This Privacy Policy explains how The Minding Box ("we", "us", "our") collects, uses and protects information when you visit this website. This site is intended for use by adults - parents and childminders - browsing and downloading printable activities for children to use offline; it is not directed at children.
Information we collect
We collect the following information:
- Account information (optional): if you choose to create a free visitor account, we store the name, email address and (hashed, never plain-text) password you provide, so you can save favourite activities and drawn-on activity sheets.
- Content you save: if you use the "save to my account" feature, we store the PDF file you create and any label you give it, linked to your account.
- Contact form submissions: if you use our contact form, we receive the name, email address and message you provide, in order to reply to you.
- Usage and log data: like most websites, our hosting provider automatically logs standard technical information (such as IP address, browser type, and pages requested) for security and troubleshooting purposes.
- Cookies: see the "Cookies and advertising" section below.
Browsing the site, viewing, downloading, printing, and drawing on activity sheets does not require an account and does not require you to submit any personal information.
How we use this information
- To provide the features you use (accounts, favourites, saved activities).
- To respond to messages sent via our contact form.
- To keep the site secure and working properly (e.g. rate-limiting repeated failed logins).
- To show advertising, as described below.
We do not sell your personal information, and we do not use it for any purpose other than operating and improving this website.
Cookies and advertising
This site uses cookies for two purposes:
- Essential cookies - to keep you logged in to your account, and to protect forms on this site from cross-site request forgery. These cannot be switched off, as the site cannot function without them.
- Advertising cookies - this site displays advertising served by Google AdSense.
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to this website or other websites. Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads based on your visits to this site and/or other sites on the internet. You may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. Alternatively, you can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalised advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info/choices.
If you are visiting from the UK or the European Economic Area, you will be shown a consent message (provided via Google's Privacy & messaging tools) before any personalised advertising cookies are set, and you can change your choice at any time.
For more detail on how Google uses information from sites that use its services, see How Google uses information from sites or apps that use our services.
Children's privacy
This website is directed at adults (parents and childminders), not at children. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. Visitor accounts should only be created by an adult. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us using the details below and we will delete it.
Sharing your information
We share information with:
- Google (AdSense), for the purpose of displaying advertising, as described above.
- Our web hosting provider, which stores the site's files, database and any information you submit, purely to operate the website.
We do not share your personal information with anyone else, except where required by law.
Data retention and security
We keep account information for as long as your account remains active, and delete it if you ask us to close your account. Passwords are stored using industry-standard one-way hashing and are never stored or emailed in plain text. No method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, but we take reasonable technical measures to protect your information.
Your rights
If you are in the UK or the EEA, you have the right to ask us to: confirm what personal information we hold about you; correct inaccurate information; delete your information; restrict or object to certain processing; and receive a copy of your information in a portable format. To exercise any of these rights, contact us using the details below. If you are unhappy with how we've handled your information, you can also complain to the UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) at ico.org.uk.
Changes to this policy
We may update this policy from time to time, for example if we add new features or change advertising providers. The "last updated" date at the top of this page will reflect the most recent changes.
Contact us
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or want to exercise any of your rights over your information, please contact us or email info@themindingbox.com.