Our Identity
Website URL: https://hydrogardencentral.com
Comment Collection
When you leave comments on our site, we gather information provided in the comment form, along with your IP address and browser user agent string to aid in spam detection.
Your email address may be converted into an anonymized string (also known as a hash) and sent to the Gravatar service to verify usage. The Gravatar service privacy policy can be found at https://automattic.com/privacy/. Upon comment approval, your profile image will be publicly displayed alongside your comment.
Image Uploads
If you upload pictures to our website, we recommend avoiding those containing embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Site visitors have the ability to download and extract location data from images on the site.
Cookie Usage
Opting to save your name, email, and website in cookies when leaving a comment streamlines the process for future comments. These cookies remain for one year.
A temporary cookie is set when you access our login page to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie holds no personal data and is removed when you close your browser.
Upon logging in, cookies store your login information and screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, while screen options cookies last for a year. Selecting “Remember Me” extends your login duration to two weeks. Logging out of your account removes login cookies.
Editing or publishing an article triggers an additional cookie in your browser, containing no personal data but indicating the post ID of the recently edited article. This cookie expires after one day.
Third-Party Embedded Content
Our articles may feature embedded content such as videos, images, and articles from other websites, which operate as if you were visiting those sites directly.
These sites may collect your data, use cookies, incorporate third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with the embedded content. This includes tracking your interaction if you have an account and are logged in to their website.
Data Sharing
If you initiate a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
Data Retention
Leaving a comment results in indefinite retention of the comment and its metadata, allowing us to automatically recognize and approve follow-up comments instead of moderating them.
For registered users, we store the personal information provided in their user profile. Users can view, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except for username changes). Website administrators can also access and modify this information.
Your Data Rights
If you have an account or have left comments on this site, you may request an exported file of your personal data that we store, including any data you’ve given us. You may also request the erasure of your personal data. This excludes data required for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
Data Transmission
Automated spam detection services may analyze visitor comments.
Additional Data Collection
We may collect non-personal information, such as the type of browser, operating system, or internet service provider you use. This helps us optimize our site and improve user experience.
Analytics
We may use third-party analytics services, such as Google Analytics, to evaluate and track usage patterns on our site. The data collected is anonymized and used to better understand our audience and enhance the website’s functionality. You can learn more about Google Analytics’ privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy.
Data Protection
We employ appropriate security measures to protect your personal data from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, please note that no security system is entirely foolproof, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external sites not operated by us. We advise you to review the privacy policies of these sites, as we have no control over their content or practices.
Privacy Policy Updates
We reserve the right to update our privacy policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page, and we encourage you to periodically review our policy to stay informed about how we handle your personal information.
Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns regarding our privacy policy, please feel free to contact us through our website or by email at webcontact@hydrogardencentral.com