01Who we are
This Privacy Policy explains how Horton Studio Inc ("Horton Studio," "we," "us" or "our"), a design, marketing and AI automation studio based in Dallas, Texas, USA, handles information in connection with our website at hortonstudio.us (the "Site") and the services we provide to clients.
Horton Studio is responsible for the personal information described in this policy. If you have a question about it, you can reach us at devan at hortonstudio dot us.
02Information we collect
We collect only the information we need to run the Site and to work with our clients. The Site has no contact form, user accounts, newsletter sign-up, advertising cookies or analytics tools. The information we handle falls into the following categories:
- Emails you send us. If you email us, we receive your email address, your name if you include it, the contents of your message and any attachments, and any other details you choose to share, such as your company name or project information.
- Client and project information. If you become a client, we keep the contact details, project communications, files and agreements needed to deliver the work.
- Photo and video content. When we photograph or film for a client, in person or on location, the footage can include people's images and voices. It is captured, edited and delivered for that client under the Client Agreement, and kept only as long as the project needs it.
- Invoicing records. We keep records of the invoices we issue and the payments we receive, including the client name, billing contact, billing address where provided, amounts, dates and payment status.
- Payment information. Payments are processed by Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe") through Stripe invoices and payment links. Card and bank account details are entered directly on Stripe and are never received or stored by Horton Studio. Stripe shares limited information with us, such as the payer's name, email address, the amount paid, the payment method type and the last four digits of a card or account number.
- Server logs. When you visit the Site, our hosting provider automatically processes standard request information, such as your IP address, browser and device type (user agent), the page requested, the referring page and the date and time of the request.
- Information stored on your device. The Site keeps one short-lived value in your browser's session storage so its opening animation plays once per visit. It contains no personal information and is never sent to us.
We do not knowingly collect sensitive personal information, such as government identification numbers, health information or precise geolocation, through the Site. Please do not send us that kind of information by email unless it is necessary for an engagement and we have agreed on how it will be handled.
03How we use information
We use the information described above to:
- reply to your emails and discuss potential projects;
- prepare proposals, agreements and statements of work;
- deliver, manage and support client engagements;
- issue invoices, process payments, handle refunds and resolve billing questions or disputes;
- keep business, accounting and tax records;
- operate, secure and maintain the Site, including detecting and preventing abuse, fraud and technical problems; and
- comply with legal obligations and enforce our agreements.
We do not use your information for automated decision making or profiling that produces legal or similarly significant effects. If we send you an email about our services outside of an existing project, we will identify ourselves accurately and stop sending such emails if you ask us to.
04Why we process information
We process personal information only where we have a valid reason to do so. Depending on the situation, that reason is one of the following:
- To perform a contract with you, or to take steps you ask for before entering into one, such as answering a project inquiry or preparing a quote.
- To comply with legal obligations, such as keeping accounting and tax records.
- For our legitimate business interests, such as running and securing the Site, keeping records of our correspondence and protecting our legal rights, where those interests are not outweighed by your rights.
- With your consent, where consent is required. You may withdraw consent at any time by emailing us.
06No sale or targeted advertising
We do not sell personal information, and we do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising or targeted advertising. We have not done so in the past twelve months.
Because we do not sell or share personal information for these purposes, there is nothing to opt out of. If that ever changes, we will update this policy before doing so and provide any opt-out or consent mechanism the law requires.
08How long we keep information
We keep personal information only for as long as we need it for the purposes described in this policy, including to meet legal, accounting and tax requirements. In general:
- Invoices, payment records and related tax and accounting records are kept for as long as required by law, typically seven years after the end of the tax year to which they relate.
- Client agreements and project records are kept for the length of the engagement and for up to seven years after it ends, so that we can support the work, answer questions and protect our legal rights.
- Emails from people who do not become clients are kept for up to two years after our last exchange, unless an ongoing conversation or a legal reason requires us to keep them longer.
- Server logs are kept by our hosting provider for a limited period under its standard log retention practices, generally no longer than needed for security and delivery.
When information is no longer needed, we delete it or, where deletion is not practical, keep it securely and isolate it from further use until it can be deleted.
09Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical and physical measures to protect the information we hold, including encrypted connections (HTTPS) for the Site, access controls on our accounts and the use of established providers for hosting, email and payments. Payment card and bank details are handled by Stripe and never reach our systems.
No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. Email is not always encrypted in transit, so please avoid sending highly sensitive information by email. If we become aware of a security incident affecting your personal information, we will notify you as required by law.
10Your rights and requests
Depending on where you live, you may have rights under privacy laws regarding your personal information. Whether or not a particular law applies to us or to you, we will honor reasonable requests from anyone to:
- confirm whether we hold personal information about you and receive a copy of it;
- correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete;
- delete information about you, subject to the exceptions below;
- receive information you provided to us in a portable format where technically feasible; and
- stop receiving any non-transactional emails from us.
To make a request, email devan at hortonstudio dot us from the address associated with your information and describe what you are asking for. We may ask for additional details to verify your identity before acting on a request. You may use an authorized agent to make a request on your behalf, and we may ask the agent for proof of authorization. We will respond within 45 days, and will tell you if we need more time.
Some information cannot be deleted on request, such as invoicing and tax records we are legally required to keep, or information needed to complete a contract or defend a legal claim. If we cannot fully meet a request, we will explain why. If you disagree with our response, you may reply to ask us to reconsider. We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of these rights.
11Children
The Site and our services are not directed at children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, please contact us at devan at hortonstudio dot us and we will delete it.
12International visitors
Horton Studio is based in the United States, and the Site is operated from the United States. If you contact us or use the Site from outside the United States, your information will be transferred to, stored and processed in the United States and in other countries where our service providers operate. Data protection laws in those countries may differ from those where you live.
Where the law of your country requires it, we rely on appropriate safeguards offered by our service providers for these transfers. You may contact us with questions about them.
13Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will post the updated version on this page and change the effective date above. If we make a material change to how we handle personal information, we will provide additional notice where appropriate, such as a notice on the Site or an email to clients.
14Contact
For questions about this Privacy Policy or to make a privacy request, contact Horton Studio Inc, based in Dallas, Texas, USA, by email at devan at hortonstudio dot us.