Effective Date: February 2026

Welcome to The Brand Vault. We take the security of your data as seriously as we take the preservation of our cultural heritage. This policy explains how we handle your information and the technical “cookies” used to keep the archives running smoothly.

1. The Data We Collect & Why

• Comments & Memories: When visitors leave comments (or “Memory Triggers”) on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, along with the visitor’s IP address and browser user agent string to help with spam detection.

• Media: If you upload images to the site (for example, as part of a memory submission), you should avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS) included. Visitors to the website can download and extract any location data from images on the website.

2. Cookies: Your Digital Keycard

To make your experience in the Vault more convenient, we use cookies:

• Convenience: If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your name, email address, and website in cookies. These are for your convenience so that you do not have to fill in your details again when you leave another comment. These cookies will last for one year.

• Session Checks: If you visit our login page, we will set a temporary cookie to determine if your browser accepts cookies. This cookie contains no personal data and is discarded when you close your browser.

• Login Persistence: When you log in, we set up cookies to save your login information and your screen display choices. Login cookies last for two days, and screen options cookies last for a year. If you select “Remember Me”, your login will persist for two weeks.

• Editor Cookies: If you edit or publish an article, an additional cookie will be saved in your browser. It includes no personal data and expires after 1 day.

3. The “Memory Submission” Agreement

The Brand Vault is a community archive. By submitting a story or memory, you agree to the following:

• The Curator’s License: You grant The Brand Vault a non-exclusive, perpetual right to display and share your submission. We may feature your memory in our “Curator’s Notes” or as part of a brand’s permanent display case.

• Editorial Integrity: We may edit submissions for length or clarity to ensure the Vault aesthetic is maintained.

4. Embedded Content from Other Websites

Articles in the Vault may include embedded content (e.g. videos, images, articles, etc.). Embedded content from other websites behaves in the exact same way as if the visitor has visited the other website. These websites may collect data about you, use cookies, embed additional third-party tracking, and monitor your interaction with that embedded content, especially if you have an account and are logged in to that website (e.g., YouTube or Instagram).

5. Who We Share Your Data With

We do not sell your data. However:

• Spam Detection: Visitor comments may be checked through an automated spam detection service.

• Security: If you request a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email.

6. How Long We Retain Your Data

• Archives: If you leave a comment, the comment and its metadata are retained indefinitely. This is so we can recognize and approve any follow-up comments automatically instead of holding them in a moderation queue.

• User Profiles: For users that register on our website, we store the personal information they provide in their user profile. All users can see, edit, or delete their personal information at any time (except they cannot change their username).

7. Your Rights Over Your Data

If you have an account in the Vault or have left comments, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data we hold about you. You can also request that we erase any personal data we hold about you. This does not include any data we are obliged to keep for administrative, legal, or security purposes.

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Contact the Curator

If you have any questions regarding these protocols, please email curator@brandvault.me