Privacy Policy
AutoGathering (“AutoGathering,” “we,” “us” or “our”) operates www.autogathering.com and its community features. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use and disclose information about you when you visit the website, create an account, post content, contact us or otherwise interact with us (together, the “Services”).
Privacy Policy Summary
Sale of information We do not sell Personal information is not sold, rented or traded
Account required Community features only Guides and articles can be read without an account
Analytics Google Analytics, WP Statistics Used to measure visits and improve the Services
Where data is stored United States And other countries where our providers operate
Your rights Access, correct, delete Requests are answered within 30 days
Privacy contact support@autogathering.com For questions and requests about this policy
Collection of Information
Information You Provide to Us
We collect information you give us directly, including:
- Account information. To use the community features of the Services, you must create an account. When you do, we collect your username, email address and password. You may also choose to add a display name, profile details, a profile photo and a cover image.
- Content you post. We collect the content you submit through the Services, such as comments, activity updates, group posts, photos, friend connections, group memberships and private messages, together with the date and time of each submission.
- Comments. When you leave a comment, we collect the comment itself, the name and email address you provide or that are linked to your account, and your IP address and browser user agent string to help detect spam.
- Communications. When you contact us by email, we collect your email address, your name if you provide it and the contents of your message.
Information We Collect Automatically
When you access or use the Services, we automatically collect certain technical information, including:
- Log and usage information, such as your IP address, browser type, the pages you view, the time and date of your visit and the page you visited before arriving.
- Device information, such as the type of device, operating system and screen size you use to access the Services.
- Information collected through cookies and similar technologies, as described in the Cookies and Analytics section below.
Information from Other Sources
We do not purchase personal information about you from third parties. If you have not uploaded a profile photo, we may check whether a public Gravatar image is associated with your email address, as described under Sharing of Information.
A note on uploaded photos: images taken with a phone or camera can contain embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Anyone who downloads an image from the Services may be able to read this data, so we recommend removing location information before you upload.
Use of Information
We use the information we collect to provide, maintain and improve the Services. In particular, we use it to:
- Create and manage your account, authenticate you when you sign in and send account-related messages such as activation and password-reset emails;
- Display your profile, comments and other content you choose to share, and deliver private messages to their recipients;
- Monitor and analyze trends, usage and activity, so we can decide which content to create and which features to improve;
- Detect, investigate and prevent spam, fraud, abuse and other harmful activity, and enforce our Rules and Terms of Use;
- Respond to your questions, comments and requests;
- Comply with our legal obligations; and
- Carry out any other purpose described to you when the information is collected.
We do not sell, rent or trade your personal information. We do not currently use third-party advertising networks on the Services. If that changes, we will update this Privacy Policy before doing so.
Transfers and Retention
Transfer of Information Outside Your Country
Our servers and service providers are located in the United States and other countries. As a result, your information may be transferred to, stored in and accessed from countries other than the one where you live, which may have different data protection laws. Information held in another country may be accessible to the courts, law enforcement and national security authorities of that country.
Data Retention
We keep personal information for as long as necessary for the purposes for which we collected it, or as required to meet our legal obligations. In general:
- Account and profile information is kept until you delete your account or ask us to delete it;
- Comments, posts and messages are kept until you delete them or your account is removed. Messages you have sent remain in the recipient’s inbox until the recipient deletes them;
- Comment metadata, such as IP addresses used for spam detection, is kept for as long as the comment remains on the Services;
- Emails to us are kept for as long as needed to respond to and resolve your request;
- Google Analytics data is kept according to the retention period set in our Analytics account, which Google limits to a maximum of 14 months for user-level data; and
- Backups of the Services, which may include your information, are limited to three copies, and older copies are deleted as new ones are created.
Your Choices and Rights
Account Information
You may review and update your profile information at any time by signing in to your account. You may also delete your comments, posts and photos, or delete your entire account from your account settings.
Cookies
Most web browsers accept cookies by default. You can usually set your browser to remove or reject cookies, and you can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. If you reject cookies, you will not be able to stay signed in to your account, although public content will remain available.
Email Communications
We send account-related emails, such as account activation, password resets and community notifications. You can change which community notifications you receive in your account settings. We may still send you messages that are necessary to operate your account.
Access, Correction and Deletion
Subject to applicable law, you have the right to request access to the personal information we hold about you, to ask us to correct inaccurate information and to ask us to delete your personal information. You may also withdraw your consent to our processing, although doing so may mean you can no longer use the community features. To make a request, email support@autogathering.com from the address associated with your account so we can verify your identity. We will respond within 30 days. We may retain certain information where required by law or for legitimate purposes, such as resolving disputes or preventing abuse.
Questions or Complaints
Depending on where you live, you may have additional rights under local privacy laws, including Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the European Union and United Kingdom. If you have a concern that we are unable to resolve, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the privacy authority where you live. In Canada, this is the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.
Security, Children and Changes
Security
We take reasonable measures to protect your information from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access. These include encrypted (HTTPS) connections, hashed password storage, email verification of new accounts and filtering of malicious traffic. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. We recommend using a unique password for your account.
Children’s Privacy
The Services are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or legal guardian and believe your child under 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us at support@autogathering.com and we will delete it.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make changes, we will revise the effective date at the top of this page and, for significant changes, may provide additional notice, such as a notice on the Services or an email to members. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.
Privacy FAQ
Does AutoGathering sell personal information?
No. We do not sell, rent or trade personal information, and we do not currently share it with advertising networks.
Do I need an account to use the website?
No. Manufacturer pages, racing circuit guides and articles are available without an account. An account is required only for community features such as profiles, groups and messaging.
Who can see my profile and comments?
Your username, profile, comments and community posts can be seen by other members and, in many cases, by any visitor. Your email address is not displayed publicly.
How do I delete my account?
You can delete your account from your account settings, or email support@autogathering.com and we will delete it for you. Copies in our backups are removed as older backups are replaced.
Can I opt out of Google Analytics?
Yes. You can block cookies in your browser or install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on. Public content on the website will continue to work normally.
How can I request a copy of my information?
Email support@autogathering.com from the address associated with your account. We will verify your identity and respond within 30 days.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us at support@autogathering.com or through our contact page.