Last Updated: June 18, 2025
At Family Media Review, we believe privacy is a fundamental right, especially for families. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect your family's privacy online.
Our Privacy Philosophy
Minimal Collection: We collect only what we need to provide our services and improve your experience.
Family Focus: We're extra careful with any information that could affect children or family privacy.
Transparency: We explain our practices in plain English, not legal jargon.
Your Control: You should always know what information you're sharing and have control over it.
Information We Collect
Information You Provide Directly
When You Contact Us:
- Name and email address (for responding to inquiries)
- Message content (to understand and address your questions)
- Optional information you choose to share (family size, children's ages, etc.)
When You Subscribe to Our Newsletter:
- Email address (required for delivery)
- Name (optional, for personalization)
- Content preferences (optional, to customize recommendations)
When You Comment or Participate:
- Name or username (for comment attribution)
- Email address (for comment management, not displayed publicly)
- Comment content (displayed publicly)
- Optional profile information you choose to share
When You Request Reviews:
- Contact information (to follow up on requests)
- Details about requested content (to prioritize and research)
- Information about why the content matters to your family (to understand community needs)
Information Collected Automatically
Basic Analytics Data:
- Pages visited and time spent on site
- Device type and browser information
- General geographic location (country/state level)
- Referring websites (how you found us)
- Search terms used on our site
Technical Information:
- IP address (for security and basic analytics)
- Browser settings and capabilities
- Operating system information
- Screen resolution and device specifications
Information We Don't Collect
We Never Collect:
- Personal information about children under 13
- Detailed location data or GPS coordinates
- Financial information or payment details (we don't sell anything directly)
- Social security numbers or government ID information
- Personal photos or sensitive documents
How We Use Your Information
Primary Uses
To Provide Our Services:
- Respond to your questions and requests
- Deliver newsletter content and updates
- Manage comments and community interaction
- Customize content recommendations when possible
To Improve Our Site:
- Understand which content is most helpful to families
- Identify technical issues and improve site performance
- Analyze which topics our community wants covered
- Plan future content and features
To Protect Our Community:
- Prevent spam and abuse
- Maintain family-friendly community standards
- Ensure site security and prevent fraud
Analytics and Research
Understanding Our Audience:
- We analyze general usage patterns to improve content
- We study which reviews and resources are most helpful
- We track seasonal trends to plan timely content
Community Insights:
- We may share general statistics (e.g., "85% of our readers are parents of elementary-age children")
- We never share individual user information or personally identifiable data
Information Sharing
What We Never Share
We Never Sell Your Information to advertisers, marketers, or data brokers.
We Never Share Personal Details like names, email addresses, or family information with third parties for their marketing purposes.
We Never Share Children's Information with anyone, under any circumstances.
Limited Sharing Situations
Service Providers:
- Email newsletter service (to deliver our newsletter)
- Website hosting and security services
- Analytics providers (Google Analytics with privacy settings enabled)
- Comment management systems
Legal Requirements:
- We may disclose information if required by law or to protect rights and safety
- This would only occur in serious legal situations, not for marketing or commercial purposes
Business Transfer:
- If our site is sold or transferred, user information may be included, but the new owner would be bound by this privacy policy
Cookies and Tracking
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help websites remember your preferences and improve functionality.
How We Use Cookies
Essential Cookies:
- Remember your comment information (so you don't have to re-enter it)
- Maintain your newsletter subscription preferences
- Keep track of your site navigation for better user experience
Analytics Cookies:
- Help us understand which content is most helpful
- Show us technical issues we need to fix
- Track general usage patterns (not personal behavior)
Affiliate Link Cookies:
- Track purchases through our affiliate links (for commission purposes to help us keep the lights on)
- Help us understand which recommendations lead to purchases
- Never track your personal browsing outside our site
Managing Cookies
Browser Controls: You can disable cookies in your browser settings, though some site features may not work properly.
Selective Control: Most browsers allow you to accept some cookies while blocking others.
Cookie Deletion: You can delete existing cookies at any time through your browser settings.
Real Cookie Banner
To manage the cookies and similar technologies used (tracking pixels, web beacons, etc.) and related consents, we use the consent tool "Real Cookie Banner". Details on how "Real Cookie Banner" works can be found on their website here: Devowl.io --> Real Cookie Banner.
Legal Stuff about Cookies
The legal basis for the processing of personal data in this context are Art. 6 (1) lit. c GDPR and Art. 6 (1) lit. f GDPR. Our legitimate interest is the management of the cookies and similar technologies used and the related consents.
The provision of personal data is neither contractually required nor necessary for the conclusion of a contract.
Huh?
- This legal stuff just means that we do not require you to provide your personal information to us in order to use our site and if you do not provide your information to us, then you understand that we can not manage your consent.
Third-Party Services
Analytics Services
Google Analytics:
- We use Google Analytics with privacy-focused settings
- IP addresses are anonymized
- Data sharing with Google is limited
Alternative Analytics: We may use privacy-focused analytics services that collect less data than traditional providers.
Email Services
Newsletter Management:
- We use reputable email service providers to deliver our newsletter
- These services have access to email addresses and subscription preferences only
- Unsubscribe options are always available within each email and immediately honored. Any issues with this should be addressed via our website's contact form promptly.
Comment Systems
Comment Management:
- We may use third-party comment systems for better spam protection
- These systems collect only information necessary for comment functionality
- You can typically comment without creating accounts with these services
Affiliate Programs
Retailer Links:
- When you purchase through our affiliate links, retailers may track that activity
- This tracking is governed by the retailer's privacy policy, not ours, and we have no control over how they utilize that data.
- We receive only general commission information, not your personal purchase details
Data Security
Protection Measures
Technical Safeguards:
- Secure hosting with encryption and security monitoring
- Regular software updates and security patches
- Limited access to any collected data
Operational Security:
- Access to personal information is limited to essential staff only
- Regular review of data collection and retention practices
- Secure deletion of information when no longer needed
Limitations
No System Is Perfect: While we implement reasonable security measures, no online service can guarantee complete security.
Your Responsibility: Use strong passwords for any accounts, and don't share personal information in public comments.
Children's Privacy
COPPA Compliance
Under 13: We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
Parental Awareness: If you're a parent and believe your child has provided personal information to us, please contact us immediately.
Account Creation: We don't offer account creation for children under 13.
Family-Friendly Approach
Content Design: Our content is designed to be safe for family browsing.
Comment Moderation: We actively moderate comments to maintain family-friendly discussions.
Educational Focus: Our goal is to help families, not to collect data about family members.
Your Rights and Choices
Access and Control
Email Communications:
- Unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time using the link in any email
- Update your email preferences through our newsletter management system
- Contact us to modify or delete your subscription information
Comments and Participation:
- Edit or delete your comments when possible through our comment system
- Request removal of comments by contacting us directly
- Choose how much personal information to share in community interactions. Remember the rule of thumb that once it's on the internet, it's hard to get back. If you post something in a public place and ask us to take it down, we will do our best to comply as soon as we register the request. But, we can not be held accountable for what someone may do with that information before we are able to attend to the removal.
Data Requests:
- Request information about what personal data we have about you
- Ask for correction of inaccurate information
- Request deletion of your personal information (with some legal limitations)
Communication Preferences
Newsletter Frequency: Choose how often you receive our newsletter updates.
Content Types: Select which types of content updates you want to receive.
Special Notifications: Opt in or out of special announcements and community events.
Data Retention
How Long We Keep Information
Active Engagement: We keep information as long as you actively use our services.
Newsletter Subscriptions: Email addresses are retained until you unsubscribe.
Comments: Public comments may remain visible indefinitely as part of community discussions.
Analytics Data: General analytics data is retained for 2-3 years for long-term trend analysis.
Deletion Practices
Automatic Deletion: Some information (like temporary cookies) is automatically deleted.
Manual Deletion: You can request deletion of your personal information at any time.
Legal Requirements: Some information may be retained longer if required by law.
International Users
Data Transfer
US-Based Service: Our servers and primary operations are located in the United States.
International Access: Users from other countries should be aware that information may be transferred to and processed in the US.
Legal Compliance: We comply with applicable international privacy laws where possible.
Regional Considerations
GDPR (European Users): EU users have additional rights under GDPR, including data portability and erasure rights.
Other Jurisdictions: We work to comply with privacy laws in all countries where our users are located.
Changes to This Policy
Updates and Notifications
Policy Changes: We may update this policy as our site grows and privacy laws change.
Notification Methods:
- Prominent notice on our website
- Email notification to newsletter subscribers
- Updated "Last Modified" date at the top of this policy
Material Changes: Significant changes will be announced with extra prominence and advance notice.
Your Choices After Changes
Continued Use: Using our site after policy changes indicates acceptance of updated terms.
Opt-Out Options: If you disagree with changes, you can stop using our services or request data deletion.
Contact Us About Privacy
Privacy Questions
General Privacy Inquiries: [legal@familymediareview.com]
Data Access Requests: [data@familymediareview.com]
Security Concerns: [security@familymediareview.com]
Response Times
Standard Inquiries: We aim to respond to privacy questions within 48 hours.
Data Requests: Requests for data access or deletion will be processed within 30 days.
Security Issues: Security concerns are addressed immediately upon receipt.
Conclusion
We're committed to protecting your family's privacy while providing valuable content guidance. If you have questions about this policy or our privacy practices, please don't hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for trusting us with your family's media guidance needs!
This Privacy Policy is effective as of the date listed above and remains in effect until modified or replaced.
