1. Introduction
Welcome to Mechanical Workshop ("we", "us", "our"). We operate mechanicalworkshop.com, a public platform dedicated to publishing machinery and equipment SEO/GEO articles. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you access or use our services.
By using our forum, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use our services.
2. Information We Collect
2.1 Account Information
When you register, we collect: Username, email address, password (hashed), and optional profile info (photo, company, industry, bio).
2.2 Content You Publish
Articles, comments, images, videos, and attachments.
Public Content Warning: All content you publish is publicly visible and indexable by search engines. Do not post personal sensitive information or confidential business data.
2.3 Forum Activity
Likes, bookmarks, search queries, private messages, and ad interaction data (impressions, clicks).
2.4 Technical Information
IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers, referral URLs, session duration, pages visited, cookie data.
2.5 Image/Video Metadata
Uploaded media may contain EXIF data (GPS location, camera model, timestamp). We strongly recommend removing sensitive EXIF data before uploading.
3. How We Use Your Information
| Purpose | Legal Basis (GDPR) |
|---|---|
| Provide forum services | Contract performance |
| Content moderation | Legitimate interest |
| Display advertising | Consent / Legitimate interest |
| Platform analytics | Legitimate interest |
| Personalize recommendations | Consent |
| Security & fraud prevention | Legitimate interest |
| Legal compliance | Legal obligation |
4. Advertising
4.1 Google AdSense & Partners
We use Google AdSense and third-party advertising companies to serve ads. These ads help keep the platform free.
4.2 Data Collection by Google
Google and its partners may use cookies, web beacons, device identifiers, and similar technologies to:
- Serve ads based on your prior visits to our forum and other websites
- Measure ad effectiveness
- Deliver personalized or non-personalized advertising
4.3 What Google Collects
Through our advertising implementation, Google may collect: IP address, browser/device info, ad interaction data, approximate location, cookie IDs, mobile advertising IDs.
4.4 Your Ad Choices
- Opt out of personalized ads: Google Ads Settings
- Opt out of third-party cookies: Network Advertising Initiative or Your Online Choices
- Mobile opt-out: Use device settings to reset ad IDs or disable interest-based ads
For EU/EEA Users: We request your explicit consent before enabling personalized advertising cookies. You may still see non-personalized ads without consent.
For California Users: See Section 6.2 for your "Do Not Sell or Share" rights regarding advertising data.
5. Cookies & Tracking Technologies
| Category | Purpose | Required? |
|---|---|---|
| Essential | Login, security, session | Yes |
| Advertising | Google AdSense, ad personalization, fraud prevention | No |
| Analytics | Google Analytics (IP anonymized) | No |
| Preferences | Language, theme, settings | No |
Cookie Consent: First-time visitors will see a banner to accept, reject non-essential cookies, or customize preferences.
You may change preferences anytime via the Cookie Settings link in the footer.
6. Your Privacy Rights
6.1 GDPR Rights (EU/EEA)
- Access: Request a copy of your data
- Rectification: Correct inaccurate info
- Erasure: Delete your account and data
- Restriction: Limit how we process your data
- Portability: Export data in JSON/CSV
- Objection: Object to profiling for advertising
- Withdraw Consent: Disable advertising cookies anytime
Response Time: 30 days
6.2 CCPA/CPRA Rights (California)
- Know: Request disclosure of collected categories
- Delete: Request deletion of personal information
- Opt-out of Sale/Sharing: We do not sell data for money. However, using cookies for interest-based advertising may constitute "sharing" under California law.
Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information
To submit a request, email us at privacy@mechanicalworkshop.com
6.3 Account Deletion & Public Content
When you delete your account:
- Personal data (email, IP logs, private messages) is deleted within 30 days
- Published articles/comments may be anonymized (username �"[Deleted User]") or fully deleted based on your choice
- Search engines may retain cached copies even after deletion from our servers
7. Data Sharing & Third Parties
| Recipient | Purpose | Data Type |
|---|---|---|
| Google LLC (AdSense, Analytics) | Advertising, analytics, fraud prevention | IP, device info, cookie IDs, ad interactions |
| Cloud Hosting (AWS/Alibaba Cloud) | Service infrastructure | All data |
| CDN (Cloudflare) | Content delivery | Technical data, IP |
| Email Service (SendGrid) | Transactional emails | Email address |
We do not sell your personal information to third parties for monetary consideration.
8. International Data Transfers
Your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States, European Union, Singapore, and other countries where our servers and partners operate.
We ensure appropriate safeguards through:
- EU Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
- UK International Data Transfer Agreement (IDTA)
9. Data Retention
| Data Type | Retention Period |
|---|---|
| Account information | Until deletion + 30 days |
| Published articles/comments | Indefinite or anonymized |
| Private messages | Until deletion + 90 days |
| IP logs & security data | 12 months |
| Advertising interaction logs | 26 months (Google standard) |
| Cookie consent records | 12 months |
10. Security Measures
- TLS/SSL encryption for all data transmission
- Password hashing (bcrypt)
- Regular security audits
- Role-based access control for staff
- Breach notification within 72 hours (GDPR)
11. Children's Privacy
This platform is not intended for children under 16. We do not knowingly collect data from children.
If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, contact us immediately for prompt deletion.
12. Changes to This Policy
Material changes will be notified via:
- Email to registered users
- Prominent banner on the forum
- 30 days advance notice
13. Contact Us
All privacy-related inquiries:
📧 Email: privacy@mechanicalworkshop.com
📮 Postal Address:
Mechanical Workshop
123 Machinery Street
San Francisco, CA 94105
United States
14. Third-Party Links
Our platform may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
Appendix: Google-Specific Disclosures
Required by Google AdSense Publisher Policies:
Third-party vendors, including Google, use cookies to serve ads based on a user's prior visits to your website or other websites.
Google's use of advertising cookies enables it and its partners to serve ads to your users based on their visit to your sites and/or other sites on the Internet.
Users may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings.
You can opt out of a third-party vendor's use of cookies for personalized advertising by visiting www.aboutads.info.