1. Introduction
This Privacy Policy explains how Taciturn Studios LLC ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, stores, and protects personal information when you visit weirdburialstories.com (the "Site"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), and other applicable U.S. and international privacy regulations.
By using the Site, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please discontinue use of the Site.
2. Data Controller
The data controller responsible for your personal information is:
3. Information We Collect
3.1 Information You Provide Directly
When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your name and email address. When you purchase a digital product, we collect your name, email address, and billing information (processed securely by Stripe — we never store raw card numbers). When you submit a contact form or reader story, we collect the content you provide along with your name and email address.
3.2 Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the Site, we automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address (anonymized where possible), browser type and version, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, and the date and time of your visit. This information is collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies described below, including Google advertising cookies on blog and editorial pages.
3.3 Information from Third Parties
We may receive limited information from third-party services we use, such as aggregate analytics data from Google Analytics, advertising measurement data from Google AdSense, payment confirmation data from Stripe, and email engagement metrics from MailerLite.
4. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)
| Processing Activity | Legal Basis |
|---|---|
| Sending newsletters and marketing emails | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) |
| Processing purchases and delivering products | Contract performance (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR) |
| Retaining purchase records for tax compliance | Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c) GDPR) |
| Analytics and site improvement | Legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR) |
| Serving Google advertising and measuring ad performance | Consent (Art. 6(1)(a) GDPR) where required; otherwise legitimate interests |
5. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to operate and improve the Site, fulfill orders and deliver digital products, send transactional emails, send newsletters to subscribers who have opted in, respond to inquiries, serve and measure Google advertising on blog and editorial pages, comply with legal obligations, and detect and prevent fraud or abuse.
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
6. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the Site, understand aggregate site use, and — on blog and editorial pages — serve Google advertising. You can manage cookie preferences through the cookie consent banner and through the choices below.
6.1 Cookie Categories
| Category | Purpose | Consent Required |
|---|---|---|
| Strictly Necessary | Session management, security, consent record | No |
| Analytics | Understanding how visitors use the Site (Google Analytics) | Yes |
| Advertising | Google advertising cookies used by Google AdSense to serve and measure ads | Yes, where required |
6.2 Google Advertising Cookies
This Site uses Google AdSense on blog and editorial pages. Google, as a third-party vendor, uses advertising cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this Site or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on visits to this Site and/or other sites on the Internet.
You can opt out of personalized Google advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also visit aboutads.info to opt out of some third-party advertising cookies from participating companies.
These Google advertising cookies may collect or infer information such as browser type, approximate location derived from IP address, and pages viewed in order to deliver and measure advertisements. Google's practices are described in the Google Advertising Privacy page and the Google Privacy Policy.
6.3 Amazon Affiliate Cookies
This Site participates in the Amazon Associates Program. When you click an Amazon affiliate link, Amazon may set cookies on your device to track purchases for commission attribution. Amazon's practices are governed by Amazon's Privacy Notice.
6.4 Managing Cookies
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling certain cookies may affect Site functionality. Instructions for common browsers are available at allaboutcookies.org.
7. Advertising and Affiliate Disclosure
This Site displays Google AdSense advertising on blog and editorial content pages. The homepage does not include the AdSense snippet unless a later change adds it there. Advertising cookies and related disclosures are described in Section 6.
This Site also participates in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. When you click an Amazon affiliate link and make a qualifying purchase, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links and advertisements are disclosed in accordance with FTC guidelines.
8. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Email subscriber records | Until you unsubscribe; deleted within 30 days of an unsubscribe request |
| Purchase and transaction records | 7 years (tax and accounting compliance) |
| Contact form submissions | Up to 2 years, then permanently deleted |
| Analytics and advertising measurement data | As retained by Google Analytics and Google AdSense under their policies |
| GDPR consent records | 3 years from the date of consent |
9. Data Sharing and Third-Party Services
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We share data only with trusted service providers who help us operate the Site, and only to the extent necessary:
| Service Provider | Purpose | Privacy Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Google Analytics | Site analytics | policies.google.com |
| Google AdSense | Advertising on blog and editorial pages, including Google advertising cookies | policies.google.com |
| Stripe | Payment processing | stripe.com/privacy |
| MailerLite | Email newsletter management | mailerlite.com |
| Resend | Transactional email delivery | resend.com |
| Amazon Associates | Affiliate link tracking | amazon.com |
We may also disclose your information if required by law, court order, or government authority, or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Taciturn Studios LLC, our users, or the public.
10. International Data Transfers
Taciturn Studios LLC is based in the United States. If you are located in the EEA, UK, or another jurisdiction with data protection laws, your personal data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. Where required, we rely on Standard Contractual Clauses or other appropriate safeguards.
11. Your Rights Under GDPR (EEA / UK Residents)
You may request access, rectification, erasure, restriction, portability, or object to processing, and you may withdraw consent where processing is based on consent (including newsletter and advertising cookies). To exercise these rights, email privacy@weirdburialstories.com. We will respond within 30 days. You may also lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority, including the UK ICO at ico.org.uk.
12. Your Rights Under CCPA (California Residents)
California residents may request disclosure of the personal information we have collected, request deletion subject to legal exceptions, and are protected from discrimination for exercising these rights. We do not sell personal information. Submit a request to privacy@weirdburialstories.com. We will respond within 45 days as required by law.
13. AI Chat Assistant
Our website uses an AI-powered chat assistant. Messages are processed to generate responses, and transcripts may be retained for quality assurance and product improvement. Chat transcripts are not sold. You may request deletion of your chat data by emailing privacy@weirdburialstories.com.
14. Children's Privacy
This Site is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected such information, we will delete it promptly.
15. Data Security
We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect personal information, including HTTPS/TLS, Stripe payment processing, and restricted access. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure.
16. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Continued use of the Site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.
17. Contact Us
For privacy-related requests, questions, or to exercise your data rights, contact Taciturn Studios LLC at privacy@weirdburialstories.com. You may also use the contact form. For general company information, visit taciturnstudios.com.