Privacy Policy

Important: This Privacy Policy is general website information for HerStory World Group. It is not legal advice. Your organization’s use of this website, and any collection or use of personal data, should be reviewed and tailored by a qualified privacy professional for the laws and regulations that apply in your jurisdiction.

1. Who We Are

HerStory World Group (“HerStory,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) exists to help women reclaim and share their stories. This website offers a space to connect, submit personal narratives, and engage with content that centers women’s leadership and lived experience.

This Privacy Policy explains, in clear language, how we collect, use, share, and protect information when you visit our website, use our Contact page, or submit your story.

2. Information We Collect

We collect information that you choose to share with us, as well as some information that is collected automatically when you use the site.

2.1 Information You Provide Directly

When you use our Contact page or the Submit Your Story page, you may provide:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Story submissions, including written narratives, titles, excerpts, quotes, and other text
  • Photos or images you choose to upload
  • Other personal information you include in your message or story (for example, your location, role or job title, social media handles, or details about your experiences)

We encourage you to share only the personal information you are comfortable having stored, reviewed, and potentially published or shared as described in this Policy.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

When you visit our site, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain technical information, such as:

  • IP address and approximate location (for example, city or region)
  • Device information (such as device type, operating system, and browser type)
  • Usage data (such as pages visited, links clicked, time spent on pages, and referring URLs)
  • Cookies and similar technologies, as described below

3. How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to support the mission of HerStory World Group and to operate, maintain, and improve the site. This may include:

  • Responding to your messages or inquiries sent through the Contact page
  • Reviewing, editing, curating, and preparing submitted stories for possible publication on the website and sharing on social media
  • Communicating with you about your story submission, including clarifying details, editing, or obtaining consent
  • Managing your preferences or requests, such as whether or how your name is displayed with your story
  • Operating and improving the website, content, and community experience
  • Analyzing how the site is used, so we can refine our content, design, and outreach
  • Protecting the security and integrity of the site and our community (for example, detecting spam, abuse, or unauthorized access)
  • Complying with legal obligations and responding to lawful requests, where applicable

4. Story Submissions, Publication, and Social Media Sharing

HerStory is about centering women’s voices and leadership. When you submit a story, you are sharing something deeply personal. We handle that with care and clarity.

4.1 Review and Editing

Stories submitted through the site may be reviewed and edited for clarity, length, tone, and fit with our mission and editorial guidelines. We aim to honor your voice and lived experience while ensuring the content supports a safe and empowering space for the community.

4.2 Publication on the Website

If your story is selected for publication, it may be posted on the HerStory World Group website. Depending on your preferences and our editorial approach, publication may include:

  • Your full name, first name only, initials, or a pseudonym
  • Story title, excerpts, and associated images or media
  • Any additional context you have agreed to share (for example, your role, industry, or location)

You should not include sensitive information in your story (such as financial information, government ID numbers, passwords, or highly confidential details) unless you are fully comfortable with how it may be used and shared.

4.3 Sharing on Social Media and Other Platforms

Published stories, excerpts, quotes, titles, and related images may be shared on HerStory’s social media accounts or other digital channels to amplify women’s narratives and leadership. These posts may link back to the full story on the website or feature portions of your story directly within the platform.

Once content is shared on social media or other external platforms, it may be viewed, shared, and stored by others according to those platforms’ own terms and privacy practices. We do not control how third parties or other users may interact with publicly shared content.

5. Cookies and Analytics

Our site may use cookies and similar technologies to understand how visitors use our content and to improve the experience.

5.1 What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files stored on your device when you visit a website. They help the site remember your actions and preferences over time and allow basic functions to work reliably.

5.2 How We Use Cookies

We may use:

  • Essential cookies to enable core site features and security.
  • Analytics cookies to understand how people find and use the site, which pages are most visited, and what content resonates.
  • Preference cookies to remember certain settings or choices where applicable.

You can usually set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being used. Some features of the site may not work properly if you disable cookies.

5.3 Analytics Tools

We may use analytics services (for example, Google Analytics or similar tools) to collect and analyze usage data. These services use cookies or similar technologies to help us understand traffic patterns and user behavior. The information is generally aggregated and does not identify you personally, but in some regions it may still be treated as personal data.

To learn more about how specific analytics providers handle your data and how to opt out, please refer to their individual privacy policies and settings.

6. Embedded Third-Party Content

Some pages may include embedded content from third parties, such as YouTube videos, Google Maps, or social media feeds or posts.

Embedded content from other websites behaves in the same way as if you had visited those websites directly. These third-party sites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content. Their data practices are governed by their own privacy policies, not by this one.

If you prefer not to be tracked by third-party services, you can adjust your browser, privacy, or cookie settings, or avoid interacting with embedded content.

7. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following ways, as needed to support the site and our mission:

  • Hosting and website providers: We use hosting services and technical providers to operate and maintain the website. They may process personal data on our behalf as part of providing these services.
  • Form and email providers: If we use form tools, email services, or customer relationship tools, they may process your contact details and messages so we can receive and respond to your communications.
  • Analytics providers: As described above, analytics tools may collect and process usage data about how the site is accessed and used.
  • Social media platforms: When we publish or share your story on social media, those platforms process the content and associated data according to their own terms and privacy policies.
  • Professional advisers and legal authorities: We may share information with legal, accounting, or other professional advisers, or with law enforcement or regulatory authorities when required or permitted by law.

When we share data with service providers, we aim to do so in a way that is consistent with this Policy and, where applicable, with relevant privacy and data protection laws.

8. How Long We Keep Your Information

We keep personal information only for as long as it is needed for the purposes described in this Policy, or as required by law.

  • Contact messages: We may retain your emails or contact form messages for a reasonable period to respond, follow up, and maintain records of our communications.
  • Story submissions: We may retain story submissions, including drafts and correspondence, as part of our editorial records, even if the story is not ultimately published.
  • Published stories: If your story is published, it may remain available on the website and in our archives for as long as the project or platform is active, or until we decide to remove it in line with our editorial and legal obligations.
  • Analytics data: Analytics and technical logs may be kept for limited periods, which depend on our tools and settings.

Retention periods may vary based on legal requirements, legitimate business needs, and the nature of the information.

9. Your Choices and Rights

Your story and your data are part of your agency. Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights over your personal information, such as:

  • Accessing the personal information we hold about you
  • Requesting corrections if your information is inaccurate or incomplete
  • Requesting deletion of your personal information, where legally permitted
  • Objecting to or limiting certain types of processing
  • Withdrawing consent where processing is based on your consent

To exercise these rights, or to ask questions about how your information is used, you can contact us using the details in the How to Contact Us section below. We may need to verify your identity before we can respond to certain requests.

If your story has been published and you would like to request updates, corrections, or removal, please reach out to us. While we cannot guarantee that all reposts or shares on third-party platforms can be fully removed, we will consider your request in line with our mission, editorial standards, and applicable law.

10. Security

We take reasonable steps to protect personal information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access or disclosure. This may include technical, administrative, and organizational measures suited to the size and nature of our operations.

No website or online service can guarantee complete security. You also play a role in protecting your information when choosing what to share and how you engage online.

11. Children’s Privacy

This site is not intentionally directed to children, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13 (or any higher age threshold that may apply in your jurisdiction) without appropriate consent. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information without the necessary consent, please contact us so we can review and, if appropriate, delete the information.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, the law, or our website. When we make material changes, we will update the “Last updated” date at the top of this page and may provide additional notice as appropriate.

We encourage you to review this page periodically so you understand how your information is being used and protected.

13. How to Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, your personal information, or your story submission, you can contact us at:

Email: [privacy@herstoryworldgroup.example]
Mailing address: [HerStory World Group, Attn: Privacy, Mailing Address Line 1, City, Region, Postal Code, Country]

Because privacy laws vary across countries and regions, you may also have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection or privacy authority. A qualified privacy professional can help you understand the options available in your jurisdiction.