1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to provide and improve our educational services:

• Contact Form Submissions: When you contact us via our Fluent Forms contact form, we collect your name, email address, and the content of your message. We use this solely to respond to your inquiry.
• Practitioner Directory Submissions: If you recommend a practitioner for our directory, we collect the practitioner’s name, credentials, and contact details as provided by you.
• Automatically Collected Data: Like most websites, we may automatically receive technical information such as your IP address, browser type, device information, and pages visited.

2. Cookies & Similar Technologies

We use cookies to understand how visitors interact with our site and to improve your browsing experience. Cookies are small text files stored on your device.

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly. These cannot be disabled.
• Analytics Cookies: We use third‑party analytics tools (see Section 3) that set cookies to collect aggregated, anonymous data about site traffic and usage patterns.
• Managing Cookies: You can control or disable cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling certain cookies may affect site functionality. For more information on cookie regulation, see the ePrivacy Directive.

3. Third‑Party Tools & Services

We use the following third‑party services that may collect data as described in their own privacy policies:

• Analytics (e.g., Google Analytics, Hotjar): These tools help us understand user behavior through aggregated, anonymized data such as page views, time on site, and click patterns. They may use cookies and collect IP addresses.
• Fluent Forms: Our contact form is powered by Fluent Forms. Submissions are stored securely and used only to respond to your inquiry.
• Social Media Links: Our site contains links to social media platforms (Twitter/X, Facebook, LinkedIn). Clicking these links takes you to external sites governed by their own privacy policies.

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties.

4. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

• Right of Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data under certain conditions.
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of how we process your data.
• Right to Data Portability: Request transfer of your data to another organization.
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your personal data in certain circumstances.

To exercise any of these rights, contact us at editor@moxibustion.org. We will respond within 30 days.

5. Your Rights Under CCPA

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

• Right to Know: Request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal data we have collected about you in the past 12 months.
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal data, subject to certain exceptions.
• Right to Opt‑Out: We do not sell personal data. However, you may still request confirmation of this.
• Non‑Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any CCPA rights.

To exercise your CCPA rights, contact us at editor@moxibustion.org. We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days.

6. Additional Regulatory References

For further information on data protection laws in Europe, you may also refer to the guidance provided by the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and the European Commission’s Data Protection Overview.

7. Data Retention & Security

We retain contact form submissions and correspondence for up to 24 months for reference and quality improvement. We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction.

8. Children’s Privacy

Moxibustion.org is not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us immediately.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or legal obligations. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page indicates when revisions were made. Continued use of the site after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.