Privacy Policy

This website is the home of author, editor and poet Ari Augustine: www.ariaugustine.com

General Policy
Member Policy

GENERAL PRIVACY POLICY

What personal data we collect and why we collect it
Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site we collect the data shown in the comments form, and also the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help spam detection.

An anonymized string created from your email address (also called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to see if you are using it. The Gravatar service privacy policy is available here. After approval of your comment, your profile picture is visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, 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.

Contact Forms

This site uses WPForms to collect information from the user such as name, email and message to send to the site owner, Ari Augustine. Information on how that data is collected can be found on their privacy policy.

Cookies

If you leave a comment 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 your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

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.

Analytics

This site uses Google Analytics and Monster Insights. You may view the Monster Insights privacy policy here.

Who we share your data with

Apart from how data collection is handled on this site, we never share or sell information to third parties.

How long we retain your data

If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

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.

What rights you have over your data

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.

Where we send your data

Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

What third parties we receive data from

Apart from what’s stated above, we do not sell or send information to third parties.

MEMBERSHIP PRIVACY POLICY

Who We Are

The Root Abyss is a membership where readers can access exclusive and early access stories, and be part of the writer’s storytelling journey. Readers will also be able to engage directly with the writer and fellow readers. This Privacy Policy applies to all members of the Root Abyss Membership and is part of our Terms of Use.

The Root Abyss Membership is available to global readers. By signing up to be a member, you agree that your personal information that you provide directly to us, or that we collect through your use of the platform, may be transferred to and stored in the United States and handled as described in this Policy.

Effective date: August 21, 2024

Information You Provide Through Your Account

This is information that you provide to us through text fields, such as your name, payment information and personal communication consent. The information we collect differs depending on the degree of communication and content you consent to receive:

  • First and Last Name
  • Email Address
  • Username
  • Password
  • Home address
  • State and Country of Residence
  • Phone number

You also have the option to add more information to your public profile, such as a location and social media links, which we store along with any comments or messages you submit on through the Root Abyss Membership.

Members of the Root Abyss

A Member is someone who joins the Root Abyss’ membership to support the author’s writing. As a Member you must provide your payment information to our payment processors in order to access restricted content. 

As a Member, if you select a Member Rank with a physical benefit, then you will provide your shipping information, including phone number, so the writer can ship you the benefit or provide updates related to the shipment.

Additional Information We Collect
Automatically Collected Information

We collect information automatically as you navigate the site or through our third-party analytics providers. We may store usage information such as the type of device you use to access the Root Abyss Membership, your operating system, browser type, IP address, device ID, the pages you visit or request, links clicked, referring sites, user interactions and your search terms. We also derive your location from your self-disclosed country, your IP address and your payment card.

Forums and Messaging

When you participate in a forum, we collect the comments you make as well as record how many times users visit, the activity on the site, where users have replied, with whom they’ve communicated, private messages, IP address and from which location the user was last logged in. We will use Discord to host our future forum. This means that they may access your information to help provide the Forum. You can find their privacy policy hyperlinked above.

User Surveys

From time to time, the Root Abyss Membership may solict your participation in user surveys in order to better understand and engage with readers. We may ask you for demographic information such as gender, race, ethnicity, age, earnings, and accessibility, which you may or may no choose to share. We collect such information in an effort to discovery, understand, and engage with our audience. We will store your survey responses as and when you participate in them.

Event Information

We may request information from you at in-person and online events. This is done to better tailor the event experience to those attending. This information may include your name, email address, payment details, mobile phone number and QR code, demographic information, social media and other online accounts you maintain, details around the types of works you create, and survey or feedback responses.

Cookies

We use Cookies on our website that collect information to allow us to understand your use of the Root Abyss Membership.

Social Media

If you provide your social media information to us, we may use it to interact with you on these social networks in an effort to provide you with a more intimate, interactive experience. 

How We Use Your Information

We process your information to:

  • verify your identity to comply with US federal, state, and international laws
  • allow you to sign in to your account
  • allow you to support the writer’s work
  • process membership payments and payouts
  • send merchandise and membership swag to your shipping address
  • send you emails relevant to your usage, as controlled by your email preferences
  • send you text messages about chapter schedules, new releases, and other relevant membership updates
  • reply to your questions
  • provide to you existing and enhanced services related to your Root Abyss account
  • promote your feedback for greater discoverability
  • spotlight and celebrate creators
  • understand how you use the service and create better tools
  • conduct research and development to improve Root Abyss and develop future offerings
  • prevent fraud and abuse on the Root Abyss Membership
  • provide you with reasonable accommodation, if you notify us of a disability
Marketing Preferences and Rights Over Data
Marketing Activities

By agreeing to our terms of use, you expressly agree that the Root Abyss Membership may:

  • provide you with information about your membership, rank benefits or new Root Abyss rank benefits unlocked while you are on our website
  • send you messages regarding your current Member Rank, membership benefits, or new benefits news related to your existing membership when you are off our platform via email or via text if you have signed up for a service or event notification that uses text messages
  • market the Root Abyss Membership to you and audiences similar to you based on your networks and common factors that others have with you unless you opt out
  • send you marketing emails or texts if you don’t have a Root Abyss Membership but have consented to receiving such messages, which you may opt out of
  • ask for demographic information to spotlight and celebrate readers like you
  • promote your account for greater discoverability.
  • ship physical items to you via mail as part of member benefits and/or a promotional activity
Opting out of Marketing

You may object to the use of your data for marketing purposes at any time, free of charge, when we collect your personal information and in every marketing communication. You may also object to the use of your data for marketing upon creation of your account or anytime thereafter by opting out here.

Opting out will stop marketing emails. Please allow up to 30 days for your opt-out request to be processed. If you have an account with Root Abyss Membership, you will continue to receive member-related emails and texts if you have opted into receiving texts. You will also continue to receive member-related shipments of benefits to the designated delivery address.

We will never sell your information to third parties for marketing purposes without your prior consent.

Accessing, Updating or Exporting the Information in Your Account

You can access and update certain information associated with your account on the settings pages of your account dashboard. Additionally, you can delete your account or export your personal information.

Deleting Your Account

You may self-initiate a deletion of your account directly on you Member Account page. Please be aware that this action is final and cannot be reversed.

Turning off Email Notifications

You can change your email notifications at any time. To unsubscribe, members may either send in a request through the Opt-Out Form or unsubscribe directly through the emails sent by clicking the “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of the page.  This allows you to stop many notification emails, though we will still send some critical emails, such as vital membership info.