This Privacy Policy describes how Neil M. O’Connor (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, stores, and shares personal information when you visit neilmoconnor.com and related pages we operate (the “Site”), including when you use contact forms, subscribe to email, or download resources. It should be read together with our Terms of Use.
1. Who is responsible for your information?
The data controller for personal information collected through the Site is Neil M. O’Connor, operating in connection with his author, speaking, and related activities.
Contact (privacy inquiries): contact@neilmoconnor.com
2. What information we collect
Depending on how you use the Site, we may collect:
- Information you provide: name, email address, organization, phone number (if you choose to provide it), message content, and any other fields you submit through contact or inquiry forms; preferences you select (e.g., speaking vs. media); information you provide when signing up for downloads or newsletters.
- Technical and usage data: IP address, general location derived from IP, browser type and version, device type, operating system, referring URL, pages viewed, and timestamps. This is collected automatically through cookies, log files, or similar technologies where enabled.
- Communications: records of correspondence if you email us or we reply to a form submission.
We do not intend to collect sensitive information (such as health data). Please do not submit sensitive information through the Site unless we explicitly ask for it in a secure, appropriate context.
3. How we use your information
We use personal information to:
- Respond to inquiries, coordinate speaking or media requests, and provide customer support;
- Deliver resources you requested (e.g., PDFs, toolkit links) and send transactional messages related to those requests;
- Send marketing or newsletter communications when you have opted in, or where permitted by law;
- Operate, secure, and improve the Site (analytics, troubleshooting, fraud prevention, and aggregate statistics);
- Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Use.
4. Legal bases (summary)
We collect and use personal information where permitted by applicable law, including:
- Consent — for example, when you subscribe to a newsletter or agree to non-essential cookies where required;
- Legitimate interests — for example, responding to messages you send, securing the Site, and understanding how the Site is used, balanced against your rights;
- Performance of a request or steps prior to a contract — for example, processing a speaking inquiry;
- Legal obligation — where we must retain or disclose information to comply with the law.
In Canada, our practices are designed to align with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), where it applies, and with substantially similar provincial privacy laws where they apply instead. If you are in another region, additional rights or rules may apply; contact us if you have questions.
5. Cookies and similar technologies
The Site may use cookies, local storage, pixels, or similar tools to remember preferences, keep the site secure, measure performance, or support embedded content. Some cookies are strictly necessary for the Site to function; others may be optional (e.g., analytics or marketing) and, where required, will be used only with your consent.
You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking certain cookies may limit some features.
6. Who we share information with
We do not sell your personal information. We may share information with:
- Service providers who help us run the Site and our operations—for example: website hosting, WordPress and page-builder tools, form and email providers (such as Fluent Forms or similar), email delivery services, analytics providers, and security tools. They may process data on our instructions and under contractual safeguards.
- Professional advisers (lawyers, accountants) where necessary.
- Authorities when required by law, court order, or to protect rights, safety, or security.
Some providers may process data in other countries. Where personal information is transferred across borders, we take steps that are appropriate under applicable law (for example, contractual clauses or reliance on adequacy decisions where available).
7. Retention
We keep personal information only as long as needed for the purposes above, including to resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and meet legal, accounting, or reporting requirements. Retention periods vary: for example, marketing lists until you unsubscribe (and a short period thereafter for suppression lists), form submissions for a reasonable period to complete follow-up, and server logs for a limited technical window unless longer retention is required.
8. Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures to protect personal information. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure; we cannot guarantee absolute security.
9. Your choices and rights
Depending on where you live, you may have the right to:
- Access the personal information we hold about you;
- Request correction of inaccurate information;
- Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent (without affecting the lawfulness of processing before withdrawal);
- Object to or restrict certain processing, or request deletion, subject to legal exceptions;
- Lodge a complaint with a privacy regulator (in Canada, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada or your provincial commissioner, as applicable).
To exercise these rights, contact contact@neilmoconnor.com. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
10. Children’s privacy
The Site is not directed at children under the age where parental consent is required in your jurisdiction. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected such information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.
11. Third-party links
The Site may link to third-party websites (publishers, retailers, LinkedIn, etc.). Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies. We encourage you to read those policies before providing personal information.
12. Changes to this policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will post the revised version on this page and update the “Last updated” date. If changes are material, we will take additional steps as required by law (for example, notice or renewed consent where appropriate).
13. Contact
Privacy questions or requests: contact@neilmoconnor.com