PRIVACY POLICY
Cyntia Smith | cyntiasmith.com
Effective: 10/08/2026
This Privacy Policy explains how Cyntia Smith ("we," "us," or "our") collects, uses, shares, and protects information about people who visit cyntiasmith.com. It applies to anyone who browses the site, joins the mailing list, buys music, sets up a lesson, or contacts us.
1. DEFINITIONS
(a) "Services" means the recordings, albums, and single tracks sold on this website; private and group dulcimer lessons and workshops; performances and festivals; and the mailing list, contact form, and other features on the site.
(b) "You" means anyone who visits this website, joins the mailing list, places an order, sets up a lesson, or contacts us.
2. DATA COLLECTION
Most data that we have comes directly from you. We collect information from:
Contact form: Your name, email address, and whatever you write in your message when you ask about lessons, bookings, orders, or instruments.
Mailing list: Your name and email address when you sign up for news and updates.
Store orders: Your name, email address, order details, and your mailing address if you order a CD. Downloads do not need a mailing address.
Lessons: Your name, email address, and lesson dates when you set up online lessons.
Payments: Your name, email address, and the confirmation the payment company sends us when you buy something.
Other: As you browse, basic visit information such as your IP address, the page you came from, and the pages you look at, collected by our website platform.
3. HOW WE USE PERSONAL DATA
(a) We use your information to fill orders and send digital downloads, answer your messages, schedule and teach lessons, send occasional news about new music, concerts, workshops, and festivals, and keep the sales records we need for taxes.
(b) We only collect information when we need it to fill an order or teach a lesson, when you have given us permission, or when the law requires it.
(c) We do not sell, rent, or trade your information, and we do not use it for advertising.
(d) If you gave us permission to use your information, you can take that permission back anytime. Every mailing list email has an unsubscribe link.
4. SHARING OF PERSONAL DATA
(a) We share only what is needed to run this website and provide our services. The companies we use are:
Bandzoogle, which hosts this website and provides the online store, mailing list, and contact form.
The payment processor used by the store at checkout, which handles payment for CDs, digital albums, and individual tracks.
Zoom, which hosts online lessons.
(b) Each of these companies has its own privacy policy, and they can only use your information to do their work for us.
(c) We may also share information if the law requires it.
5. PAYMENT INFORMATION
Store purchases are paid for at checkout, through the payment system built into our website. We never see or store your full card number. For lessons, we will give you payment instructions directly once your lesson is set. Please do not send payment details through the contact form or by email. If you get a message that claims to be from us and asks you to send payment through this website, it is not from us.
6. COOKIES
This website uses cookies, which are small files saved on your device. They keep the store cart and your session working. We do not use outside advertising or tracking services. You can turn cookies off in your browser, though parts of the store may not work if you do. Some browsers can send a "Do Not Track" or "Global Privacy Control" signal. This website does not respond to those signals, because we do not sell or share your information for advertising.
7. RETENTION OF PERSONAL DATA
(a) We keep your information only as long as there is a reason to. Sales and payment records are kept as long as the law requires for tax purposes. Mailing list information is kept until you unsubscribe. Messages from the contact form are kept as long as we need them to answer you and follow up.
(b) When there is no longer a reason to keep something, we delete it.
8. SECURITY OF PERSONAL DATA
Your information is stored on our website platform, which uses secure hosting and encrypted connections. We take reasonable steps to keep it safe. No website can promise perfect security, so if you ever have a concern about your information, please contact us.
9. YOUR CHOICES AND RIGHTS
(a) You can unsubscribe from the mailing list anytime using the link in any email, or by contacting us.
(b) You can ask us what information we have about you, ask us to fix it, or ask us to delete it. Sales records are kept as long as the law requires for tax purposes.
(c) If you live in California, you have the right to know what we collect, to have it corrected or deleted, and to be treated the same whether you ask or not. We do not sell your information or share it for advertising.
(d) To do any of this, contact us using the details in Section 13.
10. INTERNATIONAL VISITORS
This website is based in the United States. If you visit or order from another country, your information is sent to and stored in the United States. International CD orders are arranged by email, and we only ask for what we need to ship your order.
11. LINKS TO OTHER SITES
The site links to other websites, which may include but are not limited to festival registration pages and social media. We are not responsible for what those sites do with your information, so please read their policies before sharing anything.
12. MODIFICATION
We may update this policy at any time. The date at the top of this page shows when it was last revised.
13. CONTACT DETAILS
If you have questions about this policy, or want to ask about your information, email us at cyntia@cyntiasmith.com or use the Contact page at cyntiasmith.com/contact-cyntia.