Privacy Policy

MerakiCloud Creative ("we", "us", "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website.

We operate in Canada and this policy is designed to meet the requirements of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada's Accessible Canada Act (ACA), and Ontario's Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). If you have any questions about this policy or your personal information, please contact us using the information below.

1. Information We Collect

We collect only the information we need to respond to your inquiries and improve your experience on our website.

Information You Provide Voluntarily

• Contact form submissions: When you use our contact form, we collect your name, email address, project type, and message.
• Email correspondence: If you email us directly, we collect your email address, name (if provided), and the contents of your message.
• Consent records: We keep a record of any consent you provide, such as agreeing to our privacy policy or cookie preferences.

Information Collected Automatically

• Server logs: Our hosting provider, Netlify, automatically records technical data when you visit our website. This includes your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages visited, and timestamps. These logs are used for security, performance, and website operation. They are collected server-side and are not controlled by browser cookie settings.
• Cookies and similar technologies: We use a small number of essential cookies to remember your cookie preferences and to keep our website secure. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies unless you explicitly accept optional analytics cookies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information only for the purposes for which it was collected:

• To respond to your inquiries and provide quotes or project information.
• To communicate with you about your project, updates, or follow-up questions.
• To maintain and improve our website's security, performance, and accessibility.
• To comply with legal obligations or protect our rights.

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. We do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling.

3. Legal Basis for Processing (Canadian Privacy Law)

Under PIPEDA, we collect, use, and disclose personal information only with your knowledge and consent, and only for purposes that a reasonable person would consider appropriate in the circumstances. We rely on:

• Consent: When you submit the contact form, you consent to us using your information to respond to your inquiry.
• Legitimate interests: For essential website operation, security, and fraud prevention.
• Legal obligation: When required to comply with applicable laws or regulations.

4. Cookies and Analytics

We do not use cookies on this website. We do not load third-party advertising or behavioral tracking cookies, and we do not use client-side analytics tools that store data in your browser.

Netlify Analytics and Server Logs

We use Netlify to host this website. Netlify automatically records server logs, including your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, pages visited, and timestamps. Netlify may also provide aggregated, server-side analytics to help us understand website traffic. Because this data is collected server-side, it is not controlled by browser cookie settings and is not used to personally identify you or build an advertising profile.

5. How We Share Your Information

We only share your information with trusted service providers who help us operate our website and business:

• Netlify: Our website hosting, form processing, and analytics provider. Netlify may process technical logs, form submissions, and aggregated traffic data on our behalf. Netlify is contractually required to protect your information.
• Google Fonts: Used to load our website fonts. Google may receive your IP address when fonts are loaded.

We require any third-party service provider to protect your information and use it only for the services they provide to us.

6. Data Retention and Deletion

We keep your personal information only as long as necessary:

• Contact form submissions: Retained for up to 12 months after our last communication with you, unless you request earlier deletion.
• Email correspondence: Retained for up to 24 months for business and tax record purposes, unless you request earlier deletion.
• Technical logs: Retained by our hosting provider according to their standard retention policies.

7. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

• Request access to the personal information we hold about you.
• Request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete information.
• Request deletion of your personal information (also known as the "right to be forgotten").
• Withdraw your consent at any time, where we rely on consent to process your information.
• File a complaint with the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

8. How to Request Deletion of Your Data

To request access, correction, deletion, or to withdraw consent, please contact us by email. We will respond within 30 days of receiving your request.

Email: nicholas.siapas@gmail.com
Subject line: Privacy Request

Please include enough detail to help us identify your information (for example, the email address you used when contacting us). We may need to verify your identity before processing your request.

9. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. This includes using HTTPS encryption, secure hosting, and limiting access to your information to only those who need it.

10. Accessibility Commitment

We are committed to making our website accessible to everyone. We aim to meet the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.2 Level AA standards, as well as the requirements of the Accessible Canada Act (ACA) and AODA. If you experience any accessibility barriers, please let us know and we will make every reasonable effort to address them.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us and we will delete it promptly.

12. International Transfers

Your information may be processed or stored in Canada or other countries where our service providers operate. We ensure that any transfer of personal information outside of Canada is protected by appropriate safeguards, such as contractual commitments that require a comparable level of protection.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. We will post the updated policy on this page with a revised "Last updated" date. Significant changes will be communicated through a notice on our website.