform which provides us with the platform for our online store
A third party which manages all aspects of our shop, including distribution
Third parties which assist us in managing our mailing list
IT service providers that support us in resolving IT issues
Analytics and search engine providers that assist us in the improvement and optimization of the Services
Other service providers who provide services either for us or on our behalf, such as shipping businesses and customer support

There are also times when you provide information about yourself to us in areas of the Services that are managed or participated in by third parties.

There are also times when you provide information about yourself to us in areas of the Services that are managed or participated in by third parties. In such cases, the information may be used by us and by such third parties, each pursuant to its own policies.

How Do We Protect Your Information?
We maintain commercially reasonable standards of security and confidentiality. We also implement measures to limit information access to individuals who need to have such access to perform their responsibilities associated with our Services and the content on our Services. However, the Internet and communications and transactions cannot be guaranteed to be secure, and it is possible that others may unlawfully intercept or access information, transmissions, or communications to, from, or within our Services. As such, we cannot guarantee the security of our Services, nor can we guarantee that information you supply won’t be intercepted while being transmitted to us over the Internet, and any information you transmit to The Black Tea Chronicles you do at your own risk. If you share your password or personal data with others, you are responsible for all actions taken in the name of your account.

Individual Rights

Residents in the U.S.
In the preceding 12 months, we collected and (where indicated below) disclosed for a business purpose the following categories of personal data:

Identifiers, such as name, email address, and IP address. We’ve disclosed identifiers with service providers.
Personal information categories listed in the California Customer Records statute, such as name, telephone number, address, credit card number, and other financial information. We’ve disclosed identifiers with service providers.
Commercial information, such as records of products or services purchased. We’ve disclosed identifiers with service providers.
Internet or other similar network activity, such as information regarding your interaction with the Services. We’ve disclosed identifiers with service providers, including analytics providers.
Geolocation data, such as IP address. We’ve disclosed identifiers with service providers, including analytics providers.
Inferences drawn from other personal information, such as your preferences.

The specific business or commercial purposes for which we collect your personal data and the categories of sources from which we collect your personal data are described in the section above, What Information Do We Collect and How Do We Use Your Information.

We do not “sell” or “share” (as those terms are defined under applicable law) personal data, nor have we done so in the preceding 12 months. Further, we do not have actual knowledge that we “sell” or “share” personal data of individuals under 16 years of age.

Rights

Depending on where you live, you may have some or all of the rights listed below in relation to information that we have collected about you. However, these rights are not absolute, and in certain cases, we may decline your request as permitted by law.

Right to Know. You have a right to request the following information about our collection, use, and disclosure of your personal data:
Categories of personal data we have collected, disclosed for a business purpose, sold, or shared;
Categories of sources from which we collected personal data; The business or commercial purposes for collecting, selling, and/or sharing personal data;
Categories of third parties to whom the personal data was disclosed for a business purpose, sold, or shared;
and Specific pieces of personal data we have collected.

Right to Delete. You have a right to request that we delete personal data we maintain about you.

Right to Correct. You have a right to request that we correct inaccurate personal data we maintain about you.

Right to Object to Targeted Advertising, Profiling, Sharing, or Selling. You have a right to opt-out of the processing of your information for the purposes of targeted advertising, the profiling of your information in furtherance of decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects, and/or the “sharing” or “sale” of your information (as all such terms and concepts are defined under applicable law).

Right to Limit Use and Disclosure of Sensitive Personal Data. You have a right to direct us to limit our use and/or disclosure of sensitive personal data to only what is necessary to perform the services or provide the goods reasonably expected by an average resident.

You may request to exercise any of these rights by contacting us using the information provided below. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights. We may need to collect information from you to verify your identity, such as your email address, government-issued ID, or date of birth, before providing a substantive response to the request. You may designate, in writing or through a power of attorney document, an authorized agent to make requests on your behalf to exercise your rights. Before accepting such a request from an agent, we will require that the agent provide proof you have authorized them to act on your behalf, and we may need you to verify your identity directly with us.

In addition, where applicable, we will provide you with more information about our appeal process. When you submit a request or launch an appeal, we will limit our collection of your information to only what is necessary to securely fulfill your request or process your appeal. We will not require you or your authorized agent to pay a fee for the verification of your request or appeal.

Residents in the EU and UK

If you provide or submit your personal data to us, in certain circumstances we will provide you with the ability to review, update, and/or delete your personal data. Please note that if you ask us to delete your personal data, you may not be able to use all Services, in particular, our Services that require certain personal data in order to set up an account. To update and/or delete the personal data you have on file with us, please send an email to [email protected].

Where the GDPR applies, you also have the following rights in relation to your personal data:

Right to Access. You have the right to ask us for a copy of your personal data;

Right to Rectify. In certain circumstances, you can request that we correct, delete, or restrict (stop any active) processing of your personal data;

Right to Portability. You can obtain the personal data you provide to us for a contract or with your consent in a structured, machine-readable format and ask us to share (port) this data to another organization; and

Right to Object. You can object to the processing of your personal data in some circumstances (in particular, where we are not required to process your data to meet a contractual or other legal requirement).

These rights may be limited, for example, if fulfilling your request would reveal personal data about another person, or if you ask us to delete information that we are required by law to retain or have compelling legitimate interests in retaining.

If you have purchased goods from us and we subsequently send marketing to you which you do not wish to receive, you can unsubscribe at any time by following the instructions in the email sent. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. In addition, you have the right to complain to your applicable data protection supervisory authority.

Residents of Canada

Depending upon the province in which you live, you have various rights with respect to our processing of your personal data. These may include:

Right to Access. You have the right to request whether we hold personal data on you and to request a copy of such information. There are exceptions to this right, so that access may be denied if, for example, making the information available to you would reveal personal data about another person, or if we are legally prevented from disclosing such information.

Right to Accuracy. We aim to keep your personal data accurate, current, and complete. We encourage you to contact us to let us know if any personal data is not accurate or changes, so that we can update your personal data.

Right to Withdraw Consent. If you have provided your consent to the processing of your personal data, you have the right to fully or partly withdraw your consent. Once we have received notification that you have withdrawn your consent, we will no longer process your personal data for the purpose(s) to which you originally consented unless there is another legal ground for the processing.

Right to Complain. Although we would rather you speak to us first, if you believe that your personal data protection rights may have been violated, you always have the right to lodge a complaint with the applicable supervisory authority, or to seek a remedy through the courts.

Rights for Quebec Residents. If you reside in the province of Quebec, in certain circumstances, you may also have: (I) the right to request that we cease disseminating your personal data, (II) the right to request that we de-index any hyperlink attached to your name that provides access to information by a technological means; (III) the right to request that we re-index a link providing access to information; or (IV) the right to request that we communicate to you, as well as to any person or body authorized by law to collect such information, any computerized personal data collected from you in a commonly used technological format.

You may exercise any of the above rights by contacting us at [email protected]. We generally respond to all access requests within 30 days of the receipt of all necessary information. In circumstances where we are not able to provide access, or if additional time is required to fulfill a request, we will advise you in writing.

We may not release certain types of information based upon exemptions specified in applicable laws. Where possible, we will sever the information that will not be disclosed and provide you with access to the remaining information. Should we be unable to provide access to or disclose personal data to you, we will provide you with an explanation, subject to legal restrictions.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our privacy practices. If we make any material changes to this Privacy Policy, we will notify you by email (sent to the email address specified in your account) or by means of a notice on this Website prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review this page for the latest information on our privacy practices.

9. Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, the ways in which we collect and use your personal data, your choices and rights regarding such use, or wish to exercise your rights under applicable law, please do not hesitate to contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

Address: The Black Tea Chronicles [Your Business Address]