Privacy Policy

Effective date: January 1, 2025  |  Last updated: May 2025

1. Introduction

This Privacy Policy describes how Gift Card Education Hub ("we," "our," or "the site") collects, uses, and protects information from visitors. This site is operated as a free educational resource about gift cards in the United States and Canada. We are not a financial institution, retailer, or gift card provider.

By using this site, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this policy. We are committed to handling your information responsibly, transparently, and in accordance with applicable privacy law including the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) and Canada's Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Voluntarily

  • Community question submissions: Your first name (optional), email address, question text, and country. Your email address is never displayed publicly. Your question (without your email) may appear publicly with your consent.
  • Contact form submissions: Your name (optional), email address, selected subject, and message text. Used only to respond to your inquiry.

Information Collected Automatically

  • Server access logs: Standard web server logs include your IP address, browser type, referring page, pages visited, and timestamp. These logs are used solely for server security and performance monitoring.
  • No tracking cookies by default: This site does not use advertising cookies or cross-site tracking technologies unless Google Ads is active. See Section 4 for Google Ads disclosure.

3. How We Use Your Information

  • Email addresses: Used solely to respond to submitted questions or contact form messages. We do not send newsletters, marketing emails, or any unsolicited communication.
  • Community questions: The question text (without your email) may be displayed publicly on the Community page and the Home page with your consent, to help other visitors with similar questions.
  • Server logs: Used for site security, debugging, and performance analysis. Not shared with third parties except as required by law.

4. Google Ads Disclosure

This site may display advertisements served by Google Ads (Google LLC). When Google Ads is active:

  • Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your prior visits to this and other websites.
  • Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visit to this site and/or other sites on the internet.
  • You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google's Ad Settings.
  • You may also opt out through the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.

Google's privacy policy governs its use of your data for advertising purposes. We do not control Google's data practices. Our display of advertising does not affect the educational neutrality of our content.

5. Data Retention

  • Community question and contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months after submission, then securely deleted.
  • Server logs: Retained for up to 30 days, then automatically deleted.
  • We do not maintain permanent databases of personal information.

6. Your Rights — United States (CCPA)

California residents have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act, including:

  • Right to know: What personal information we have collected about you
  • Right to delete: Request deletion of your submitted question and email address
  • Right to opt out of sale: We do not sell personal information to any third party

To exercise these rights, use the contact form and select "Privacy Request" as the subject.

7. Your Rights — Canada (PIPEDA)

Canadian residents have rights under the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) and applicable provincial privacy legislation:

  • Right to access: Request a copy of personal information we hold about you
  • Right to correction: Request correction of inaccurate information
  • Right to withdraw consent: Withdraw consent for further use of your information at any time

8. Children's Privacy

This site is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has submitted information through our forms, please contact us using the contact page and we will delete the information promptly.

9. Data Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect the personal information we handle. All communication with this site uses HTTPS encryption. Form submission data is stored in a server-side file accessible only to site administrators. We cannot guarantee absolute security of data transmitted over the internet.

10. Changes to This Policy

We may update this privacy policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. The "Last updated" date at the top of this page indicates when it was last revised. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact

For privacy-related questions or to exercise your rights, use the Contact page and select "Privacy Request" as the subject. We respond within 5 business days.