At The Bound Society, we take your privacy seriously. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website and use our services.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information that you voluntarily provide when you:

• Create an account or subscribe to our service
• Make a purchase or payment
• Contact us with questions or feedback
• Participate in our Discord community
• Take our house sorting quiz

This information may include:

• Contact Information: Name, email address, shipping address, phone number
• Payment Information: Credit card details (processed securely through our payment processor)
• Account Information: Username, password, house assignment, reading preferences
• Communication Data: Messages, feedback, and correspondence with us

Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information:

• Usage Data: Pages visited, time spent, links clicked
• Device Information: IP address, browser type, operating system
• Cookies: Small data files stored on your device (see Cookies section below)

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide Our Service: Process subscriptions, ship monthly boxes, manage your account
• Process Payments: Handle billing and payment transactions securely
• Communicate With You: Send order confirmations, shipping updates, and service announcements
• Improve Our Service: Analyze usage patterns, gather feedback, enhance user experience
• Personalize Experience: Customize content based on your house and reading preferences
• Marketing: Send newsletters and promotional materials (you can opt-out anytime)
• Legal Compliance: Comply with legal obligations and protect our rights

3. How We Share Your Information

We do NOT sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their marketing purposes. Period.

We only share your information with trusted service providers who help us operate our business, and only to the extent necessary. These providers are:

Service Providers

• Payment Processors: To handle secure payment transactions (e.g., Stripe, PayPal)
• Shipping Partners: To deliver your monthly boxes (e.g., USPS, UPS)
• Email Services: To send you communications (e.g., Mailchimp, ConvertKit)
• Website Hosting: To host and maintain our website

Authors

We may share aggregate, non-identifying data with featured authors (e.g., “200 members received your book”) but never share personal information without your explicit consent.

Legal Compliance

We may disclose your information if required by law, court order, or to protect our legal rights.

What We DON’T Do With Your Information

To be absolutely clear, we will NEVER:

• Sell your personal information to data brokers or marketing companies
• Rent your email address to other businesses
• Share your reading preferences or purchase history with anyone outside our service providers
• Provide your contact information to authors without your explicit permission
• Use your information for purposes other than providing The Bound Society service

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Remember your preferences and settings
• Keep you logged into your account
• Analyze website traffic and usage patterns
• Provide personalized content

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Note that disabling cookies may limit your ability to use certain features of our website.

5. Your Rights and Choices

Access and Update

You can access and update your account information at any time by logging into your account or contacting us.

Marketing Communications

You can opt-out of marketing emails by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of any promotional email or by contacting us directly.

Data Deletion

You can request deletion of your personal information by contacting us at hello@theboundsociety.com. Note that we may retain certain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes.

GDPR Rights (EU Residents)

If you are located in the European Union, you have additional rights:

• Right to access your personal data
• Right to correct inaccurate data
• Right to delete your data (“right to be forgotten”)
• Right to restrict processing
• Right to data portability
• Right to object to processing
• Right to withdraw consent

CCPA Rights (California Residents)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to:

• Know what personal information we collect
• Know whether we sell or disclose your information
• Access your personal information
• Request deletion of your information
• Opt-out of the sale of your information (we don’t sell information)
• Non-discrimination for exercising your rights

6. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information, including:

• Encryption of sensitive data (SSL/TLS)
• Secure payment processing
• Regular security assessments
• Limited access to personal information

However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Children’s Privacy

Our service is not intended for individuals under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (e.g., author websites, social media). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of these third parties. Please review their privacy policies separately.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of significant changes by:

• Posting the updated policy on our website
• Updating the “Last Updated” date
• Sending an email notification for material changes

10. Contact Us

If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us:

11. International Users

If you are accessing our service from outside the United States, please note that your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States. By using our service, you consent to this transfer.

12. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes
• Enforce our agreements

When your subscription ends, we may retain certain information for a reasonable period for business and legal purposes.