American Traditions Private Community
Effective Date: March 18, 2026
Last Updated: March 18, 2026
American Traditions Private Community (“we,” “us,” “our”) is operated by an individual. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal information responsibly. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, who we share it with, and your rights regarding that information.
By using the Site (american-traditions.org and any subdomains) or any related services, you consent to the practices described in this Policy.
1. Information We Collect
Information you provide directly When you register, update your profile, or interact with the community, we collect:
- Username and password
- Email address
- Profile information you choose to add (e.g., favorite historical era, primary historical interest, state/region of connection, bio)
- Any content you post (comments, forum posts, messages, group activity)
- Payment information (handled securely by Stripe; we do not store full card details)
Automatically collected information
- IP address and approximate location (for security, spam prevention, and basic analytics)
- Device type, browser type, operating system
- Pages visited, time spent, referral sources (via Cloudflare and basic server logs)
- Login/logout timestamps and session activity
We do not collect
- Precise geolocation
- Social media credentials
- Financial information beyond what Stripe processes
- Any sensitive personal data (health, race, religion, etc.) unless you voluntarily include it in your profile or posts (in which case it is treated as User Content)
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Provide, maintain, and improve the Service
- Authenticate accounts and prevent unauthorized access
- Process payments and subscriptions (via Stripe)
- Moderate content and enforce community guidelines
- Send administrative emails (account approval, password resets, subscription changes)
- Respond to support inquiries
- Protect against fraud, abuse, and security threats
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use your data for targeted advertising, profiling, or selling to third parties.
3. Sharing & Disclosure
We do not sell your personal information to third parties. We share data only in these limited circumstances:
- With service providers who assist us (e.g., Stripe for payments, Cloudflare for DNS/security, hosting provider for server logs) — all bound by strict confidentiality
- When required by State or Federal law
- To protect the rights, property, or safety of the Operator, users, or the public (e.g., in cases of abuse, harassment, or illegal activity)
- In connection with a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets (you will be notified)
4. Data Retention
We retain your personal information only as long as necessary:
- Account data: while your account is active + 90 days after deletion (for backup/recovery)
- Payment records: 7 years (legal/tax requirement)
- Logs (IP, activity): up to 12 months (security)
- Posts/comments: indefinitely unless deleted by you or removed by moderation
You may request deletion of your account at any time (contact [email protected]). Some data may remain in backups or logs for a limited period.
5. Your Rights
Depending on your location, you may have rights under applicable privacy laws (e.g., CCPA if California resident, GDPR if EU resident):
- Access your personal data
- Correct inaccurate data
- Delete your data (subject to legal retention obligations)
- Object to or restrict processing
- Portability (receive data in machine-readable format)
To exercise any rights, email [email protected]. We will respond within 30 days (or 45 days under CCPA).
6. Children’s Privacy
The Service is not directed to children under 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we learn we have collected such data, we will delete it promptly.
7. Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data (Cloudflare security, HTTPS, access controls). No system is 100% secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.
8. International Transfers
The Service is hosted in the United States. If you access from outside the U.S., your information may be transferred to and processed in the U.S. By using the Service, you consent to this transfer.
9. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy. Material changes will be communicated by email or a prominent notice on the Site. Continued use after changes constitutes acceptance.
10. Contact
Questions or requests regarding this Privacy Policy may be sent to: [email protected]