Privacy & Data Protection Policy

1. Data Controller Identification

This website (Vaultsmeadowreel.com) is operated by Vaultsmeadowreel Media B.V., a media and travel publishing entity organized under the laws of Belgium, registered with the Crossroads Bank for Enterprises (CBE / KBO) under number 0849.321.765, having its registered seat at Casinoplein 11B, 8670 Koksijde, Belgium (referred to herein as "we," "us," or "the Company").

2. Personal Data We Collect

We collect information strictly necessary to provide independent travel guides, respond to inquiries, and optimize platform performance. The categories of information include:

• Communication Data: When submitting an inquiry via our contact form, we collect your name, email address, selected guide subject, and transmission content.
• Technical & Log Data: When browsing our guides, our web servers collect truncated IP addresses, browser types, device identifiers, referring URLs, and timestamp metrics.
• Consent State Records: We store your chosen cookie preferences in client-side localStorage on your personal browser.

3. Lawful Basis for Processing (GDPR Article 6)

In conformity with the EU General Data Protection Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2016/679), we process personal data exclusively under the following legal bases:

• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)): For non-essential analytics tracking or functional cookie deployment, obtained explicitly via our bottom banner.
• Contractual / Pre-Contractual Steps (Art. 6(1)(b)): To address user requests, questions, or editorial feedback submitted directly through our contact portal.
• Legitimate Interests (Art. 6(1)(f)): To maintain web infrastructure security, prevent automated spam attacks, and defend against server vulnerability exploits.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Our website utilizes minimal cookies and client-side browser tokens to provide secure routing and remember preference choices. Detailed specifications of every category—including lifetime durations, purposes, and third-party recipients—are provided on our dedicated Cookie Policy page.

5. Third-Party Data Processors

We engage carefully audited technical vendors who process limited data under data processing agreements conforming to GDPR Article 28:

• European Cloud Hosting Infrastructure: Cloud server infrastructure situated within the European Union for secure web delivery and database backup.
• Transactional Email Services: Secure SMTP routing services that handle direct transmissions sent through our contact form.

We never sell, rent, trade, or monetize personal user data to third-party advertisers or data brokers under any circumstances.

6. Data Retention Timeframes

We retain personal data only for as long as strictly necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was originally collected:

• Inquiry Communications: Retained for a maximum of twenty-four (24) months from date of resolution for customer service continuity, after which they are permanently deleted.
• Server Logs: Technical network logs are retained for security auditing for thirty (30) days, after which they are cycled and purged.
• Cookie Preference State: Maintained on your local browser device for twelve (12) months or until manually cleared.

7. Your Statutory Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

Depending on your physical location and jurisdiction, you enjoy enforceable rights regarding your personal information:

• Right of Access (GDPR Art. 15): Request verification of whether we hold personal data concerning you and obtain copies.
• Right to Rectification (GDPR Art. 16): Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal records.
• Right to Erasure / "Right to be Forgotten" (GDPR Art. 17): Request deletion of your personal details where retention is no longer justified.
• Right to Restriction of Processing (GDPR Art. 18): Request temporary suspension of processing under disputed circumstances.
• Right to Data Portability (GDPR Art. 20): Obtain your submitted details in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format.
• Right to Object (GDPR Art. 21): Object at any time to data processing carried out under legitimate interest grounds.
• California Residents (CCPA / CPRA): We do not sell personal data. You have the right to know what categories of personal data are collected and to request non-discrimination for exercising your consumer rights.

8. Data Protection Officer & Contact Inquiries

For any inquiries, requests to exercise statutory data protection rights, or formal privacy concerns, please address our Data Protection Officer (DPO):

You also maintain the legal right to lodge a formal complaint with the Belgian Data Protection Authority (Gegevensbeschermingsautoriteit / Autorité de protection des données), Drukpersstraat 35, 1000 Brussels (dataprotectionauthority.be).