Privacy Policy - Hotrodcadets

Hot Rod Cadets (“we,” “us,” “our”) is committed to safeguarding your personal data and maintaining your trust. We take privacy seriously and apply robust and transparent data protection standards in line with global laws such as the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”).

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you access or interact with our website, www.hotrodcadets.com (“Site”).

1. Our Commitment to Data Privacy and Protection

We are dedicated to protecting your privacy and ensuring compliance with applicable data protection laws and standards. Your personal data is handled responsibly, ethically, and lawfully. We strive to ensure that all data is collected for legitimate business purposes, stored securely, and processed with the utmost care and respect for your rights.

2. Scope of this Policy and Data Controller

This Privacy Policy applies to all users of our Site who access, submit, or are otherwise involved in the exchange of personal data via www.hotrodcadets.com.

For purposes of data protection laws, Hot Rod Cadets operates as the Data Controller where we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data. For any questions or data-related requests, you may contact us at [email protected].

3. Categories of Personal Data We Process

We may collect, process, and store different types of personal data that fall into the following categories:

– Usage Data: Includes information about how you use our Site, such as your IP address, browser type and version, device identifiers, operating system, geographical location, date/time stamps, and session duration.

– Account Data: Includes personal details you provide when signing up or interacting with us, such as your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, and login credentials.

– Profile Data: Includes your interaction history, preferences, feedback, interests, purchase behavior, and lifestyle indicators related to your use of our products or services.

– Communication Data: Includes records of correspondence, inquiries, and customer support communications submitted via email or website forms.

– Technical Data: Includes device information, plug-in versions, internet service provider information, language settings, and other system configurations that help optimize your experience.

– Transaction Data: Includes details about purchases and payments made via the Site or affiliated services, billing information, delivery addresses, and transaction identifiers.

– Preference Data: Includes preferences regarding marketing communications, product interests, and consent settings related to cookies and data usage.

4. Legal Bases for Processing Personal Data

We process personal data under the following lawful bases, as permitted under GDPR and other applicable laws:

– Legitimate Interests: For analytics, business improvement, fraud prevention, and Site functionality.
– Contractual Necessity: When processing is required to fulfill or enter into a contract with you.
– Consent: Where you have explicitly granted permission for specific data processing activities (e.g., marketing emails, cookies).
– Legal Obligations: When processing is required to satisfy legal, regulatory, or statutory requirements.

5. Your Rights under Data Protection Laws

You have the following rights under GDPR, CCPA, and other applicable laws:

– Right of Access: Request details of the data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: Correct any inaccurate or incomplete personal data.
– Right to Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): Request deletion of your personal data in applicable circumstances.
– Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how your personal data is used.
– Right to Data Portability: Receive a structured copy of your data for transmission to another service provider.
– Right to Object: Opt out of processing where processing is based on legitimate interest or for direct marketing purposes.
– Right Not to Be Subject to Automated Decision Making: Decline profiling or decisions made solely by algorithms.

To exercise these rights, contact us at [email protected].

6. Security Measures

We implement comprehensive technical and organizational safeguards to protect your data, including:

– End-to-end encryption of data in transit and at rest
– Secure servers and physically protected data centers
– Role-based access controls to restrict internal data access
– Continuous security awareness training for staff
– Regular audits, vulnerability testing, and incident response protocols
– Automated backups with secure off-site storage

7. International Data Transfers

When transferring personal data outside your jurisdiction, such as to partners or service providers in third countries, we ensure adequate safeguards are in place. These may include:

– Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission
– Certification under recognized data protection frameworks
– Binding corporate rules or explicit user consent

We take appropriate steps to ensure ongoing compliance with applicable regional laws regarding cross-border data transfers.

8. Data Retention

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected, including legal, contractual, and accounting obligations. Standard retention periods are as follows:

– Usage Data: Up to 12 months
– Account Data: As long as your account remains active, and up to 24 months thereafter
– Profile and Preference Data: Up to 24 months post last interaction
– Communication Data: Up to 36 months
– Transaction Data: Retained as required by tax and financial regulations (typically 7 years)
– Cookie Data: Retention periods dependent on cookie type; see below

Upon expiry, data is deleted securely or anonymized for statistical purposes.

9. Cookie Policy

Our Site uses cookies, which are small text files placed on your device to enhance user experience. Cookies fall into the following categories:

– Essential Cookies: Necessary for basic functionality, such as navigation and secure login features.
– Functional Cookies: Enable personalization, such as saving preferences or remembering account settings.
– Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how users interact with the Site, improving performance and usability.
– Performance Cookies: Monitor load times, site errors, and infrastructure functionality.

Cookies are placed either by us or by approved third-party services such as Google Analytics.

10. Cookie Management and Compliance

We provide clear notice and obtain consent before placing non-essential cookies on your device. You can manage cookie preferences using our cookie banner and/or through your browser settings. In compliance with GDPR, we adhere to lawful bases for cookie placement and ensure users can withdraw consent at any time.

CCPA users may opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of data via cookie settings or Do Not Sell My Personal Information links, where applicable.

11. Children’s Data

Our Site and services are not designed for or directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect or solicit personal data from children. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child may have submitted personal information without your consent, please contact us immediately at [email protected] so we may remove such data.

12. Policy Updates

We may revise this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in legal obligations, technologies, or our services. Where material changes are made, we will notify users via prominent notices on the Site or direct communication, where appropriate. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about our privacy practices.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests concerning this Privacy Policy or our handling of your personal data, you may contact us at:

Email: [email protected]

We are committed to full compliance with applicable privacy regulations and are ready to address any inquiries or complaints you may have regarding your personal data.

Thank you for trusting Hot Rod Cadets with your information.