PRIVACY POLICY

1. Introduction

White Boy of the Year ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website, participate in our contest, or interact with our services. By using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

When you nominate someone for White Boy of the Year, we collect:

• Your name and contact information (email address, social media handles)
• The nominee's full name
• Photographs of the nominee
• Written submissions, essays, and descriptions about the nominee
• Any additional information you choose to provide in your nomination

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect:

• IP address and device information
• Browser type and version
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies

2.3 Voting and Engagement Data

We collect data related to voting activities, including:

• Vote counts and voting patterns
• Social media engagement metrics
• Public comments and interactions

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the collected information for the following purposes:

• To process and evaluate contest nominations
• To display nominee information on our website and in our magazine
• To facilitate public voting and engagement
• To communicate with nominators and nominees about the contest
• To conduct committee review and selection processes
• To announce winners and publish contest results
• To improve our website and services
• To prevent fraud and ensure contest integrity
• To comply with legal obligations
• To send marketing communications (with your consent)

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Public Display

Nominee information, including names, photographs, and nomination essays, will be publicly displayed on our website and may be published in our magazine. By submitting a nomination, you consent to this public disclosure.

4.2 Committee Access

Our selection committee members may have access to nomination materials for the purpose of evaluating and selecting winners. Committee members are bound by confidentiality agreements.

4.3 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website, conducting the contest, or providing other services. These providers are contractually obligated to protect your information.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or governmental authority, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.

4.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information:

• Access: Request access to the personal information we hold about you
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information (subject to legal and operational requirements)
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal information
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Withdrawal of Consent: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided in Section 10. Note that once information is published publicly (such as nominee information on our website), complete removal may not be possible.

7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your experience, analyze website traffic, and understand user preferences. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings. However, disabling cookies may limit certain website functionality.

8. Children's Privacy

Our services are not directed to individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately, and we will take steps to delete such information.

9. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. By using our services, you consent to such transfers.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last updated" date. Your continued use of our services after such changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

12. California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to delete personal information, and the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (if applicable). We do not sell personal information.

13. European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including the right to access, rectify, erase, restrict processing, data portability, and object to processing. You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.