Privacy Policy | Brian Shumate

Last Modified: November 1, 2025
Effective Date: November 1, 2025

1. Introduction

Welcome to brianshumate.com (“Website,” “we,” “us,” or “our”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect information when you visit and use our Website.

We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your information responsibly. By using the Website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Website.

2. Information We Collect

Since our Website does not have user accounts or user-generated content, we collect limited information. The information we collect falls into two categories:

2.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

We may collect information you choose to provide when you:

Contact us via email, contact form, or other communication methods
Subscribe to our newsletter or mailing list (if applicable)
Participate in surveys or promotions (if applicable)

This information may include:

Name
Email address
Message content
Any other information you choose to provide

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our Website, certain information is automatically collected through cookies and similar tracking technologies:

Technical Information:

IP address
Browser type and version
Device type (desktop, mobile, tablet)
Operating system
Referring website (the site you came from)
Pages visited on our Website
Date and time of visit
Time spent on pages
Links clicked

Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to collect information about your browsing activities. See Section 5 for more details about cookies.

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

3.1 Information You Provide

To respond to your inquiries and communications
To send newsletters or updates (if you subscribed)
To improve our Website and content
To communicate with you about the Website
To comply with legal obligations

3.2 Automatically Collected Information

To analyze how visitors use our Website (analytics)
To improve Website functionality and user experience
To troubleshoot technical issues
To detect and prevent fraud or security issues
To understand visitor demographics and preferences
To optimize content and layout

3.3 Legal Basis for Processing (for EU/UK visitors)

We process your personal information under the following legal bases:

Consent: When you voluntarily provide information or consent to cookies
Legitimate Interests: To operate, improve, and secure our Website
Legal Obligation: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following limited circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as:

Web Hosting Services: To host and maintain the Website
Analytics Providers: (e.g., Google Analytics) to understand Website usage
Email Service Providers: (e.g., Mailchimp, SendGrid) if we send newsletters
Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): To deliver content efficiently

These service providers are contractually obligated to protect your information and use it only for the purposes we specify.

4.2 Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to:

Valid legal processes (subpoena, court order, warrant)
Requests from law enforcement or government agencies
Protection of our rights, property, or safety, or that of others
Enforcement of our Terms of Service
Investigation of potential violations

4.3 Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, sale of assets, or bankruptcy, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify you via email and/or prominent notice on our Website of any such change in ownership or control.

We may share your information with third parties when you give us explicit consent to do so.

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

5.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember your preferences and understand how you use the site.

5.2 Types of Cookies We Use

Essential Cookies:

Required for the Website to function properly
Cannot be disabled without affecting Website functionality
Examples: Session management, security

Analytics Cookies:

Help us understand how visitors interact with the Website
Collect anonymous usage statistics
Examples: Google Analytics, similar analytics tools

Functionality Cookies:

Remember your preferences and settings
Improve your user experience
Examples: Language preferences, display settings (if applicable)

Third-Party Cookies:

Set by external services embedded on our Website
Examples: Social media widgets, embedded videos (YouTube, Vimeo), advertising networks (if applicable)

5.3 How We Use Cookies

We use cookies to:

Understand which pages are most and least popular
Track how visitors navigate the Website
Identify technical issues
Remember your preferences (if applicable)
Analyze traffic patterns and improve content

5.4 Third-Party Analytics

We use Google Analytics (or specify other analytics tools) to collect information about Website usage. Google Analytics uses cookies to track:

Page views
Session duration
Bounce rates
Geographic location (country/city level)
Device and browser information

Google Analytics does not collect personally identifiable information. For more information about how Google uses data, visit: https://policies.google.com/privacy

You can opt out of Google Analytics by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout

5.5 Managing Cookies

You can control and manage cookies through your browser settings:

Accept or Reject Cookies: Most browsers allow you to accept or reject cookies
Delete Cookies: You can delete cookies already stored on your device
Block Third-Party Cookies: You can block cookies from third-party sites

How to manage cookies:

Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies
Firefox: Settings > Privacy & Security > Cookies
Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies
Edge: Settings > Privacy > Cookies

Please note that disabling cookies may affect Website functionality and your user experience.

5.6 Do Not Track Signals

Some browsers have a “Do Not Track” (DNT) feature. Our Website does not currently respond to DNT signals. We will update this policy if we implement DNT recognition in the future.

6. Third-Party Links and Content

Our Website contains links to third-party websites, resources, and content that we do not own or control. We may also embed third-party content such as:

Social media posts or widgets
Videos (YouTube, Vimeo)
Maps (Google Maps)
Other external content

Important Points:

We Are Not Responsible: We are not responsible for the privacy practices of third-party websites or services
Third-Party Policies Apply: When you click a link or interact with embedded content, that third party’s privacy policy governs their data collection and use
Review Their Policies: We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit
Third-Party Cookies: Embedded content may set cookies on your device according to their own policies

Common Third-Party Services and Their Privacy Policies:

Google (YouTube, Maps, Analytics): https://policies.google.com/privacy
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/privacy/explanation
Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/privacy
[List any other specific third-party services you use]

7. Data Retention

We retain your information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy or as required by law.

Retention Periods:

Contact Inquiries: We retain email correspondence for 1 year after the last communication
Newsletter Subscriptions: We retain your email address until you unsubscribe
Analytics Data: Anonymized analytics data is retained for 24 onths (Google Analytics default is 26 months)
Cookies: Session cookies expire when you close your browser; persistent cookies last for the period specified in the cookie

After the retention period expires, we will delete or anonymize your information in a secure manner.

8. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Our security measures include:

Secure Socket Layer (SSL/TLS) encryption for data transmission
Secure hosting with reputable providers
Regular security updates and monitoring
Access controls to limit who can access information
Secure backup procedures

However, please note:

No internet transmission is completely secure
No system is 100% safe from all possible security breaches
We cannot guarantee absolute security of your information
You transmit information at your own risk

If we become aware of a security breach that affects your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law.

9. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

9.1 Access and Portability

Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you
Request your information in a portable format

9.2 Correction

Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information

9.3 Deletion

Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal obligations)

9.4 Objection and Restriction

Object to or restrict certain types of processing

Withdraw consent for processing based on consent (e.g., marketing emails)

9.6 Marketing Communications

Opt out of marketing emails by clicking “unsubscribe” in any email or contacting us
Note: We may still send you transactional or administrative messages

Manage cookies through your browser settings (see Section 5.5)

How to Exercise Your Rights:

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at brian@brianshumate.com. We will respond to your requestas required by law. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling your request.

10. Children’s Privacy

Our Website is not intended for children under the age of 13 (or 16 in the European Union). We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us at brian@brianshumate.com. We will promptly delete such information from our records.

11. International Data Transfers

Our Website is hosted in the United States. If you are accessing the Website from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located.

For EU/UK Visitors:

If you are located in the European Union or United Kingdom, please note:

Your information may be transferred to countries outside the EU/UK
These countries may not have the same data protection laws as your jurisdiction
We take appropriate safeguards to ensure your information is protected in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable law
By using our Website, you consent to the transfer of your information as described

12. California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: You can request information about the categories and specific pieces of personal information we collected, the sources, the purposes, and the third parties we shared it with.

Right to Delete: You can request deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.

Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information. If this changes, we will update this policy and provide an opt-out mechanism.

Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights.

Information We Collect:

Categories: Identifiers (IP address, email), Internet activity (browsing data)
Sources: Directly from you, automatically collected
Purpose: Website operation, analytics, communication
Sharing: Service providers only (not sold)

To Exercise Your Rights: Contact us at brian@brianshumate.com. We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days.

If you are located in the European Union or European Economic Area, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Legal Basis for Processing:

Consent (for cookies, newsletters)
Legitimate interests (Website operation, analytics, security)
Legal obligation (compliance with laws)

Your GDPR Rights:

Right to access your personal data
Right to rectification (correction)
Right to erasure (“right to be forgotten”)
Right to restrict processing
Right to data portability
Right to object to processing
Right to withdraw consent
Right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

Data Controller: Brian Shumate is the data controller responsible for your personal information.

Data Protection Officer (if applicable): Not applicable for small organizations

EU Representative (if required): Not applicable

To Exercise Your Rights: Contact us at brian@brianshumate.com. We will respond within one month as required by GDPR.

Supervisory Authority: You have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority. You can find your authority at: https://edpb.europa.eu/about-edpb/board/members_en

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors.

When we make changes:

We will update the “Last Modified” date at the top
For material changes, we will provide prominent notice on the Website.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically

Your continued use of the Website after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

15. Contact Us

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

Brian Shumate

Email: brian@brianshumate.com

Response Time: We aim to respond to all inquiries within [5-10 business days].

By using our Website, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection, use, and disclosure of your information as described herein.