IELTS Focus privacy and cookie policy
Last update: October 2023
Introduction.
This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their ‘Personally Identifiable Information’ (PII) is being used online. PII, as described in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context.
Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website. This website is also GDPR compliant and asks for consent when users submit their email address so we can send relevant updates and information concerning IELTS.
What personal information do we collect from the people that visit our blog or website?
When ordering an essay correction service, speaking correction service, or registering on our site, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address or payment details to purchase our products. However, this data is kept by our payment processor which is SendOwl, Stripe, or PayPal.
When do we collect information?
We collect information from you when you visit blog posts and comment or enter information such as making a purchase for a writing or speaking correction service.
Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. YouTube videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Provider: Sumo Group Inc.
Purpose: Contacting the User
Personal Data collected: Email address, Trackers, Usage data
Description
By filling in a contact form with Data, the User authorizes this Application to use these details to reply to requests for information, quotes or any other kind of request as indicated by the form’s header.
If this service is installed, it may collect browsing and Usage Data in the pages where it is installed, even if the Users do not actively use the service.
How do we use your information?
We may use the information we collect from you when you register, make a purchase, sign up for our newsletter, respond to a survey or marketing communication, surf the website, or use certain other site features as outlined below:
• To send periodic emails about new IELTS lessons, blog posts or regarding an order (writing correction service) or other products and services. (Oct 2023: we are currently not collecting email addresses)
How long do we retain your data for?
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.
For users that register on our website (if any), we also store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username). Website administrators can also see and edit that information.
If you leave a comment on a blog post it remains with the IELTS focus website as we use the WordPress comments system, which is not shared with other parties.
If you purchase our writing correction or speaking correction service, that payment data is kept by a secure payment processor, which is either PayPal or Stripe. Please refer to their policies for more information on how they store payment data.
How do we protect your information?
Our website uses specialist security software called – Shield Security. This helps to ensure data breaches do not occur and our website and data are protected against hacking attempts and intrusion.
Shield Security protects site visitors and works to block potential hacks while monitoring web traffic and filesystem changes.
IELTS Focus mainly provides articles, lessons, and IELTS related information. We never ask for credit card numbers directly on this site. If purchasing a writing or speaking correction service, credit card information will be required and it will be processed through a 100% safe and secure service such as SndOwl, PayPal, or Stripe who specialise in collecting payments and use a secure SSL certificate and comply to strict security regulations. We also have our own SSL certificate to ensure all website visitors are secure.
Akismet:
We collect information about visitors who comment on Sites that use our Akismet Anti-spam service. The information we collect depends on how the User sets up Akismet for the Site, but typically includes the commenter’s IP address, user agent, referrer, and Site URL (along with other information directly provided by the commenter such as their name, username, email address, and the comment itself).
- This website carries out regular Malware Scanning.
- This website uses an SSL certificate. Credit card payments are processed through a specialised safe and secure service who use their own special SSL certificate. (Stripe and PayPal).
Do we use ‘cookies’?
As you interact with this website, we may use automatic data collection technologies such as Web Beacons. These are small electronic files (also referred to as clear gifs. pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit the Company, for example, to count users who have visited those pages and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content).
It helps us to improve our website and to deliver a better and more personalized service, including by enabling us to:
• Estimate our audience size and usage patterns.
• Customize our website according to your individual interests.
• Recognize you when you return to our website.
You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser settings. Since browser is a little different, look at your browser’s Help Menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies. If you turn cookies off, Some of the features that make your site experience more efficient may not function properly that make your site experience more efficient and may not function properly.
Third-party disclosure.
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your Personally Identifiable Information unless we provide users with advance notice. This does not include website hosting partners and other parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or serving our users, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release information when it’s release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others’ rights, property or safety.
Third-party links
- We do not include or offer third-party products or services on our website.
- We have not enabled Google AdSense on our site but we may do so in the future.
- We have not enabled Google Analytics and do not track users on this website with Google analytics.
California Online Privacy Protection Act.
CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law’s reach stretches well beyond California to require any person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting Personally Identifiable Information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals or companies with whom it is being shared. – See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa/#sthash.0FdRbT51.dpuf
According to CalOPPA, we agree to the following:
You can visit our site anonymously if you choose to turn off cookies in your web browser.
- You will be notified of any Privacy Policy changes on this Privacy Policy Page.
- You can change your personal information by emailing us.
Does our site allow third-party behavioral tracking?
This website may use web beacons (small pixel tags such as a Facebook pixel) which helps us to improve our website and to deliver a better and more personalized service. This is used to count users who have visited pages here and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain website content, finding out who has visited the website via facebook).
COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)
When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under the age of 13 years old, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, United States’ consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children’s privacy and safety online.
- We do not specifically market to children under the age of 13 years old.
Fair Information Practices
The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.
In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
- We will notify the users via in-site notification within 1 business day
We also agree to the Individual Redress Principle which requires that individuals have the right to legally pursue enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or government agencies to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.
CAN SPAM Act
The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.
To be in accordance with CANSPAM, we agree to the following:
- Not use false or misleading subjects or email addresses.
- Identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way.
- Include the physical address of our business or site headquarters.
- Monitor third-party email marketing services for compliance, if one is used.
- Honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests quickly.
- Allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each email.
- If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, follow the instructions at the bottom of each email and we will promptly remove you from ALL correspondence.
Collecting email addresses
As of October 2023 IELTS Focus does not ask for any email addresses, but this may change if we decide to active the subscription newsletter form called ‘SumoMe’.
Akismet Anti-spam service: The information collected depends on how the User sets up Akismet for the Site, but typically includes the commenter’s IP address, user agent, referrer, and Site URL (along with other information directly provided by the commenter such as their name, username, email address, and the comment itself).
Contacting Us
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy, you may contact us using the email below.
IELTS Focus (London Language Lounge)
ray@ieltsfocus.com
Japan