Spiritual Culture is an educational publication. The exact technologies active on the website may change as hosting, security, analytics, advertising, commenting, and consent tools are updated. This policy describes the categories of data those features may process.
1. Scope
This policy applies to information processed through spiritualculture.org. It does not govern websites, apps, advertisers, or services operated by other organizations, even when we link to or embed them.
2. Information we may collect
Information you provide
- Your name, email address, message, and attachments when you contact us.
- Your display name, email address, website, comment text, and related moderation information when you leave a comment.
- Any other information you choose to include in a correction, rights request, or editorial submission.
Information collected automatically
- IP address, approximate location derived from it, browser, device type, operating system, and language.
- Pages viewed, links used, referring page, timestamps, session activity, and basic interaction or performance data.
- Cookie identifiers, advertising identifiers, consent choices, and security or anti-spam signals where those technologies are enabled.
3. How information may be used
- To deliver pages, remember preferences, and operate website features.
- To respond to messages, corrections, privacy requests, and rights notices.
- To review and moderate comments, prevent spam, detect abuse, and protect the website.
- To understand audience and technical performance so we can improve content and usability.
- To display, measure, and where permitted personalize advertising.
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.
4. Cookies, analytics, and advertising
Cookies and similar technologies may be used for essential operation, preferences, comment convenience, security, audience measurement, and advertising. Some are set by Spiritual Culture and others by service providers whose code appears on a page.
Advertising and analytics partners may use information about your browser or activity to measure visits, limit repeated ads, detect fraud, or select ads. Depending on your location and the website configuration, a consent notice or partner controls may let you accept, reject, or adjust non-essential cookies.
Google explains how it uses information from sites and apps that use its services on its partner sites information page.
5. Comments, avatars, and anti-spam
When you leave a comment, WordPress may process the information entered in the comment form together with your IP address and browser details to help identify spam. If the Gravatar avatar service is active, an anonymized value created from your email address may be sent to that service to check whether you have an avatar. After approval, that avatar may appear publicly beside your comment.
Gravatar is operated by Automattic. You can review the Automattic Privacy Policy.
6. Embedded content and external links
Articles may include videos, maps, social posts, fonts, or other content delivered by third parties. Loading or interacting with an embed can allow its provider to receive your IP address, device information, cookies, or activity as though you visited that provider directly. Their privacy policies govern that processing.
7. When information may be shared
Information may be shared with vendors that provide hosting, content delivery, security, spam prevention, analytics, advertising, email, backups, and technical support. They may process information only for the services they provide and under their own contractual and legal obligations.
We may also disclose information when reasonably necessary to comply with law, respond to valid legal process, investigate abuse, protect rights and safety, or support a merger, acquisition, or transfer of website assets.
We do not sell personal information for money. However, some privacy laws may define certain advertising disclosures as a "sale," "sharing," or targeted advertising. Where applicable, you may use an available consent or advertising control to exercise your choice.
8. Retention
We retain information for as long as reasonably needed for the purposes described here, including publishing and moderating comments, maintaining security records, resolving disputes, meeting legal obligations, and preserving editorial correspondence. Retention periods vary by data type and service provider. We may keep limited records after a deletion request when required for legal, security, or rights-management purposes.
9. Your choices and privacy rights
You can limit cookies through your browser and, where displayed, use the website consent controls. Blocking some technologies may affect comments, video, preferences, or other features. Browser "Do Not Track" signals are not interpreted consistently across the industry.
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or objection; to withdraw consent; or to appeal or complain to a data-protection authority. These rights can be limited by law and may require identity verification. Email us with the subject "Privacy Request" and describe the request and your country or region.
10. International processing
Spiritual Culture serves readers worldwide. Website providers may process or store information in countries other than the one where you live. Those countries may have different privacy laws. Providers are expected to use safeguards required for the transfers they perform.
11. Children
The website is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly ask children under 13 to provide personal information. If you believe a child has submitted personal information, contact us so we can review and delete it where appropriate.
12. Security
We use reasonable administrative and technical measures intended to protect the website and its information. No internet transmission, email, or storage system is completely secure. Please do not send passwords, payment details, identity documents, or other highly sensitive information through ordinary email or comment forms.
13. Policy changes
We may update this policy when website practices, providers, or legal requirements change. The effective date at the top identifies the current version. Material changes will be presented on this page or through another reasonable notice.
14. Contact us
For privacy questions or requests, email contact@spiritualculture.org with the subject "Privacy Request."