Privacy Policy

Effective March 1, 2025

Your Privacy Rights & How We Handle Your Information

We respect your privacy and want to be transparent about how we collect, use, and protect your personal information. This policy explains your rights and how you can exercise them under applicable privacy laws.

The Crime Scene Society (www.thecrimescenesociety.com) (“company,” “I,” “we,” or “us”) is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy outlines what data we collect from you when you visit www.thecrimescenesociety.com (referred to as the “website”) and how we use it. The term “you” applies to anyone who visits, browses, or interacts with the website.

By accessing and using this website, you acknowledge and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If we make any updates to this policy, your continued use of the website signifies your acceptance of those changes.

IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH THIS PRIVACY POLICY, REFRAIN FROM USING THE WEBSITE, BY USING THE WEBSITE YOU ARE AGREEING THAT YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THIS POLICY AND AGREE WITH ALL CONDITIONS SET FORTH HEREIN.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to:

Provide and manage our services.
Process payments and transactions.
Respond to inquiries and provide customer support.
Improve our website, content, and marketing.
Personalize your experience.
Send promotional content (if you opt-in).
Prevent fraud and maintain security.
Comply with legal obligations.

We do not sell your personal information to third parties.

How We Collect Information

We collect data from:

Direct interactions (e.g., when you provide information on our website)
Cookies and tracking technologies
Service providers and business partners
Public sources and social media (if you engage with our content)

Your Choices & Opt-Out Rights

Do Not Sell or Share My Information: While we do not sell data, you still have the right to opt out of certain data-sharing activities. Contact us at thecrimescenesociety@gmail.com to make a request.
Email Marketing: You can unsubscribe from marketing emails by using the "unsubscribe" link in our emails.
Cookies & Tracking: You can adjust your browser settings to manage or disable cookies.

How We Protect Your Data

We take commercially reasonable security measures to protect your information. However, no method of online transmission is 100% secure. If you make a purchase on our site, payment details are handled by a third-party vendor—we do not store this data.

By using our website, you agree that we are not liable for unauthorized access, security breaches, or data disclosures beyond our control.

How Long We Keep Your Information

We retain your information for as long as necessary to:

Provide our services.
Comply with legal and accounting requirements.
Resolve disputes.
Enforce our agreements.

Once no longer needed, we securely delete or anonymize the data.

Children’s Privacy

We prioritize the privacy of minors, and in this context, a “child” is defined as anyone under the age of 13. The content and services on this website are designed for individuals aged 18 and older. Children under 18 are not permitted to use this website. We do not knowingly collect, use, or share personal information from individuals under 18 without parental or guardian consent. If you suspect that a child under 18 has provided us with personal data without such consent, please reach out to us so that we can remove the information.

Information We Collect and How It’s Used

When you interact with the website, you may voluntarily provide personally identifiable information, including but not limited to your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, avatar image, and payment details when making a purchase.

This data is collected when you:

Register an account on the website
Place an order
Subscribe to our newsletter
Reach out to us via contact forms or live chat
Use the website’s search function
Leave comments, feedback, or participate in discussions
Fill out forms or participate in surveys we may offer

This information helps us improve our services, process transactions, and enhance your experience on the website.

How We Use Your Personal Information

Your personal data is used to enhance your experience, optimize the website’s functionality, provide customer support, process transactions efficiently, and tailor advertisements to your preferences. Additionally, we may use this information to request feedback on our services or products, extend special offers and promotions, and follow up with you via email, live chat, or phone. We may also share promotional offers from our affiliates or partners in exchange for a commission at no extra cost to you.

Google Analytics

Like many websites, we automatically collect certain data through Log Data and Google Analytics. Log Data includes details such as your computer’s Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, Internet Service Provider (ISP), operating system, and other technical specifications. Google Analytics also gathers insights regarding your location, browsing history, visited pages, device type, website traffic patterns, and general user behavior.

This data helps us analyze user interests, monitor website performance, and improve our services to enhance your experience. For more details on how Google handles data, please refer to Google’s Privacy and Terms.

Comments and Social Media

If you leave a comment on our website, both the comment and its metadata are stored indefinitely. This allows us to recognize and approve follow-up comments automatically rather than holding them in a moderation queue. Your name, email address, and website (if provided) are not shared with third parties and may only be used for communication purposes.

Our website includes social media features and sharing options. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube may collect personal information when you interact with us. By engaging with us on social media, you voluntarily disclose your personal data, which then becomes public and may be collected or used by others. We do not control how social media platforms or third parties use, store, or distribute this information.

Engaging with us through comments or social media does not make us liable for any misuse of your publicly shared information by others.

Use of Cookies

This website may use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small data files, including an anonymous unique identifier, that a website stores on your device when you visit. Like many websites, we automatically collect non-personally identifiable data such as your IP address, geographic location, language preference, and the date and time of visits.

If you leave a comment, you may choose to save your name, email address, and website in cookies for convenience, so you don’t have to re-enter your details for future comments. If you log into an account on this site, we will set a temporary cookie to check whether your browser accepts cookies. This cookie does not store personal data and is deleted when you close your browser.

Cookies help us personalize your experience, analyze website traffic, remember your preferences, serve targeted advertisements, and support affiliate marketing efforts. This data is solely used to enhance your experience on our website. You have the option to disable cookies in your browser settings; however, doing so may limit your access to certain features and content.

In addition to cookies, third parties may use web beacons—also known as clear GIFs, web bugs, or pixel tags—to gather general information about your website usage. These tools help track user behavior and may be used by advertising networks to serve personalized ads based on your interests.

We may also use social media pixels to collect data in compliance with platforms like Facebook and Twitter. This data may be used for advertising, remarketing, conversion tracking, and audience targeting. Platforms such as Facebook may use their own cookies and tracking technologies to show you ads related to our website. If you visit our website, you may later see our ads on Facebook or other platforms.

Third-Party Links and Embedded Content

This website may include links to third-party products, services, or websites. Once you click a third-party link and leave our website, our Privacy Policy and Terms no longer apply.

Some articles may contain embedded content, such as videos, images, or advertisements, from external websites. This embedded content behaves just as if you were visiting the originating website, which may collect your data, use cookies, track interactions, and monitor activity—especially if you have an account and are logged into that site.

We may use third-party advertising services such as Google AdSense, which employs cookies to serve ads based on prior website visits. You can manage or opt out of Google’s advertising practices through their privacy settings.

We do not control third-party sites, and they operate under their own privacy policies. We are not responsible for their activities, data practices, or any issues that arise from your use of their services. You assume all risks when interacting with third-party websites.

Disclosure of Your Information

As a general policy, we do not share your personal information with third parties without your consent, except in the following cases:

Trusted Service Providers: We may share your data with website hosting partners, email marketing providers, and other service providers that assist in operating our website or delivering products and services to you.
Legal Compliance: We may disclose information when required to comply with state or federal laws, including copyright claims or other legal proceedings.
Business Transfers: If the website undergoes a merger, acquisition, restructuring, or partial sale, your information may be transferred to the acquiring party in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Email Marketing

You may choose to subscribe or unsubscribe from our email list at any time. By opting in, you agree to receive newsletters, updates, promotional materials, and other content related to this website. If you send us an email, your message, email address, and responses may be stored for communication purposes. We keep this information confidential and do not sell, share, or trade it with third parties, except as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

We do not specifically target individuals in the European Union (EU) and do not intend to offer goods or services to EU residents under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

For EU residents: If you opt in to receive free content or purchase products/services from us, you must give explicit consent to receive our email newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time (see the Opt-Out section).
For non-EU residents: If you opt in for free content or make a purchase, you will be automatically subscribed to our free email newsletter. You can unsubscribe at any time.

Opt-Out

We comply with the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003 and do not engage in spam or misleading communications. If you no longer wish to receive emails from us, you may unsubscribe by clicking the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of our emails or by contacting us directly.

For third-party websites, please contact them directly to manage your email preferences or unsubscribe from their communications.

We are GDPR-compliant, along with the email marketing service we use to collect your data.

Compliance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA)

We adhere to Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), which governs how personal data is collected, used, and shared. PIPEDA requires us to inform you about the reasons why we gather your personal information, how it is utilized, and under what circumstances it may be disclosed. You also have the right to access the personal data we store about you and to receive details about how it is being used or shared. We take appropriate security measures to safeguard any personal information you provide.

GDPR Visitor Rights

If you reside in the EU, you have specific rights under the GDPR regarding your personal data:

Data Retention – We store your data until:
- You request deletion (which may limit access to content you previously received) at thecrimescenesociety@gmail.com
- We discontinue using our data providers.
- The website ceases operations.
- The data is no longer relevant or cost-effective to maintain.
Your Rights Under GDPR:
- Access: You can request to see what personal data we store about you.
- Correction & Deletion: You may request corrections or complete removal of your data.
- Processing Restrictions: You can request limits on how your data is processed.
- Objection to Processing: You can object to certain uses, including direct marketing, profiling, or research.
- Data Portability: You can request your data in a transferable format.
- Withdraw Consent: You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior lawful processing.
- File a Complaint: You may file a complaint with the appropriate regulatory authority regarding GDPR violations.

We only request information necessary to provide services to you and will not require unnecessary data processing as a condition of service.

Legal Basis for Processing Data (GDPR)

Under GDPR, we may process your data based on the following legal grounds:

Consent: You have given clear consent for specific purposes.
Contractual Necessity: Data processing is required to fulfill a contract with you.
Legal Obligation: Data processing is necessary for legal compliance (e.g., tax records).
Vital Interests: Data processing is necessary to protect your life or health.
Public Interest: Data processing is required for public tasks or official duties.
Legitimate Interests: Data processing is necessary for business operations, such as marketing.

State Privacy Rights

Certain state laws may grant additional privacy rights regarding how we use your personal data. These rights vary based on your location and applicable laws.

Your Privacy Rights by State (State-Specific Privacy Rights)

Certain U.S. states provide residents with specific rights regarding their personal information. If you live in California, Colorado, Connecticut, Virginia, or Utah, you have the right to:

Confirm whether we process your personal data.
Access and request deletion of certain personal data.
Request a copy of your personal data in a portable format.
Opt out of data processing for targeted advertising or sales.

Additionally, residents of California, Colorado, Connecticut, and Virginia can:

Request corrections to inaccurate personal data.
Opt out of profiling that impacts legal or similarly significant decisions about them.

Nevada residents have a limited right to opt out of certain personal data sales. However, this does not apply to all types of data, such as medical or financial information. We do not currently sell data that would trigger Nevada’s opt-out requirements.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at thecrimescenesociety@gmail.com with your name, email address, and mailing address.

California and Delaware law require The Crime Scene Society to indicate whether it honors “Do Not Track” settings in your browser. The Crime Scene Society does not monitor or respond to Do Not Track browser requests because there currently isn’t an industry or legal standard for recognizing or honoring them. We await the result of work by the privacy community and industry to determine when such a response is appropriate and what form it should take.

California’s "Shine the Light" Law

California residents can request details about how we share certain categories of information with third parties for marketing purposes. While we do not sell personal information, we may share limited data with service providers to help operate our website and services.

To make a request, contact thecrimescenesociety@gmail.com.

California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) & California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA) Compliance

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under CCPA/CPRA, including:

The right to know what categories of personal information we collect, sell, or disclose.
The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal information. If under 16, you must opt in, or a parent/guardian must do so on your behalf.
The right to access your personal information, which we will provide within 30 days of request.
The right to know how your personal information is collected and used (as outlined in this Privacy Policy).
The right to correct inaccuracies in your personal information.
The right to delete your personal information (with certain exceptions).
The right to equal service and price, with no discrimination based on privacy choices.
The right to data portability, meaning you can request and use your data elsewhere.
The right to limit the use and disclosure of sensitive personal information.

Categories of Personal Information Collected & Disclosed

Over the past 12 months, we may have collected and disclosed the following categories of personal information for business purposes:

Identifiers – Name, email, address, phone number.
Protected classification characteristics – Age, gender, disability information (if provided).
Commercial information – Purchase history, product/service usage.
Internet/network activity – IP address, browser type, search history, device information.
Geolocation data – Approximate location data based on website interactions.
Sensory information – Audio, electronic, photo, or video content you provide.
Professional/employment information – Job history, employer details (if applicable).
Inferences – Interests, preferences, or behavioral patterns based on interactions.
Other personal information – Information you provide when filling out forms, posting comments, making purchases, or creating an account.

Sensitive Personal Information:

We do not collect social security numbers, driver’s license numbers, passport details, or biometric data (such as fingerprints or faceprints).
We do not collect education records such as grades or transcripts.

California Privacy Rights (CCPA & CPRA)

If you live in California, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and the California Privacy Rights Act (CPRA). These rights include:

The right to know what categories of personal data we collect, sell, or share.
The right to opt out of the sale or sharing of your personal data. (We do not sell your personal data.)
The right to access the personal data we have about you.
The right to know how your data is collected and used.
The right to request corrections to inaccurate personal data.
The right to request the deletion of your personal data (with some exceptions).
The right to receive equal service and pricing without discrimination.
The right to data portability (to receive a copy of your data for your own use).
The right to limit the use and disclosure of your sensitive personal data.

To make a privacy-related request, email thecrimescenesociety@gmail.com with sufficient details to verify your identity. You may also authorize someone to act on your behalf.

Categories of Personal Information We Collect

We may collect and disclose the following types of personal information for business purposes:

Identifiers: Name, email, mailing address, phone number.
Protected Characteristics: Age, gender, disability status (if provided).
Commercial Data: Purchases, interactions with our services.
Internet/Network Data: IP address, search history, browser/device details.
Geolocation Data: Approximate physical location.
Sensory Data: Photos, audio, or video you share with us.
Inferences: Preferences, interests, and behavioral insights based on your activity.
Other Information You Provide: Form submissions, account login details, customer service interactions.

We do not collect biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, genetic data) or sensitive personal identifiers like Social Security numbers.