Our Privacy Policy
Welcome to Sketchbooks.org (“we,” “our,” or “us”). Your privacy is important to us, and this policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your information when you visit our website.
Use of Website
By accessing Sketchbooks.org, you agree to use the website for lawful purposes. You must not:
- Violate any applicable laws or regulations
- Use our content, images, or services for unauthorized commercial purposes
- Interfere with or disrupt website functionality, including AI scraping or modifications for AI training
Intellectual Property
All website branding, including photographs, text, and graphics, is the property of Sketchbooks.org and contributors mentioned on our Credits Page. This content is protected by copyright and intellectual property laws, and any unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.
User Contributions & Member Submissions
By submitting content (such as comments, reviews, or images), you grant Sketchbooks.org a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, modify, and display that content. You retain full copyright ownership of your work. We may create thumbnails or other display formats to showcase your content on our platform.
Limitation of Liability
We are not responsible for damages resulting from the use of our website, including inaccuracies, errors, or service disruptions. Users assume full responsibility for their interactions with our content.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to external websites. We do not control or endorse the content, policies, or practices of third-party sites, and visiting them is at your own discretion.
Changes to This Policy
We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy at any time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised effective date. Continued use of the website implies acceptance of updated terms.
Comments & Data Collection
When visitors leave comments, we collect the information entered in the comment form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent for spam detection.
If you use the Gravatar service, an anonymized hash of your email may be shared with Gravatar to check your profile image visibility. Learn more about their privacy policy here.
Media Uploads
If you upload images, avoid including embedded location data (EXIF GPS), as website visitors may be able to extract this information.
Cookies
- If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your name, email, and website in cookies for convenience, lasting one year.
- A temporary cookie is set on the login page to check if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and expires when you close your browser.
- When you log in, several cookies store login credentials and screen preferences. Login cookies last two days; screen options cookies last one year. Selecting “Remember Me” keeps your login active for two weeks.
- An additional cookie stores the post ID when editing or publishing an article. This expires after one day.
Embedded Content from Other Websites
Articles may contain embedded content (e.g., videos or images) from third-party websites, which may track your interactions as if you visited those sites directly.
Data Sharing & Retention
- If you request a password reset, your IP address is included in the reset email.
- Comments and their metadata are retained indefinitely for moderation efficiency.
- Registered users can see, edit, or delete their personal data, except for usernames. Administrators also have access to user profiles.
Your Rights Over Your Data
If you have an account or have left comments, you can request an exported file of your personal data. You may also request data deletion, except for records required for legal or security purposes.
Where Your Data Is Sent
Visitor comments may be processed through an automated spam detection service.
Contact Us
For questions about this Privacy Policy, please reach out to us.
