Legal
Privacy Policy
Information We Collect
We collect information in two ways — information you provide to us directly, and information collected automatically when you visit our website.
Information You Provide Directly
- Obituary submissions — name of deceased, dates, life story, service details, your name, email, and phone number
- Condolences and memories — your name, email address, and the message you write on a tribute page
- Contact form submissions — your name, email, phone number, and any message you send us
- Email correspondence — any information included in emails you send to us
Information Collected Automatically
- Log data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, time and date of visit, referring URL
- Cookies — small files stored on your device to improve your browsing experience
- Analytics data — how you interact with our pages, which obituaries you view, and how long you stay
- Device information — device type, operating system, and screen resolution
How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
| Purpose | Information Used |
|---|---|
| Publishing obituaries on our website | Obituary content, deceased’s details, service information |
| Publishing condolences on tribute pages | Your name and message (email is not displayed publicly) |
| Responding to your enquiries | Your name, email, and message |
| Sending publication confirmation emails | Your email address |
| Improving our website and services | Analytics and usage data |
| Displaying relevant advertisements | Cookies and anonymised browsing data |
| Preventing fraud and abuse | IP address and log data |
We will never use your personal information for purposes beyond those listed above without first obtaining your consent.
Google AdSense & Advertising
Memorial Chronicle uses Google AdSense to display advertisements on our website. This allows us to offer our obituary publishing service completely free of charge to all families.
How Google AdSense Works
Google AdSense uses cookies and web beacons to serve ads based on a user’s prior visits to our website and other websites on the internet. Google’s use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to users based on their visit to our site and/or other sites on the internet. Users may opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings.
By using our website, you consent to the use of advertising cookies as described above. We do not control the content of third-party advertisements displayed on our site.
For more information about how Google uses data collected through its advertising services, please visit Google’s Privacy Policy.
Your Advertising Choices
- Opt out of personalised ads: Google Ad Settings
- Opt out via Network Advertising Initiative: NAI Opt Out
- Manage cookies in your browser settings
Cookies & Tracking Technologies
Our website uses cookies to enhance your experience and to help us understand how visitors use our site. Cookies are small text files stored on your device by your browser.
| Cookie Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Essential cookies | Required for the website to function correctly | Session |
| Analytics cookies | Help us understand how visitors use our site (Google Analytics) | Up to 2 years |
| Advertising cookies | Used by Google AdSense to show relevant advertisements | Up to 2 years |
| Preference cookies | Remember your settings and preferences | Up to 1 year |
You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For more information, visit allaboutcookies.org.
How We Share Your Information
We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:
- Service providers — We may share data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website (such as web hosting and email services), subject to confidentiality agreements.
- Google AdSense — Anonymised usage data is shared with Google for the purposes of displaying relevant advertisements, as described in Section 03 above.
- Legal requirements — We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority.
- Protection of rights — We may disclose information when we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Memorial Chronicle, our users, or others.
In all other cases, your personal information remains strictly confidential.
Data Retention
We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfil the purposes for which it was collected, or as required by law.
Retention Periods
- Published obituaries — Retained permanently as a memorial record
- Condolence messages — Retained as long as the tribute page exists
- Contact form data — Deleted after 12 months
- Email correspondence — Retained for 24 months, then deleted
- Analytics data — Anonymised after 26 months (Google Analytics default)
If you wish to have your personal data deleted sooner, please contact us using the details at the end of this policy.
Your Rights & Choices
You have the following rights regarding your personal information:
- Right to access — You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
- Right to correction — You may request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete information.
- Right to deletion — You may request that we delete your personal data, subject to certain exceptions (such as legal obligations).
- Right to object — You may object to the processing of your personal data for certain purposes, such as marketing.
- Right to data portability — You may request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
- Right to withdraw consent — Where processing is based on your consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@memorialchronicle.com. We will respond to all requests within 30 days.
Children’s Privacy
Memorial Chronicle is not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe we have inadvertently collected information from a child under 13, please contact us immediately and we will take steps to delete that information.
If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can take the necessary actions.
Data Security
We take the security of your personal information seriously. We implement a variety of security measures to protect your data, including:
- SSL/TLS encryption for all data transmitted to and from our website
- Secure, password-protected servers with restricted access
- Regular security updates and monitoring
- Limited access to personal data on a need-to-know basis
However, no method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
Third-Party Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites, including florists and other service providers. This Privacy Policy applies only to Memorial Chronicle. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any external sites you visit.
Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make significant changes, we will update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page.
We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting your information. Your continued use of our website after any changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.
Contact Us About Privacy
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or the way we handle your personal data, please contact us using the details below:
Memorial Chronicle — Privacy Contact
- Email: contact@memorialchronicle.com
- Phone: (972) 618-7656
- Address: 701 Tillery St #12, Austin, TX 78702, United States
We are committed to resolving any privacy concerns promptly and transparently. We will acknowledge your request within 5 business days and respond fully within 30 days.
💌 Sympathy Messages
Would you like to offer your condolences? Write your message of sympathy today.