Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy explains what information Blue Apple Books (“Blue Apple Books,” “we,” or “our”) collects about you when you visit this website www.blueapplebooks.com and any other websites and online services we operate on behalf of our authors (collectively, the “Site”), how we use this information, with whom we share it, and the choices you have in connection with this.
WHAT INFORMATION WE COLLECT ABOUT YOU
Through your use of our Site, we collect personal information, which is information that identifies you as an individual or relates to you as an identifiable individual (“Personal Information”).
A. Information You Provide Directly to Us.
When you engage with certain features of our Site, we will request Personal Information from you. The Personal Information you provide in each of the below instances is such that we need in order to accommodate your request or provide you a specific service. If you do not provide us with your Personal Information, we will not be able to fulfill your request or provide you with the service. We collect Personal Information from you when you:
- Contact us. When you send us a question or inquiry, or ask for technical or other support, you will need to provide us with your name, email address, and affiliated organization. We collect this information to fulfill your request for additional information from us.
- Engage in social media giveaways. If you participate in our social media giveaways, we may collect your name, email address, and mailing address. We collect this Personal Information in order to fulfill the giveaway.
B. Information Collected Automatically.
In addition to the Personal Information you provide directly to us, we and our third-party providers may use cookies and other technologies to automatically collect certain information about you when you interact with the Site or our emails.
Cookies are text files that your browser places on your device when you visit a website. Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” cookies. Persistent cookies stay on your device for a set period of time or until you delete them, while session cookies expire when you close your web browser. The technologies deployed on our Site collect the following information:
- Usage Information. We may collect certain information about your use of the Site, such as a reading history of the pages you view, your search terms and search results, time of access, date of access, software crash reports, session identification number, access times, and referring website addresses.
- Device Information. We may collect certain information about your device that you use to access the Site, unique device identifiers, browser type, browser language, hardware model, operating system, and your Site preferences.
- Location Information. We may collect information about your location, which may be determined through your IP address.
We collect this information as part of our legitimate interest to improve the functionality and efficiency of our website. To collect this information, we use the following cookies on our Site for the following purposes:
- Strictly Necessary Cookies. These cookies are required for making use of our Site. These cookies include security cookies to authenticate users, prevent fraudulent use of our Site, and protect user data from unauthorized parties. Our strictly necessary cookies allow our Site to function and allow you to use the features of our Site.
- Functional Cookies. These cookies enable our Site to provide enhanced functionality and personalization for you. We use functional cookies to remember your preferences, diagnose server and software errors, and in cases of abuse, track and mitigate the abuse.
- Analytics Cookies. Our analytics providers uses cookies as part of their tools. These analytics cookies allow us to recognize and count the number of users to the Site, see how users interact with the Site and different Site functions, and when users are using the Site. This helps us to improve our Site and the services offered thereon.
Particular third-party cookies on our Site to note include:
- Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics to collect information on your use of the Site to improve our Site. In order to collect this information, Google Analytics may set cookies on your browser, or read cookies that are already there. Google Analytics may also receive information about you from applications you have downloaded that partner with Google. We do not combine the information collected through the use of Google Analytics with personally identifiable information. Google’s ability to use and share information collected by Google Analytics about your visits to our Site or to another application which partners with Google is restricted by the Google Analytics Terms of Use and the Google Privacy Policy. To prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics, you can download the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on for Google Analytics.
HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
We use the Personal Information we collect about you to provide requested services, improve our Site and services, and to protect our legal rights. Specifically, we use the Personal Information we collect in the following ways:
We use your Personal Information for the following purposes as necessary to provide the requested services to you and perform our contract with you:
- Communicate and provide support. We use Personal Information to communicate with you about our Site and the services offered thereon, respond to your questions or inquiries, inform you of any changes to our Site, or to provide you with any other support or services you request.
We may also use your Personal Information to defend our rights and the rights of others, efficiently maintain our business and to comply with the law as described in WITH WHOM WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION. This is part of our legitimate interest in the performance of our contractual obligations, protection of legal rights, compliance with legal obligations, and protection of the rights of Site users and other individuals.
WITH WHOM WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
We share your Personal Information for the purposes set forth below:
- Third Party Service Providers. We share Personal Information with third-party service providers that perform functions on our behalf, such as hosting, IT Support, data analytics, marketing, analytics, email communications, customer service, and fraud protection. We do this as part of our legitimate interest in providing our Website and services offered thereon efficiently.
- Within Blue Apple Books. We may share Personal Information within our corporate family, such as with subsidiaries, joint ventures, or affiliates, in order to efficiently carry out our business and to the extent permitted by law. We do this as part of our legitimate interest in carrying out our business operations efficiently.
- When Required By Law or In Emergency Situations. We may share Personal Information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to (a) conform to applicable law or comply with legal process served on us or the Site; (b) protect and defend our rights or property, the Site or our users, and (c) act under emergency circumstances to protect the personal safety of us, our affiliates, agents, or the users of the Site or the public. We do this in order to comply with the law and our legitimate interest in the prevention of fraud, compliance with legal obligations, and the protection of the rights of others.
- Corporate Reorganization. In the event that we enter into, or intend to enter into, a transaction that alters the structure of our business, such as a reorganization, merger, acquisition, sale, joint venture, assignment, consolidation, transfer, change of control, or other disposition of all or any portion of our business, assets or stock, we would share personal information with third parties, including the buyer or target (and their agents and advisors) for the purpose of facilitating and completing the transaction. We would also share Personal Information with third parties if we undergo bankruptcy or liquidation, in the course of such proceedings. We do this as part of our legitimate interest in carrying out our business operations.
- With Your Consent. We may request your permission to share your Personal Information for a specific purpose. We will notify you and request consent before you provide the Personal Information or before the Personal Information you have already provided is shared for such purpose.
- Non-Identifiable or Aggregated Information. We may share non-identifiable or aggregated information with third parties for lawful purposes.
HOW LONG WE KEEP YOUR INFORMATION
We will retain your Personal Information until the later of (i) the information is no longer necessary to accomplish the purpose for which it was provided, or (ii) there is no ongoing business reason to keep the information. We will retain your Personal Information for longer periods for specific purposes to the extent that we are obliged to do so in accordance with applicable laws and regulations, it is necessary to protect our legal rights, or for tax or accounting purposes. Below are some more specific reasons we would retain some data for longer periods of time:
- Security, fraud & abuse prevention. For example, to protect you, other people, and us from fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access.
- Complying with legal or regulatory requirements. To meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or enforceable governmental request, as required to enforce our terms of service, including investigation of potential violations
- Direct communications with us. If you have directly communicated with us, through a customer support channel, feedback form, or a bug report, we may retain reasonable records of those communications.
YOUR INFORMATION CHOICES
Access, Correct, or Delete Your Personal Information. To access, correct, or delete your Personal Information in our possession, please email us at info@blueapplebooks.com.
Google Analytics. You can control the information provided to Google and opt-out by using one of the methods set forth here. You can also download the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on for Google Analytics which can be found here.
Cookies. All session cookies expire after you close your browser. Persistent cookies can be removed by following your browser’s directions. To find out how to see what cookies have been set on your device, and how to reject and delete the cookies, please visit: https://www.aboutcookies.org/. Please note that each browser is different. For information on reviewing or deleting cookies from specific browsers, click on the appropriate browser: Firefox, Firefox IOS, Firefox Android, Safari, Safari Mobile, Chrome, Internet Explorer, Microsoft Edge, Opera. To find information relating to other browsers, visit the browser developer’s website. If you reset your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent, some features of our Site may not function properly. If you choose to opt-out, we will place an “opt-out cookie” on your computer. The “opt-out cookie” is browser and device specific and only lasts until cookies are cleared from your browser or device. The opt-out cookie will not work for strictly necessary cookies. If the cookie is removed or deleted, if you upgrade your browser or if you visit us from a different computer, you will need to return and update your preferences.
DO NOT TRACK
Some browsers offer a “Do Not Track” feature that lets you tell websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. We do not respond to these “Do Not Track” signals.
NEVADA RESIDENTS
If you are a consumer in the State of Nevada, you may request to opt-out of the current or future sale of certain of your Personal Information. We do not currently sell any of your Personal Information under Nevada law, nor do we plan to do so in the future. However, you can submit a request to opt-out of future sales, as defined by Nevada law, by contacting us at info@blueapplebooks.com. Please include “Opt-Out Request Under Nevada Law” in the subject line and body of your message.
CHILDREN’S PRIVACY
This Site is not marketed to and Quirk Books does not knowingly collect or maintain Personal Information from, children under the age of 13. If we learn that we have collected or received Personal Information from a child under the age of 13, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under the age of 13, please let us know by contacting us at info@blueapplebooks.com.
SECURITY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION
Blue Apple Books takes reasonable steps to protect and secure the Personal Information we collect. However, no security measure or modality of data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure and Blue Apple Books cannot guarantee the absolute security of your Personal Information. Any Personal Information you transmit to us is at your own risk.
THIRD PARTY CONTENT AND LINKS TO THIRD PARTY WEBSITES
Our Site may contain content hosted or served by third parties or link to websites operated by third parties. Please be advised that the practices described in this Privacy Policy for Blue Apple Books do not apply to information gathered by these third parties. We are not responsible for the actions and privacy policies employed by any third party, and our hosting of third party content or linking to third party websites does not constitute an endorsement of the content or business practices of those third parties.
CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY
From time to time, we may amend our Privacy Policy. We will post the changes to this page, and will indicate the date the changes go into effect. We encourage you to review our Privacy Policy to stay informed. If we make changes that materially affect your privacy rights, we will post a prominent notice on our Site.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, you may contact us as follows:
By mail:
Blue Apple Books
PO Box 950
South Orange, NJ 07079
info@blueapplebooks.com
Last modified on May 19, 2022