Privacy policy

1. Introduction

CodonForge ("we," "us," or "our") is a web design studio based in Palo Alto, California USA. We operate the website at codonforge.com (the "Site") to describe our services and allow potential clients to get in touch.

This Privacy Policy describes what information we collect when you visit the Site, how we use it, with whom we share it, how long we keep it, and what rights you have over it. We are a data controller under the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and applicable Swedish data protection law.

By using the Site you acknowledge that you have read this policy. If you have questions, contact us at support@codonforge.com before providing personal information.

2. Information we collect

We collect information primarily in one way: directly from you. Our web hosting infrastructure may also process standard server log data as described below.

Information you provide directly:

• Contact form submissions: name, email address, company name, and the content of your message when you send a project inquiry.

Information collected automatically:

• Standard server logs: our web hosting provider retains standard access logs that may include IP address, browser type, operating system, pages requested, and referral URL. This data is held and processed by our hosting provider under their own privacy terms. CodonForge does not directly access or store this data except in connection with a security incident investigation.

We do not collect sensitive personal data such as health information, financial account details, biometric data, or political opinions. If you inadvertently include such information in a free-text field, we will delete it as soon as we become aware of it.

Because the contact form uses a mailto: handler, form submissions open your email client and send to support@codonforge.com directly from your device. We receive that email as normal email correspondence; it is not stored in a third-party database before reaching us.

3. How we use your information

We use the information we collect only for the following purposes:

• Responding to your project inquiries and follow-up questions.
• Providing you with a project proposal or cost estimate where requested.
• Detecting and preventing unauthorized access or harmful activity on the Site.
• Complying with applicable legal obligations.

We do not use your information for advertising, behavioral profiling, or sale to third parties. We do not send unsolicited marketing emails. If you contact us about a project and no engagement follows, we will not add you to any mailing list.

4. Legal basis for processing

Under GDPR, we rely on the following legal bases:

• Legitimate interests (Article 6(1)(f)): Responding to professional inquiries, operating and securing the Site, and compiling aggregate analytics are all necessary for our legitimate business interests. We have assessed that these interests are not overridden by your rights.
• Legal obligation (Article 6(1)(c)): We may process personal data to the extent required to comply with Swedish or EU law.
• Contract performance (Article 6(1)(b)): Where you engage CodonForge for a project, we process the personal data necessary to deliver our services and fulfill the terms of that engagement.

5. Data sharing

We do not sell, rent, or share your personal information with third parties for their own purposes. We share data only in the following limited circumstances:

• Email hosting: Inquiry emails land in a hosted email account. The email provider processes your message in transit and at rest under their own data processing terms.
• Legal obligations: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or binding governmental authority.
• Business transfers: If CodonForge is sold or its assets are transferred, personal information held by us may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will notify affected individuals before any transfer takes effect.

6. Data retention

We retain personal information only for as long as necessary for the purposes for which it was collected:

• Project inquiry emails: Retained for 3 years from the date of the last correspondence, or until you request deletion, whichever comes first. For clients who engage us for a project, correspondence is retained for 5 years after project completion for contractual and tax record-keeping purposes.

When retention periods expire, personal data is securely deleted or irreversibly anonymized.

7. Your rights

Under GDPR, you have the following rights with respect to your personal data. We will respond to verifiable requests within 30 calendar days.

• Access: The right to obtain a copy of the personal data we hold about you.
• Rectification: The right to have inaccurate or incomplete data corrected.
• Erasure: The right to request deletion of your personal data, subject to our legal obligations to retain certain records.
• Restriction: The right to request that we limit how we process your data in certain circumstances.
• Portability: The right to receive your personal data in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Objection: The right to object to processing based on legitimate interests.

To exercise any of these rights, email support@codonforge.com with the subject line "Privacy rights request." We may ask you to verify your identity before acting on the request.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with the Swedish Authority for Privacy Protection (Integritetsskyddsmyndigheten, IMY) at imy.se, or with the supervisory authority in your country of residence if you are located in another EEA member state.

8. Cookies

The Site does not set cookies. We do not use advertising cookies, analytics cookies, retargeting pixels, or any third-party cross-site tracking technologies.

Your browser may receive technical cookies from our web hosting infrastructure as part of standard server operation. These are not set or controlled by CodonForge and are governed by our hosting provider's own privacy policy.

9. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect personal information against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. These include:

• Encryption of data in transit via TLS 1.2 or higher (HTTPS).
• Access controls limiting who can access inquiry correspondence.
• Regular review of our security practices as the Site evolves.

No method of electronic transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a breach that affects your personal data, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority in accordance with applicable law.

10. Children's privacy

The Site is intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 16 years of age. If you believe a minor has submitted information to us, please contact us at support@codonforge.com and we will delete it promptly.

11. Changes to this policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date at the top of this page and, where appropriate, post a notice on the Site. Continued use of the Site after the updated policy is posted constitutes acceptance of the changes, to the extent permitted by law.

12. Contact

Questions, concerns, or rights requests related to this Privacy Policy can be directed to: