Privacy Policy

Effective Date: Oct 29, 2025

Introduction

CLARES ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at clares.ca and use our amateur radio training services.

Information We Collect

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information through various analytics and tracking technologies:

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website. Google Analytics collects information such as:

• Pages visited and time spent on our site
• General location information (country/region)
• Device and browser type and version
• Referring websites and search terms
• Date and time of visits
• User interactions and behavior patterns

Google Analytics uses cookies to collect this information. Specifically, it uses:

• _ga cookie: Distinguishes unique users (expires after 2 years)
• _ga_<container-id> cookie: Maintains session state (expires after 2 years)

Cloudflare Analytics: We also use Cloudflare Analytics for additional website performance insights, which collects similar usage data without using cookies or personal identifiers.

Information You Provide

We collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

Contact Information: When you contact us or report issues, we may collect:

• Name and email address
• Message content and correspondence history

Course Information: Course progress and interaction data are stored locally in your browser and are not transmitted to our servers. This includes:

• Course progress and completion data
• Quiz and exam results
• Learning preferences and settings
• Lesson interaction data (time spent, clicks, navigation patterns)

We use this local data to provide you with a personalized learning experience. This data remains on your device and is deleted when you clear your browser data.

Note: While your course data stays on your device, Google Analytics may collect anonymous information about which course pages you visit (including completion pages) to help us understand overall usage patterns. This analytics data does not include your quiz answers or personal progress details.

Feedback: Any feedback, comments, or suggestions you provide to help improve our services.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and improve our amateur radio training services
• Create usage statistics and course completion time estimates
• Identify and improve confusing or difficult lessons
• Optimize course structure and content quality
• Respond to your inquiries and support requests
• Send course-related communications and updates
• Analyze website usage to enhance user experience
• Communicate with you about our services
• Ensure the technical functionality of our website
• Comply with legal obligations

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies (small data files stored on your device) for:

• Analytics: Google Analytics cookies help us understand website usage

Your Cookie Choices

You can control cookies through your browser settings:

• Browser Settings: Most browsers allow you to refuse cookies or delete existing ones
• Google Analytics Opt-Out: You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on
• Cookie Preferences: You can adjust your cookie preferences at any time through your browser settings

Note that disabling certain cookies may affect website functionality.

Information Sharing and Third-Party Services

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We share your information only in the following circumstances:

Service Providers

We work with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and providing our services:

Google Analytics (Website Analytics):

• Processes website usage data to help us improve user experience
• Data is processed according to Google's privacy practices
• Privacy Policy: https://policies.google.com/privacy

Cloudflare (Website Performance & Security):

• Provides website security and performance optimization
• Processes technical data to ensure website availability
• Privacy Policy: https://www.cloudflare.com/privacypolicy/

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information when required by law, legal process, or to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of our users or the public.

Business Transfers

In connection with any merger, sale, or transfer of our business, your information may be transferred to the new entity, subject to the same privacy protections.

Data Security

We protect your information using encryption, and limited access controls. However, no internet transmission is 100% secure.

Data Retention

Analytics Data: Google Analytics and Cloudflare Analytics retain data according to their retention policies. Google Analytics data is typically retained for 26 months before automatic deletion or anonymization.

Contact Information: Email correspondence is retained for our records and to provide ongoing support unless you request deletion.

Local Course Data: Course progress and quiz results stored in your browser remain on your device until you clear your browser data or cache. We do not store this information on our servers.

Your Rights

Under Canadian privacy law (PIPEDA), you have rights regarding your personal information:

• Request deletion: Contact us to delete any email correspondence or contact information
• Opt out of analytics: Use browser settings or the Google Analytics opt-out add-on
• Access your data: Request copies of any personal information we hold

Note: Course progress data is stored locally on your device and can be deleted by clearing your browser data.

Contact us to exercise these rights.

International Data Transfers

Some of our service providers may process data outside Canada, with appropriate protections in place.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we may or may not notify you.

Children's Privacy

Our services are available to users of all ages. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. The only data we collect is anonymous usage analytics through Google Analytics and Cloudflare Analytics, which does not identify individual users regardless of age.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided us with personal information through our contact forms, please contact us at clares.privacy@gilani.me and we will delete such information.

Contact Information

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:

Email: clares.privacy@gilani.me