Privacy Policy

How Camera Dates collects, uses, and handles information related to website visits, newsletters, memberships, purchases, and community participation.

Effective date: October 3, 2026

Camera Dates is an independent photography education publication operated by Jonathan Charles in Missouri, United States. This policy explains how I handle information connected with cameradates.com, my newsletters and memberships, guide purchases, and the Camera Dates community at cameradates.discourse.group.

For privacy or account questions, contact hello@cameradates.com.

Information collected

When you subscribe, become a member, purchase a guide, contact me, or join the community, information collected may include your name, email address, account details, subscription preferences, purchase history, and information you choose to send or post.

The website, community, and service providers may also collect technical information such as IP addresses, browser and device information, visited pages, referral sources, and security logs. The information collected depends on the service and how you use it.

If you post photographs, comments, or other material, that material may include personal information and image metadata. Please avoid sharing information you do not want others to see.

How information is used

I use information to provide articles, newsletters, account access, paid membership benefits, purchased materials, and community features; respond to questions; manage subscriptions and billing; understand readership and improve content; and protect the services against abuse or fraud. Information may also be used to maintain business records and meet legal obligations.

I do not sell your personal information.

I use Ghost's built-in analytics to understand website readership, traffic sources, membership growth, and newsletter engagement. Depending on the enabled features, Ghost may record newsletter opens and link clicks, including activity associated with a subscriber. Email privacy features can affect the accuracy of these measurements.

Ghost's native web analytics do not use cookies or persistent browser storage to track visitors across sessions, browsers, or devices. This does not mean the entire website or its other services are cookie-free.

I also use Google Search Console to monitor how Camera Dates appears in Google Search, including search queries, impressions, clicks, and indexing information. Search Console is different from installing Google Analytics on the website.

Cookies and similar technologies

Cookies or similar storage may be used for account sign-in, maintaining sessions, security, and community functionality. Payment services and embedded third-party content may use their own technologies.

You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may prevent sign-in, purchases, or other features from working correctly.

Camera Dates uses Ghost software and Magic Pages hosting to operate the publication. Newsletter delivery, analytics infrastructure, and related technical services may process information needed to provide these features.

Stripe processes paid website membership payments. Gumroad handles guide purchases and delivery. I do not receive your full payment card number, although I may receive billing, transaction, and subscription details needed to manage your purchase. These services also process information under their own privacy policies.

The community runs on Discourse. Its hosting and service providers process account information, activity, and content needed to operate the forum. Site backups may be stored locally and with Google Drive to help recover the publication after data loss.

I share information with providers as needed to operate these services. Information may also be disclosed when legally required, to protect rights and safety, or to investigate fraud or misuse. If ownership of Camera Dates changes, relevant records may be transferred as part of that change, subject to applicable law and notice requirements.

Service providers may process or store information in countries other than your own, including the United States and European countries.

Community posts and external services

Community posts, profile information, and comments may be visible to other members or the public, depending on the area and its settings. Public material may be indexed by search engines or copied by others. Private messages can be accessible to administrators or providers where necessary for operation, moderation, or legal reasons.

Links and embedded content from other websites are subject to those providers' practices. This policy does not replace the privacy policies of Stripe, Gumroad, Google, social networks, or other external services.

Email choices and account requests

You can unsubscribe from publication emails using the unsubscribe link in an email or available account preferences. Unsubscribing from newsletters does not cancel a paid membership. Necessary account, billing, and security messages may still be sent.

To request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, email hello@cameradates.com. I may need to verify your identity. Depending on your location, you may have additional privacy rights, including rights to object to or restrict certain processing or complain to a relevant authority. I will handle requests as required by applicable law.

Some records may need to be retained for billing, tax, security, dispute resolution, or other legal purposes. Account deletion does not necessarily remove public posts, copies held by others, or information retained independently by payment providers. If you want community content reviewed for removal, identify it in your request.

Retention and security

Information is retained for as long as reasonably needed to provide the services and meet business and legal obligations. Backup copies may remain until they are replaced or expire under the applicable retention schedule.

I use reasonable safeguards to protect information, but no online service or storage method can guarantee absolute security.

Children

Camera Dates accounts, newsletters, purchases, and community services are not directed to children under 13, and I do not knowingly collect their personal information. If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information, contact me so I can investigate and take appropriate action.

Changes and contact

I may update this policy as the publication or its services change. The effective date above will identify the current version. Material changes will be communicated where required by law.

Questions or requests: hello@cameradates.com.