Look, we get it - nobody actually enjoys reading privacy policies. But since we're asking you to trust us with your project dreams and personal details, you deserve to know what happens with that stuff. We've kept this simple because that's how we roll.
When you reach out to us or fill out a form on our site, we'll collect the basics - your name, email, phone number, and whatever details you share about your project. If you're subscribing to our newsletter, we just need your email.
We also grab some technical stuff automatically (like your IP address and browser type) through cookies. This helps us figure out if our website's actually working properly and where visitors are coming from. Nothing creepy, just standard web analytics.
For actual clients, we'll obviously collect more detailed info - project specifications, site details, budget ranges, that sort of thing. But that's all part of doing the work you've hired us for.
Pretty simple, really. We use your contact info to respond to your inquiries and stay in touch about your project. If you've signed up for our newsletter, we'll send you updates about our work and occasional insights from the studio.
The technical data helps us improve the site - seeing which pages people actually look at, fixing broken links, making sure things load properly on mobile. Basic maintenance stuff.
We might also use aggregated data (completely anonymized) to understand trends in what kind of projects people are interested in. But we're not selling your info or anything sketchy like that.
We don't sell or rent your personal information. Period. That's not our business model and frankly, we think it's gross.
That said, we do work with a few trusted service providers - our email hosting service, website analytics tools, and cloud storage for project files. These companies only get access to the data they need to do their job, and they're all bound by confidentiality agreements.
If we're legally required to share information (like through a court order), we'll comply with the law. But we'll notify you first if we're allowed to.
For project work, we might share relevant details with consultants, engineers, or contractors who are part of your team. But that's all part of getting your building designed and built properly.
Yeah, we use cookies. They help the site remember your preferences and let us see how people use the site. Most browsers accept cookies automatically, but you can change your settings to block them if you want.
We use Google Analytics to understand traffic patterns - it's industry standard stuff. You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing their browser add-on if that bothers you.
No third-party advertising cookies though. We're not tracking you around the internet or serving you ads based on your visit here. That's not our scene.
It's your data, so you've got options:
- Access: Want to know what info we have about you? Just ask.
- Correction: If something's wrong or outdated, let us know and we'll fix it.
- Deletion: Want us to delete your data? We can do that (unless we're legally required to keep it).
- Unsubscribe: Every newsletter has an unsubscribe link. One click and you're done.
- Opt-out: Don't want marketing emails? Tell us and we'll stop.
Under Canadian privacy laws (PIPEDA), you've got specific rights about your personal information. If you want to exercise any of these rights, shoot us an email at studio@aetherionforge.info and we'll sort it out.
We take security seriously. Your data's stored on secure servers with encryption, and access is limited to team members who actually need it for their work.
We use industry-standard security measures - SSL encryption for data transmission, regular backups, secure passwords, all that good stuff. Our team's trained on data protection, and we review our security practices regularly.
That said, no system's 100% bulletproof. We do our best, but we can't guarantee absolute security. If there's ever a data breach that affects you, we'll let you know right away and tell you what we're doing about it.
We keep your information for as long as we need it. For potential clients who inquired but didn't move forward, we'll typically keep your contact info for about two years in case you circle back.
For actual project clients, we're required to keep project files and related documentation for at least seven years after project completion - that's standard practice in architecture and covers us (and you) if any issues come up down the road.
Newsletter subscribers stay on the list until they unsubscribe. Analytics data is typically anonymized and aggregated, so it's not really "your" data anymore after processing.
Our site might link to other websites - manufacturer sites, supplier pages, project partners, whatever. Once you click through to another site, this privacy policy doesn't apply anymore.
We try to link to reputable sites, but we can't control their privacy practices. Check their policies if you're concerned about how they handle data.
We might update this policy occasionally - new laws, new tools, new practices, whatever. When we do, we'll update the date at the top and post the new version here.
If there's a major change that affects how we use your data, we'll send an email to let you know. But honestly, we're not planning any dramatic shifts. This is pretty much how we operate.
If something in here doesn't make sense, or you've got questions about how we handle your information, just reach out. We're happy to talk through it.
Email: studio@aetherionforge.info
Phone: (604) 555-0147
Mail: 1420 West Georgia Street, Suite 800, Vancouver, BC V6G 2Z3
If you're not satisfied with how we've handled a privacy concern, you can also file a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. But hopefully it won't come to that - we'd rather just talk it through.
The Bottom Line
We collect what we need to do our job well, we keep it secure, we don't sell it, and we're transparent about what we're doing. If you've got concerns or questions, talk to us. That's really all there is to it.