The Uncommon Octopus Effective Date: July 17, 2026 Last Updated: July 17, 2026
The Uncommon Octopus (“we,” “us,” or “our”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting the personal information you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard information when you visit uncommonoctopus.com (the “Site”).
By using the Site, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.
1. Information We Collect
a. Information You Provide to Us
When you use the contact form on our Site, we collect the information you submit, which may include:
- Name
- Email address
- Phone number (optional)
- The service you’re interested in (Writing Services, Author Coaching Services, or a general question)
- Your message or question
We use this information to respond to your inquiry, schedule consultations, and communicate with you about our services.
If you email us directly at karen@TheUncommonOctopus.com, we will also collect whatever information you include in that email.
b. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit our Site, we and our service providers may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage of the Site, including:
- IP address
- Browser type and version
- Device type and operating system
- Pages viewed and time spent on pages
- Referring website or source
- General geographic location (city/region level, derived from IP address)
- Date and time of visit
c. Analytics — Google Analytics / Google Tag Manager
We use Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager, web analytics services provided by Google, LLC (“Google”), to help us understand how visitors use our Site. These tools use cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as the pages you visit, how long you stay, and how you arrived at the Site.
Google may use this data in accordance with its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review Google’s Privacy Policy and How Google uses information from sites that use its services.
You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on, or by adjusting your cookie preferences through your browser settings.
d. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Our Site may use cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate the Site and to collect analytics data as described above. Most browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the Site.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
- Respond to inquiries submitted through our contact form or by email
- Schedule and prepare for consultations
- Communicate with you regarding our writing and coaching services
- Operate, maintain, and improve our Site
- Understand how visitors use our Site through aggregated analytics
- Comply with legal obligations
We do not use information submitted through our contact form for automated marketing communications unless you separately opt in to receive such communications.
3. How We Share Your Information
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information in the following limited circumstances:
- Service Providers. We may share information with third-party vendors who perform services on our behalf, such as website hosting, form processing, email, and analytics (e.g., Google Analytics/Google Tag Manager). These providers are only permitted to use your information to provide services to us.
- Legal Requirements. We may disclose information if required to do so by law, regulation, subpoena, or other legal process, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, your safety, or the safety of others.
- Business Transfers. If The Uncommon Octopus is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.
4. Data Retention
We retain information submitted through our contact form for as long as necessary to respond to your inquiry, provide our services, and for legitimate business or legal purposes. Analytics data is retained in accordance with Google Analytics’ standard data retention settings.
5. Data Security
We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect the information you provide from unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
6. Your Choices and Rights
Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, which may include the right to:
- Request access to the personal information we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion of your personal information
- Opt out of certain data collection, such as analytics cookies (see Section 1(c))
- Object to or restrict certain processing of your information
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 8 below. We will respond to verified requests in accordance with applicable law.
7. Children’s Privacy
Our Site is not directed to individuals under the age of 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected information from a child, we will take steps to delete it.
8. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how we handle your information, please contact us:
The Uncommon Octopus Email: karen@TheUncommonOctopus.com
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, or other factors. The “Last Updated” date at the top of this page indicates when this policy was most recently revised. We encourage you to review this page periodically.