Privacy Policy
Last updated: January 2025
Balanced Meal Guide ("we," "us," "our," or "Company") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website balancedmealguide.info and interact with our editorial content.
Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our website. Your continued use of the website signifies your acceptance of this Privacy Policy.
The information on this site is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before making health decisions.
1. Information We Collect
Information You Provide Directly
- Contact Forms: If you contact us with feedback about our articles or editorial content, we collect your name, email address, and message.
- Newsletter Signup: If you choose to subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address.
- Comments: If our website features comments on articles, we collect your name, email, and comment text.
Information Collected Automatically
- Log Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time/date stamps.
- Device Information: Device type, unique identifiers, and mobile network information.
- Usage Data: How you interact with our content, articles you read, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns.
- Location Data: General geographic location based on IP address (not precise GPS data).
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies, web beacons, pixels, and similar tracking technologies to recognize you, remember your preferences, understand site usage, and improve your experience.
- Essential Cookies: Required for site functionality, security, and performance.
- Analytical Cookies: Help us understand how visitors interact with our content.
- Preference Cookies: Remember your choices and settings.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Provide and Maintain Services: Deliver editorial content, manage newsletter subscriptions, and respond to your inquiries.
- Improve Content: Analyze reader behavior to better understand which articles and topics resonate with our audience.
- Personalization: Customize your experience and recommend relevant articles based on your reading history.
- Security: Protect against fraud, abuse, and unauthorized access to our website.
- Analytics: Monitor site performance, user engagement, and content effectiveness.
- Communication: Send you newsletter updates, respond to feedback, and notify you of policy changes.
- Legal Compliance: Fulfill legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.
3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
What Are Cookies?
Cookies are small data files stored on your device that help websites remember information about your visits. We use both session-based and persistent cookies.
Cookie Management
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Most browsers allow you to:
- Refuse all cookies
- Accept cookies by default and delete them manually
- Receive alerts when websites set cookies
Note: Disabling essential cookies may affect website functionality and your experience.
Third-Party Tracking
We may use analytics tools and advertising services that deploy cookies and tracking pixels. These services may collect data across multiple websites. Please review their privacy policies for more information.
4. Third-Party Services & Links
Analytics Providers
We use analytics services (such as Google Analytics) to understand site usage patterns and improve our content. These services may collect and analyze your data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
External Links
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for their privacy practices. We encourage you to review their privacy policies before sharing personal information.
Social Media
If we feature social media integration, your interactions with those platforms are governed by their respective privacy policies. We do not control how social media platforms use your data.
Service Providers
We may share information with vendors and service providers who assist with website hosting, email delivery, analytics, and other operational functions. These partners are contractually obligated to protect your information.
5. Data Security
We implement industry-standard security measures including encryption, secure servers, and access controls to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.
However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
If you believe your information has been compromised, please contact us immediately at the email address provided in the Contact section below.
6. Your Privacy Rights
Access & Portability
You may request access to the personal information we hold about you and, in some cases, request that we provide it in a portable format.
Correction & Deletion
You have the right to request correction of inaccurate information and deletion of personal data, subject to legal obligations and legitimate business interests.
Opt-Out Options
- Newsletter: You can unsubscribe from our newsletter by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or contacting us.
- Cookies: Manage cookie preferences through your browser settings or our cookie consent tool.
- Marketing Communications: Request to opt out of non-essential communications.
Jurisdiction-Specific Rights
Depending on your location (e.g., GDPR for EU residents, CCPA for California residents), you may have additional rights. Please contact us for more information about rights applicable to your jurisdiction.
7. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law.
- Contact Form Inquiries: Retained for 1-2 years or as needed to respond to your feedback.
- Newsletter Subscribers: Retained until you unsubscribe or request deletion.
- Analytics Data: Generally retained for 24-26 months.
- Log Data: Typically retained for 30-90 days for security purposes.
8. Children's Privacy
Balanced Meal Guide does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. Our website is intended for general audiences. If we become aware that we have collected information from a child under 13, we will delete such information promptly. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided information to us should contact us immediately.
9. International Data Transfers
Our website and servers are based in Italy. If you access our website from outside Italy, your information may be transferred to, stored in, and processed in Italy or other countries.
By using our website, you consent to the transfer of your information to countries outside your country of residence, which may have different data protection laws. We implement appropriate safeguards to protect your information during international transfers.
10. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, legal requirements, and other factors. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy on our website and updating the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.
Your continued use of the website following the posting of changes signifies your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy. We encourage you to review this policy periodically to stay informed about how we protect your information.
11. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your privacy rights, or have concerns about our data practices, please contact us:
Balanced Meal Guide
Corso Italia 190
Bologna, Italy
Email: [email protected]
We will respond to your request within 30 days. For urgent matters or if you are not satisfied with our response, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with your local data protection authority.
12. California Residents (CCPA)
If you are a California resident, you have specific rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):
- Right to know what personal information is collected, used, shared, or sold
- Right to delete personal information collected from you
- Right to opt-out of the sale or sharing of your personal information
- Right to non-discrimination for exercising your CCPA rights
To exercise these rights, please contact us at [email protected]. We will verify your identity and respond within the timeframe required by law.
13. European Union Residents (GDPR)
If you are located in the European Union, United Kingdom, or Switzerland, you have rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):
- Right of Access: Request access to your personal data
- Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete data
- Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your data ("right to be forgotten")
- Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we process your data
- Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a machine-readable format
- Right to Object: Object to processing for direct marketing or profiling
- Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your data protection authority
We process personal data based on your consent, legitimate interests, or legal obligations. To exercise your GDPR rights, please contact us at [email protected].
Questions About Our Editorial Content?
For inquiries related to our articles, feedback on content, or general questions about Balanced Meal Guide, please reach out to our editorial team.
For information about editorial disclaimers and content usage, please visit our Disclaimer page.
© 2025 Balanced Meal Guide – P.IVA: IT42218473697. All rights reserved.
Corso Italia 190, Bologna, Italy