Disclosure Statement

This website is written, edited and maintained by me, Shauna Hicks.

This website accepts forms of cash advertising, sponsorship, paid insertions, or other forms of compensation. However such compensation does not alter the nature or content of topics or posts that I make on this website.

Even though I may receive compensation for posts, advertisements or events, I will always give my honest opinions, findings, or experiences on those topics, products or events. The views on this website are entirely my own.

Privacy Policy

Shauna Hicks is the sole owner of the information collected on this website, Shauna Hicks History Enterprises.

My blog is hosted by WordPress.com which is owned by Automattic. You can find their response to the General Data Protection Register legislation here and their Privacy Policy here. WordPress.com uses Akismet spam control to minimise the spam received.

Specifically, the Automattic Privacy Policy includes the following statements:

This Privacy Policy applies to information that we collect about you when you use:

  • Our websites (includingcom, wordpress.com, vip.wordpress.com, jetpack.com,woocommerce.com, polldaddy.com, gravatar.com, intensedebate.com, vaultpress.com, and akismet.com);
  • Our mobile applications (including the WordPress mobile app for Android and iOS);
  • Our other products and services that are available on or through our websites (including WordPress.com plans, WordPress.com VIP, Jetpack, the WooCommerce Services Extension, Gravatar, the IntenseDebate comment management system, and Akismet plans); and
  • Other users’ websites that use our Services, while you are logged in to your account with us.

I only have access to personally-identifying information if you voluntarily give it to me directly or by email. For example, if you comment on the blog, you are asked to provide a name and email address. You also must provide an email address to receive blog posts via email. This is on an opt-in basis: you can refuse to supply personally-identifying information.

I use the information collected when you make a comment, subscribe to receive blog posts by email, surf the website, or use certain other site features in the following ways:

  • To keep the website secure
  • To improve user experience and the website
  • To respond to your requests.

I do not and will not sell or rent your information to anyone, and I will not share any of your information with any third party. This includes my web hosting company and any web developer whose help I might need with a problem on the website. My spam-blocking service, Akismet, has temporary access to blog comments to prevent spam.

I will disclose personally-identifying information if I am ever required to do so by law.

I also collect aggregate data about visitors such as browser type, language preference, referring site and date and time of visit, through WordPress that tracks this information for me, and retains it in log form. This information is not linked to anything personally identifiable.

Protecting your information

The website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities to make your visit to my site as safe as possible.

Your rights to your information

International privacy rules give you rights over personally-identifying information collected for website purposes, including the right to withdraw any consent previously given; the right to review data that has been collected; the right to correct or update your data; the right to have any portable information transferred to another data controller; and the right to have any personally-identifying information erased.

Third-party links

This website, through its blog posts, has links to other websites. I am not responsible for their content or their privacy practices. If you click through to another website, be sure to read its privacy policies before using that other website. I am also not responsible if any content from this website is republished elsewhere without my permission.

Use of Cookies

A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. The website does not use cookies for tracking purposes, but does use the cookies that are part of the WordPress blogging platform to:

  • Understand and save your preferences for future visits
  • Let you share blog posts with social networks like Facebook or Twitter
  • Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions.

You can change your browser settings to warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can turn off all cookies. That may impact some ways the site works for you, for example, you cannot post a comment if you turn off cookies, but you will still be able to read the website content.

Privacy Policy Changes

This Privacy Policy may change from time to time at the website’s sole discretion. You should check this page often for any changes. Your use of the website after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.

For more information

If you need more information or have questions about this privacy policy or want to exercise your rights over your personally-identifying information, please contact me at shauna @ shaunahicks.com.au (no spaces).

Shauna Hicks, Shauna Hicks History Enterprises

Updated: 24 May 2018