Privacy Policy

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: July 1, 2026

Welcome to Bon Couteau (“we,” “us,” or “our”), available via [https://www.boncouteau.com/](https://www.boncouteau.com/). We respect your privacy and are committed to protecting any personal data we collect from you or that you provide to us.

This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, maintain, and protect your information when you visit our website, subscribe to our newsletter, or submit a story tip.

1. Information We Collect

We collect information to deliver sharp, accurate narrative profiles and maintain a smooth user experience. This data falls into two categories:

A. Information You Voluntarily Provide

  • Newsletter Subscriptions: If you sign up for our biography breakdowns, we collect your email address and, optionally, your first name.

  • Contact & Tip Forms: When you submit a biographical story tip, correction, or inquiry, we collect your name, email address, and the contents of your message.

  • Biographer Pitches: If you pitch a profile to our editors, we collect your professional credentials, portfolio links, and communication history.

B. Information Automatically Collected

  • Log and Usage Data: When you browse our articles, our servers automatically log standard web data, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URLs, and pages viewed.

  • Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies to remember your site preferences, monitor traffic trends, and analyze user engagement. You can manage or disable cookies via your individual browser settings.

2. How We Use Your Information

We don’t sell your personal details. We use the data we collect strictly to operate the Bon Couteau platform, specifically to:

  • Publish, maintain, and polish our biographical content.

  • Distribute our email newsletter (which you can opt out of at any time via an “unsubscribe” link).

  • Process and act upon your editorial corrections, profile requests, or secret tips.

  • Monitor site traffic using analytics software to improve our loading speeds and page layouts.

  • Detect, prevent, and mitigate security threats or technical bugs.

3. Third-Party Data Sharing

We only share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website. These include:

  • Email Marketing Platforms: To manage and send our newsletters.

  • Web Analytics Providers: To evaluate aggregate, non-identifiable user behavior patterns.

  • Hosting & Security Infrastructure: To keep the website live, encrypted, and stable.

Legal Disclaimer: We will disclose personal information if required to do so by law, court order, subpoena, or to protect the safety, rights, and property of Bon Couteau and our readers.

4. International Data Rights (GDPR & CCPA/CPRA)

Depending on your geographic location, you possess specific legal rights regarding your personal data:

  • Access & Portability: You have the right to request copies of the personal data we hold about you.

  • Correction & Erasure (“Right to be Forgotten”): You can request that we update incorrect data or permanently delete your contact information from our active databases.

  • Opt-Out of Tracking: You may refuse non-essential cookies via your browser or opt out of any future marketing distributions.

To exercise any of these privacy rights, please submit a formal request to our team at editorial@boncouteau.com. We process valid requests within 30 days.

5. Information Security

We implement commercially standard technical and administrative safeguards (including SSL encryption across our entire domain) to prevent data loss, theft, and unauthorized access. However, please remember that no transmission method over the internet is completely bulletproof. While we fight to keep your data secure, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

6. Children’s Privacy

Bon Couteau publishes educational, historical, and cultural biographies intended for a general audience. We do not knowingly market to or collect personal data from children under the age of 13. If we discover that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete it from our servers immediately.

7. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this Privacy Policy to reflect changing legal standards or editorial shifts. When updates occur, we will revise the “Effective Date” at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we safeguard your data.

8. Contact Our Privacy Lead

If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or our internal data handling protocols, reach out directly via:

  • Website URL: [https://www.boncouteau.com/](https://www.boncouteau.com/)

  • Primary Privacy Email: editorial@boncouteau.com

Implementation Tips for Your Website:

  1. Create a New Page: In your CMS (WordPress, Webflow, etc.), create a dedicated page with the URL slug /privacy-policy.

  2. Add to Your Footer: Link this page clearly in the footer of your website so it is visible from every single biography profile or page.

  3. Newsletter Consent: When users sign up for your mailing list, add a tiny note below the button saying: “By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy.”