Last Updated: Jan. 11, 2025
[Smoky Mountain Explorer] (“we,” “our,” or “us”) values your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your data when you visit our website, http://smokymountainexplorer.com (the “Site”). By using the Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
Who we are
Our website address is: http://smokymountainexplorer.com.
For privacy concerns, you can contact us at smokymtnexplorer@gmail.com.
What Data We Collect and Why
Data Collected from Google Analytics
We use Google Analytics to gather information about how visitors use our Site. This includes data such as pages visited, time spent on the Site, the type of device and browser used, and general geographic location. The information collected is anonymized and used to analyze trends, improve the Site’s performance, and understand user preferences.
You can learn more about how Google handles your data here: https://policies.google.com/privacy. If you wish to opt out, you can use the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Data from Email Forms
To assist with sending you requested information, we use either Mailchimp or Brevo to collect and store your email address. These services may collect data such as your name, email address, and interaction with our emails. Their privacy policies outline how your data is handled:
You may opt out of receiving emails at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link included in our messages or contacting us directly. Any data collected will only be used to send requested updates or marketing emails in accordance with your preferences.Comments
Data from Comments
When visitors leave comments on the Site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (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.
Data from Media
If you upload images to the Site, avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors to the Site can download and extract location data from images posted online.
Data from Tracking Readers
Cookies
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply records the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after one day.
If you leave a comment on our Site, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address, and website in cookies. These cookies are for your convenience and last for one year.
If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.
When you log in, we will set up several cookies to save your login information and screen display preferences. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. Selecting “Remember Me” will extend login persistence to two weeks. When you log out, login cookies are removed.
If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply records the post ID of the article you just edited. It expires after one day.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. YouTube, Pinterest, WordPress.org, Ads etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website directly. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracing your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged into that website. To learn how to control that information and request deletion, visit the Privacy Policy of the original website.
Data Sent to Advertisers
Adsense: This Site is affiliated with Google Adsense for the purposes of placing advertising on the Site, and they will collect and use certain data for advertising purposes. To learn more about Google Adsense data usage, click here: https://policies.google.com/privacy?hl=en
Mediavine: Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1)
The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website.
First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser’s cache. The “help” feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser’s cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at https://www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies/
Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website.
The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads:
- IP Address
- Operating System type
- Operating System version
- Device Type
- Language of the website
- Web browser type
- Email (in hashed form)
Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor’s referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising.
If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit https://thenai.org/opt-out/. You may also visit http://optout.aboutads.info/#/ and http://optout.networkadvertising.org/# to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the AppChoices app at https://youradchoices.com/appchoices to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out.
For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit https://www.mediavine.com/ad-partners/
Who We Share Your Data With
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email. Visitor comments may also be checked through an automated spam detection service. The data collected may be shared with service providers and others who help with our business operations and assist in the delivery of our products and services including, but not limited to:
The data collected may be shared with service providers and others who help with our business operations and assist in the delivery of our products and services including, but not limited to:
- application development,
- site hosting,
- maintenance,
- data analysis,
- infrastructure provision,
- IT services,
- customer service,
- email delivery services,
- *payment processing,
- marketing,
- analytics, and
- enforcement of our Terms of Service Agreement and other agreements;
- Other users of the site to identify you to anyone to whom you send messages or make comments through the Services;
- Persons or entities with whom you consent to have your Personal Data shared;
- Third parties in order to prevent damage to our property (tangible and intangible), for safety reasons, or to collect amounts owed to us;
- Merchants and payment processors;
- Third parties as we believe necessary or appropriate, in any manner permitted under applicable law, including laws outside your country of residence.
We do this to:
- comply with legal process;
- respond to requests from public and government authorities, including public and government authorities outside your country of residence;
- enforce our Terms of Service Agreement and other agreements;
- protect our operations;
- protect our rights, privacy, safety or property, and/or that of our affiliates, you, or others;
- allow us to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that we may sustain.
We will never sell, rent, or lease your Personal Data to a third party.
How Long We Retain Your Data
If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained for one year. 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.
Analytics data is retained indefinitely.
Contact forms are held for one year.
For all other services, we will retain your Personal Data for the period necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy unless a longer retention period is required or allowed by law.
What Rights You Have Over Your Data
Most advertising networks offer you a way to opt out of Interest Based Advertising. If you would like to find out more information, please visit https://www.aboutads.info/choices/ or https://www.youronlinechoices.com.
If you have an account on this site, or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.
How We Protect Your Data
We use reasonable and appropriate physical, electronic, and administrative safeguards to protect personal data from loss, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction, taking into account the nature of the Personal Data and risks involved in processing that information. This includes:
- Secure hosting services.
- Regularly updated security software and plugins.
- Encrypted data transmission using SSL certificates.
While we strive to protect your data, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. Use the Site at your own risk.
Other Information
Childrens Privacy & Users Under 13 Years of Age
Our Services are not directed to and we do not knowingly collect Personal Data from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that a child under the age of 13 has provided us with Personal Data, we will take steps to remove such data. If you become aware that your child has provided us with Personal Data without your consent, please contact the Privacy Officer. By using the Services, you are representing to us that you are not under the age of 13.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the Site after updates signifies your acceptance of the changes.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Smoky Mountain Explorerain Explorer
Email: smokymtnexplorer@gmail.com
Website: http://smokymountainexplorer.com