Privacy Policy for Gaia Media
At Gaia Media, we respect your privacy and treat it as part of the craft of running a useful, trustworthy website. This policy explains what we collect, why we collect it, how we protect it, and the choices you have.
This policy applies to our online properties and services operated under the Gaia Media name. It is designed to be clear and practical; it is informational and not legal advice. If you have questions, reach us at /contact.
Scope & Who We Are
Gaia Media publishes guides and stories across gardening, home improvement, pets, and travel. This policy covers information processed when you visit our site, read our pages, interact with features, or contact us.
We are the controller of personal information processed on our site. Third-party websites and services we reference or embed have their own policies; please review those separately as they are outside our control.
Information We Collect
Information you provide: details you send us—such as messages via /contact, form inputs, or comments—so we can reply, support, and improve our content. We do not seek sensitive personal data and ask that you avoid submitting it.
Information collected automatically: limited technical data (such as IP address, device/browser type, general location from IP, pages viewed, timestamps) plus cookie-based signals that help us operate basic functions, measure performance, and, where allowed, personalize ads.
How We Use Information
We use information to run and secure the site, respond to messages, measure and improve content, detect abuse, and—where permitted—tailor advertising and recommendations to be more relevant to you.
Depending on your region, our legal bases may include your consent, legitimate interests (such as site security and improvement), performance of a contract (responding to requests you initiate), and compliance with legal obligations.
Cookies & Similar Technologies
Cookies and similar technologies help the site remember preferences, keep you logged in where applicable, measure visits, and support advertising. In regions where consent is required, we seek it before using non-essential cookies.
You can manage cookies through browser or device settings. If you block or delete them, some features may not work as expected. Where available, you may also adjust preferences via our on-site consent banner.
Advertising & Personalization
We work with advertising partners (including providers that serve ads across the web). These partners may use cookies or mobile identifiers to show ads based on your visits to this and other sites, or to deliver non-personalized ads where required.
In regions that require consent for personalized ads, we request it. You can withdraw consent where available on our site, use browser/device controls to limit tracking, or choose non-personalized ads where that option is offered.
Analytics
We use privacy-minded analytics to understand site performance in aggregate—what pages are useful, where readers get stuck, which articles need work—so we can improve clarity and usefulness.
Analytics data is used to maintain and enhance our services, detect errors, and prioritize topics. We do not use analytics to identify you as an individual.
Data Sharing & Transfers
We share information with service providers that help us operate (hosting, analytics, advertising delivery, security). They are bound by obligations to use data only under our instructions and protect it appropriately.
We do not sell personal information in the common sense of the term. Where applicable laws define "sell" or "share" more broadly for cross-context advertising, you may exercise your right to opt out; see Your Privacy Choices & Rights below.
Data Retention
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy, for security and fraud prevention, to comply with legal requirements, and to resolve disputes.
Retention periods depend on the data type and purpose. When no longer needed, information is securely deleted or anonymized.
Your Privacy Choices & Rights
Your choices include managing cookies through browser/device settings and controlling consent on our site where available. You may also request access, correction, deletion, restriction, portability, or object to processing where your local laws provide these rights.
Residents in certain jurisdictions (for example, California) may opt out of the sale or sharing of personal information and limit the use of sensitive information; residents in the EEA/UK/CH may withdraw consent, object to profiling, and request review of automated decisions where applicable. To exercise requests, contact us via /privacy-request or /contact. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
Children's Privacy
Our content is intended for a general audience and is not directed to children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.
If you believe a child provided personal information on our site, please contact us at /contact so we can promptly review and delete it as appropriate.
Data Security
We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the data and the risks of our services. These measures help prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.
No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure. We work to keep protections current and to reduce risk in sensible, practical ways.
International Users
Your information may be processed in countries other than where you live. When data is transferred, we use appropriate safeguards consistent with applicable laws to protect it.
Where required, we rely on mechanisms such as standard contractual clauses or comparable arrangements to support international transfers with adequate protection.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, or legal requirements. When we make significant changes, we will highlight them here so they are easy to spot.
Your continued use of our site after an update means you understand and accept the revised policy. If you disagree with a change, you can adjust your settings or stop using the site.
Contact Us
For privacy questions, requests, or concerns, please reach us at our contact page. We aim to respond within a reasonable time based on your region's rules.
If you believe your privacy rights have been infringed, you may also have the right to contact your local data protection authority. We are committed to resolving issues fairly and quickly.