Who we are
Our website address is: https://seeobserver.com. For more about us, visit our About page.
At the Southeast European Observer, we deeply value and respect the trust you place in us by sharing your personal information. We recognize the intricate web of international privacy laws and rights that come into play, given our diverse user base spanning multiple continents.
Being a small website, the task of navigating and adhering to the myriad of global privacy standards can be daunting. However, our commitment is unwavering. We continuously strive to uphold the highest standards of data protection, even as these standards evolve and vary across regions.
We genuinely believe in making a best effort to respect and protect your privacy. That said, we acknowledge that there’s always room for improvement. If, at any point, you feel that we might be falling short or inadvertently overlooking a privacy aspect, we earnestly request you to reach out to us. Your feedback is invaluable in helping us refine our practices and serve you better.
Please know that your voice matters. If you ever feel that your privacy rights are being compromised or if you have suggestions for how we can enhance our policies, do not hesitate to contact us at editor@seeobserver.com. Together, we can ensure a digital space that respects individual privacy while fostering open communication.
Comments
For both the protection of our readers’ privacy and to prevent any misuse of our website, we do not allow comments on the websites. To contact us regarding any corrections or with any commentary regarding content on our website, please email our editorial team.
Media
If you upload images to the website, such as for your user profile, you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.
Cookies
We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience. These are small files that ask permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. Once you agree, the file helps analyze web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site.
You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer.
If you register on our site you may opt-in to saving your name, email address and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in these details again, if and when subscribing to any of our products and services. These cookies will 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 also set up several cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks. If you log out of your account, the login cookies will be removed.
If you edit or publish an article on our website, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. This cookie includes no personal data and simply indicates the post ID of the article you just edited.
Embedded content from other websites
Articles on this site may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website.
These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, including tracking your interaction with the embedded content if you have an account and are logged in to that website.
Which information we collect
Registration Data: When you register on our website, we may collect personal information such as your name, email address, and other relevant details.
Usage Data: Through platforms like Google Analytics and social media APIs, we gather data related to your visit, such as pages viewed, time spent, and other behavioral metrics.
How we use your information
Personalization: To offer a tailored browsing experience.
Communication: To send newsletters, updates, or other communications for which you’ve registered.
Analysis: To understand user behavior and improve our services.
Storage and security
Your data is stored on industry-standard third-party applications, with servers located in Europe and/or North America.
We implement industry standard security measures to ensure your data is safe from unauthorized access or disclosure.
Third-party services
Analytics and Social Media: We use tools like Google Analytics and various social media plugins. These platforms have their own privacy policies, which apply when they collect information.
Advertisements: We feature Google ads and other advertising platforms on our site. These platforms may collect data for targeted advertising.
Affiliate Links: Occasionally, we may include third-party affiliate links, which will always be clearly marked. Clicking on these links may allow the third party to collect or share data about you.
Who we share your data with
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.
If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.
We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties, except in the circumstances outlined below:
Legal and Official Requests: We may disclose user data to official government authorities upon receiving a formal request, such as a warrant. We will make every effort to notify the affected user(s) when complying with such requests.
Your rights and choices
GDPR and Data Deletion: In line with GDPR, you can request the permanent deletion of your data by emailing us at editor@seeobserver.com. We will comply promptly with such requests.
Data Access and Rectification: You have the right to access your data and correct any inaccuracies. Email us at the aforementioned address for any such requests.
Data Portability: You have the right to request and receive your personal data in a commonly used format, allowing you to transfer it to another service provider.
Opt-Out: You can opt-out of newsletters or other communications at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe links provided or by emailing us.
CCPA: For residents of California, the CCPA provides specific rights regarding their personal information. This section describes your CCPA rights and explains how to exercise those rights:
- Right to Know: You have the right to request that we disclose certain information about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months.
- Right to Delete: You have the right to request the deletion of your personal information, subject to certain exceptions.
- Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights.
To exercise your rights under the CCPA, please contact us at editor@seeobserver.com.
Other U.S. State Regulations: We are committed to complying with privacy laws and regulations of all U.S. states. If you are a resident of a U.S. state with specific privacy rights not mentioned here, please contact us for more information or to exercise your rights.
Australia Privacy Act: For our Australian users, we adhere to the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs) contained in the Privacy Act 1988. This includes ensuring the security of personal information, providing means for users to access and correct their personal information, and not using personal information for marketing without consent.
UK Data Protection Act and UK GDPR: For our UK users, we comply with the Data Protection Act 2018 and the UK GDPR. This includes ensuring lawful processing of personal data, respecting users’ rights to access, rectify, or erase their data, and ensuring appropriate security measures.
Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA): For our Canadian users, we adhere to the principles set out in PIPEDA. This includes obtaining consent when collecting, using, or disclosing personal information, ensuring the accuracy and security of data, and providing a mechanism for complaint and redress.
Exercising Your Rights: To exercise any of your rights under the aforementioned regulations or to inquire about these rights, please contact us at editor@seeobserver.com. We are dedicated to responding to your requests in a timely manner and ensuring compliance with all applicable privacy laws and regulations.
Consent
We collect user consent through a popup on our website and/or checkboxes during registration or newsletter sign-up. This ensures that you are informed and have actively agreed to the collection and processing of your data.
You may withdraw your consent at any time by emailing us or using the unsubscribe links where applicable.
Data Breach Notification
In the unlikely event of a data breach, we commit to notifying users and the relevant supervisory authority within 72 hours of becoming aware of it, as per GDPR requirements.
International Data Transfers
We ensure that adequate safeguards are in place when transferring data outside the European Economic Area (EEA). This includes ensuring that our third-party service providers are compliant with GDPR or are part of the Privacy Shield framework.
Changes to This Policy
We may update our privacy policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. Any updates will be posted on this page, and if significant, we will provide a more prominent notice.
Contact Us
For any questions or concerns regarding this privacy policy, please contact us.
How long we retain your data
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.
