Privacy Policy
Effective date: April 30, 2022
This Privacy Policy explains how Forest & Ember LLC (“Company,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, and protects personal information when you visit forestandember.com, communicate with us, or use our services. We are established in Florida, USA, and provide services to clients across the United States and, at times, outside the United States.
Plain-English promise: We only collect information you choose to give us and the minimal technical data needed to run and secure our website. We do not sell personal information. We do not share personal information with third parties for their own marketing or independent purposes. When we use vendors to help operate our website or services, they process information only on our instructions and are not permitted to use it for themselves.
1) Who we are & how to contact us
Controller: Forest & Ember LLC
Website: www.forestandember.com
Email: privacy @ forestandember.com
If you are located in the EEA/UK, you may also contact us using the details above regarding your GDPR rights (see Section 13).
2) Scope of this Policy
This Policy covers personal information we process:
- When you visit our website(s) and pages we control
- When you contact us (e.g., by email, phone, contact forms) or transact with us
- When we provide services to you
This Policy does not cover third-party websites or services that link to or from us. Please review their privacy notices separately before interacting with them.
3) Information we collect
A. Information you provide directly
- Contact details (name, email, phone, mailing address)
- Business details (company, role/title)
- Order/transaction details (if you purchase services from us)
- Payment and billing information (processed securely through our payment processor; we do not store full card details)
- Content you send us (ad copy, media files, artwork, instructions, feedback)
- Communications (emails, messages, meeting notes)
B. Information we collect automatically (website & devices)
- Log and device data (IP address, browser type/version, device/OS, pages visited, time/date stamps, referring/exit pages)
- Cookies or similar used only to run the site, keep it secure, measure basic traffic, and understand which pages are most useful. We do not use cookies for targeted advertising.
We do not buy personal information from data brokers.
4) Why we use your information (purposes)
- Provide, operate, and improve our services and website
- Communicate with you and respond to inquiries
- Create and manage accounts, orders, and billing
- Process payments you authorize and manage projects
- Maintain security, prevent fraud, and diagnose issues
- Perform internal analytics about site performance and content effectiveness
- Comply with laws and enforce our agreements
Marketing: We may send you updates about our services if you ask us to or if we have an existing business relationship. You can opt out at any time by using the unsubscribe link or contacting us.
5) Our commitment on “selling” or “sharing” data
- We do not sell personal information.
- We do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising.
- We do not disclose personal information to third parties for their independent use.
Service providers only: We may disclose personal information to trusted service providers/contractors who host our website, store files, send emails on our behalf, process payments, or provide security/analytics. They may use the information only to provide services to us under written contracts that restrict further use or disclosure.
6) Payments
When you purchase services through forestandember.com, we collect order details, project content, and billing information. Payments are processed securely by a reputable third-party payment processor (currently Stripe). We do not store full payment card numbers on our systems. The processor is PCI-DSS compliant and may only use your information to process transactions on our behalf.
7) Cookies, analytics, and opt-out signals
We use a limited set of cookies and analytics to understand site traffic and improve content. You can manage cookies through your browser settings.
If your browser or device sends a recognized opt-out preference signal (such as Global Privacy Control), and it applies to us, we will treat it as a request to opt out of any sale/sharing of personal information and targeted advertising (which we already do not conduct).
8) Legal bases for processing (EEA/UK visitors)
- Contract: to provide services you request or to take steps before entering into a contract
- Consent: where you have given clear consent (e.g., for certain cookies or communications)
- Legitimate interests: to operate, secure, and improve our website and services (balanced against your rights)
- Legal obligation: to comply with applicable laws and regulatory requirements
9) How we protect your information
We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information (e.g., encryption in transit, access controls, least-necessary access, staff confidentiality obligations). No system is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.
10) Data retention
We keep personal information only as long as it is reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Policy, to comply with our legal obligations (including tax and accounting rules), resolve disputes, and enforce agreements. When no longer needed, we delete, de-identify, or anonymize the data.
11) Your privacy rights
Depending on your location, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you
- Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
- Delete your information
- Receive a copy (data portability)
- Restrict or object to certain processing
- Opt out of targeted advertising, sale, or certain profiling (we already do not sell/share or use targeted ads)
- Appeal our response to your request, where applicable
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights. To exercise your rights, email us at privacy @ forestandember.com with the subject line “Privacy Request.” We may need to verify your identity (and the authority of any authorized agent) before responding.
12) State-specific disclosures (United States)
If you reside in a U.S. state with a comprehensive privacy law, the rights described above apply to you to the extent required by your state’s law. We honor valid opt-out preference signals where applicable. We do not sell or share personal information or use it for targeted advertising.
States with comprehensive consumer privacy laws include (non-exhaustive and evolving): California, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Utah, Iowa, Indiana, Tennessee, Texas, Florida, Montana, Oregon, Delaware, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, Kentucky, and Rhode Island.
13) EEA/UK-specific information (GDPR)
Controller: Forest & Ember LLC (see Section 1)
- Purposes & legal bases: See Sections 4 and 8
- Recipients: Service providers acting under our instructions. No disclosure to independent third parties.
- International transfers: Transfers outside EEA/UK use legally recognized safeguards such as Standard Contractual Clauses. Contact us for details.
- Your GDPR rights: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, objection, and withdrawal of consent where applicable. Right to lodge complaint with local Data Protection Authority.
14) Children’s privacy
Our services and website are not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us information, please contact us so we can delete it.
15) Data breach notifications
We will notify affected individuals and, when required, regulators and/or consumer reporting agencies of a data breach in accordance with applicable laws. If you are a Florida resident, we will provide notifications per Florida law.
16) International users (outside the U.S.)
By interacting with our website or communicating with us, your personal information may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where laws may differ from your country. We use appropriate safeguards (see Section 13) when required by law.
17) Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. We will post the updated version and revise the “Effective date” at the top. Material changes will be noted on this page and, where required by law, we will notify you and/or seek your consent.
18) Contact
Questions about this Policy or our privacy practices? Contact us at:
Forest & Ember LLC
Email: privacy @ forestandember.com
Glossary
- Personal information / personal data: Any information that identifies or relates to an identifiable person (e.g., name, email, IP address).
- Sale / sharing: Disclosing personal information for monetary or other valuable consideration, or for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not do this.
- Service provider/contractor/processor: A company that processes information strictly to provide services to us under contract.