Secret Gathers (“we,” “our,” “us”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and disclose information about you when you use our website at SecretGathers.com and all related services and features (“Services”). By accessing or using our Services, you agree to this Privacy Policy.
Secret Gathers is an Ontario-based platform that uncovers small, authentic gatherings across Ontario and connects them with the people who will love them. We operate as a sole proprietorship based in Ontario, Canada.
For privacy inquiries, contact us at: [email protected]
Our Services are intended for individuals who are 19 years of age or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the age of 19. If we become aware that we have collected information from someone under 19, we will delete it promptly.
Newsletter and Circle sign-ups. When you join The Circle™ or the Host Circle™ through any sign-up form on our site, including footer sign-ups, we collect your first name and email address. Some sign-up forms include an optional checkbox to also join the Host Circle.
Contact form. When you contact us, we collect your first and last name, email address, and the contents of your message.
Share a Gathering (host filtering form). When hosts submit through the Share a Gathering form, we collect first and last name, email address, website or social media URL, business or gathering name, city or region, a description of the gathering, how many guests they typically host, how often they hold a gathering, and how people currently find out about it. Hosts may indicate whether they have a specific upcoming gathering and, if so, when it takes place and how they would like to be discovered by Secret Gathers. Hosts may also choose to join the Host Circle.
Your Gather Story (invite-only). This form is shared by personal email with hosts we approach for a Gather Stories™ feature. It is set to no-index and is not publicly accessible. It collects first and last name, business or gathering name, email address, region of Ontario, and website, Instagram, or TikTok links. It also collects detailed written responses about the gathering, the space and setting, what guests notice and how they are made to feel welcome, the type of gathering, where it takes place, what it is built around, and when it usually happens. It collects background about the person hosting and what led them to it. It may optionally collect information you choose to share about the nature of the gathering, such as whether it is Indigenous-led, women-led, or similar. It collects details about the experience and access, including accessibility and dietary options you choose to note. Where a host has a specific upcoming gathering to share, it also collects event details such as date, time, location, cost, capacity, and how guests get a spot. Finally, it collects photos and optional video clips, submitted by direct upload or through a shared cloud folder link such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud.
Nominate a Gathering. Anyone may nominate a gathering or host they think we should know about. Through this form we receive information about a third party, including the gathering or host name, where in Ontario they are, a website, social media, or other way to find them, what makes them worth finding, and any other notes the person chooses to add. The person making the nomination may optionally provide their own name and email, and if they do, they may choose to join The Circle or the Host Circle. See Section 6 for how we handle information about nominated hosts.
When you use our Services, we may automatically collect:
We use cookies and similar technologies to operate the website, understand how it is used, and deliver relevant advertising.
Types of cookies and tracking we use:
How consent works on our site. We operate on an opt-out basis. By continuing to use our Services, you consent to the cookies and tracking described here. You can withdraw or limit that consent at any time using the controls below. Disabling certain cookies may affect how the website functions.
How to manage or opt out of tracking:
We use the information we collect to:
When you submit information through the Your Gather Story form, that information may be used to write and publish an editorial article about you, your work, and the gatherings you create. These articles are called Gather Stories and are published on the Secret Gathers website. They may also be shared by email newsletter and on social media.
The following applies to all Gather Story submissions:
When someone nominates a gathering, we receive information about a host or business that may not have contacted us directly. We may use that information to research, contact, or feature the nominated host through our usual process. A nomination does not guarantee that we will contact or feature the nominated host.
If you are a host and someone has nominated your gathering, you may contact us at [email protected] to access, correct, or request removal of the information we hold about you.
We use third-party advertising and analytics services, which currently include Google Ads and may include Meta (Facebook and Instagram) Ads and TikTok Ads. These platforms may use cookies, pixels, and similar technologies to deliver and measure ads based on browsing behaviour across websites and apps.
We do not sell your personal information to advertisers. Advertising platforms receive data in accordance with their own privacy policies. You can manage your preferences using the tools listed in Section 4.
We do not sell your personal information.
We may share your information in the following circumstances:
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. No method of transmission over the internet is entirely secure. While we work to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.
By subscribing to our newsletter or email list, you consent to receive email communications from us. You may unsubscribe at any time by clicking the unsubscribe link in any email or by contacting us at [email protected]. Please allow a reasonable time for your request to take effect.
As an Ontario-based platform, we comply with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). You have the right to:
To exercise any of these rights, contact us at [email protected].
We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our Services or as required by law.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of those sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The revised policy will be posted on our website with an updated “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of our Services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
For any questions, concerns, or requests related to this Privacy Policy, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]