1. Introduction

ASSOCIATION CULTURES ET VIVRE ENSEMBLE (referred to as "we," "our," "us," or "the Association") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, use our services, or interact with us.

We operate in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679 and French data protection law (Loi Informatique et Libertés). We respect your privacy rights and are transparent about our data practices.

2. Information We Collect

We collect minimal personal information, only as necessary to provide our free services. The types of information we may collect include:

2.1 Information You Provide Voluntarily

• Contact Form Submissions: When you contact us via our contact form, we collect your name, email address, subject, and message content. This information is used solely to respond to your inquiry.
• Newsletter Signup: If you subscribe to our free newsletter, we collect your email address. You may unsubscribe at any time using the link in each email.
• Volunteer Applications: If you apply to volunteer, we may collect additional information such as your phone number, availability, and skills.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: We may collect anonymous information about how you interact with our website (pages visited, time spent, links clicked). This helps us improve our content.
• Device Information: We may collect browser type, operating system, and IP address (anonymized where possible).
• Cookies: We use essential cookies only. No tracking cookies or advertising cookies are used. You can disable cookies in your browser settings.

2.3 Information We Do NOT Collect

• We do not collect sensitive personal data (health, religion, political opinions, etc.)
• We do not collect payment information (we have no paid services)
• We do not collect biometric or location tracking data
• We do not collect data from children under 13 without parental consent

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries — When you contact us, we use your information to answer your questions.
• To send you newsletters — If you opt in, we send free educational resources. You can unsubscribe at any time.
• To improve our website — Anonymous usage data helps us understand which content is most valuable to our users.
• To comply with legal obligations — We may retain information as required by French law.

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR): Our processing is based on your consent (for newsletters) or our legitimate interest in providing free literacy services and responding to inquiries.

4. Third-Party Services

Our website integrates the following third-party services. Each has its own privacy policy:

• Open Library API (Internet Archive): When you search for books, your search query is sent to Open Library. Their privacy policy is available at archive.org/about/terms.php. We do not store your search history.
• Google Maps: Our contact page includes a link to Google Maps. Google's privacy policy applies when you click that link.
• YouTube (for embedded educational videos): If we embed videos, YouTube may set cookies. We use privacy-enhanced mode where possible.

We do not share your personal information with these third parties. Your interactions with third-party services are governed by their respective privacy policies.

5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website uses essential cookies only. These are necessary for basic functionality (such as remembering your dark mode preference). We do NOT use:

• Analytics cookies (Google Analytics or similar)
• Advertising cookies or tracking pixels
• Social media tracking cookies
• Third-party marketing cookies

You can manage cookie preferences in your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect functionality such as dark mode persistence.

6. Data Storage & Security

We take data security seriously. Our measures include:

• All data transmitted between your browser and our website is encrypted using HTTPS (SSL/TLS).
• Contact form submissions are sent via email — we do not permanently store them in a database.
• Email addresses for newsletters are stored securely and used only for that purpose.
• We limit access to personal information to authorized personnel only.
• Our website is hosted on secure servers with regular security updates.

While we strive to protect your information, no transmission over the internet is 100% secure. You use our website at your own risk.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary:

• Contact form inquiries: Deleted after 12 months of resolution.
• Newsletter subscribers: Retained until you unsubscribe.
• Usage logs (anonymous): Retained for 6 months for website improvement.

You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 9).

8. Your Rights Under GDPR

If you are located in the European Union, you have the following rights under the GDPR:

• Right to Access: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Right to Rectification: You can correct inaccurate or incomplete data.
• Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): You can request deletion of your data.
• Right to Restrict Processing: You can limit how we use your data.
• Right to Data Portability: You can request your data in a machine-readable format.
• Right to Object: You can object to processing based on legitimate interests.
• Right to Withdraw Consent: For newsletters, you can unsubscribe at any time.

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@culturesvivreensemble.org. We will respond within 30 days as required by law.

9. Children's Privacy

Our website is intended for general audiences, including children with parental supervision. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately, and we will delete it.

10. International Data Transfers

Our website is hosted in France. If you access our website from outside the European Union, your information may be transferred to and processed in France. By using our website, you consent to this transfer.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of our website after changes constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.

12. Your California Privacy Rights (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have the right to request information about our data collection practices. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your rights, contact us using the information below.

13. Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, your data, or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us at:

ASSOCIATION CULTURES ET VIVRE ENSEMBLE
6 CHEMIN DU MAS DE CLERC
30129 REDESSAN, FRANCE
Email: contact@culturesvivreensemble.org

For data protection matters, you also have the right to lodge a complaint with the CNIL (Commission Nationale de l'Informatique et des Libertés), the French data protection authority: www.cnil.fr.

14. Consent

By using our website, you consent to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not use our website.