Privacy Policy

Who We Are

Gemstone Rush (gemstonerush.com) is a US-market gemstone reference and affiliate site. We publish educational content about gemstones, minerals, and crystals, and we link to retailers where readers can purchase stones, jewelry, and related items. We operate as a small independent publication. Privacy questions can be submitted through the contact form on our Contact page.

What We Collect Directly

We collect very little data ourselves. The categories below describe every type of information that may pass through our systems.

• Contact email address: if you choose to write to us through the contact form, we receive and retain your email address and the content of your message for as long as needed to respond and keep a record of the exchange.
• Server request logs: our hosting provider automatically records the IP address, browser user agent string, referring URL, and the page requested each time someone visits the site. These logs are used to keep the site running and to diagnose errors.
• Aggregate analytics: we use a privacy-first analytics service to understand which pages are read and how long readers stay. This data is aggregated and cannot be tied to an individual visitor. No personally identifiable information is involved.
• Cookies set by our platform: WordPress sets one or two short-lived technical cookies needed for the platform to function. These do not track you across sites and expire when your browser session ends or shortly after.

What We Do Not Collect

• We do not run user accounts and do not store visitor profiles.
• We do not collect birth dates, health information, financial information, or precise device location.
• We do not sell or share personal data to third parties for their own marketing.
• We do not build advertising profiles or behavioral segments based on visitors to this site.
• We do not use session recording, heatmap tools, or any technology that captures individual keystrokes or mouse movements.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

A cookie is a small text file a website stores on your device. Cookies can be first-party (set by us) or third-party (set by a service operating on our behalf or by a site you navigate to after clicking a link).

First-Party Cookies

The WordPress platform that powers this site sets a small number of session cookies necessary for basic site operation. These cookies do not contain personally identifiable information and are not used for tracking.

Analytics Cookies

We use a privacy-first analytics service that does not use cookies, does not track visitors across sites, does not collect IP addresses in a personally identifiable way, and is fully compliant with GDPR, CCPA, and ePrivacy rules. The data we receive is aggregate only: page views, referral sources, and session counts. No individual visitor is identifiable from this data.

Affiliate Tracking Cookies

When you click an affiliate link on this site, you are taken to a third-party retailer such as Amazon, Etsy, or GemSelect. That retailer's own systems set tracking cookies on your device to record that you arrived from our site and to attribute any resulting purchase to our affiliate account. These cookies are set by the retailer, not by us, and their behavior is described in each retailer's own privacy policy.

We do not receive any personal information from these tracking events. We receive only an aggregate commission report: a sale occurred through our link, and a commission was earned. We cannot identify which individual visitor made the purchase.

Third-Party Services

We rely on a small number of external services to operate the site. Each is described below.

• Hosting provider: our web host processes standard server request logs in the course of providing hosting services. These logs are subject to the host's own data retention and security practices.
• Privacy-first analytics: no cookies, no cross-site tracking, no personally identifiable data collection. Data is retained in aggregate form for site improvement purposes.
• Affiliate networks (Amazon Associates, Etsy Affiliate Program, GemSelect): these networks receive a referral signal when a reader clicks an affiliate link. They set their own cookies and their own privacy policies govern those interactions. We encourage readers to review those policies.
• Contact form service: messages submitted through our contact form are delivered to our editorial inbox and stored only as long as needed to manage correspondence.
• Display advertising: at the time this policy was written, this site does not serve display advertising. If display advertising is added in the future, this policy will be updated to identify the advertising network and describe the cookies it sets before any ads appear.

How We Use the Data We Collect

We use the limited data described above for the following purposes only.

• Responding to contact form messages: we use your email address and message content to reply to your inquiry and to keep a record of the exchange.
• Operating and improving the site: server logs help us identify errors, broken pages, and performance issues. Aggregate analytics data helps us understand which content is useful.
• Complying with legal obligations: we may retain or disclose data if required to do so by applicable law or valid legal process.
• Preventing fraud and abuse: server logs may be reviewed to identify and block abusive traffic.

US State Privacy Rights

Multiple US states have enacted comprehensive consumer privacy laws, including California (CCPA/CPRA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Virginia (VCDPA), and Utah (UCPA), among others. Readers in these states have rights that we honor regardless of the state in which you reside.

Your Rights

• Right to know: you may request a description of the categories of personal information we have collected about you and the purposes for which it is used.
• Right to access: you may request a copy of the specific personal information we hold about you.
• Right to deletion: you may request that we delete the personal information we hold about you, subject to certain legal exceptions.
• Right to correction: you may request that we correct inaccurate personal information we hold about you.
• Right to opt out of sale or sharing: we do not sell personal data and do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. There is nothing to opt out of in that regard, but you may still submit a request and we will confirm our practices in writing.
• Right to non-discrimination: we will not treat you differently for exercising any of the rights listed here.

Because we do not operate user accounts, the personal information we hold about any individual reader is typically limited to recent server logs and any contact form correspondence. Most requests can be fulfilled or confirmed within thirty days. Submit a request through the contact page or by emailing the contact form on the Contact page.

California Residents

California residents have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act. We do not sell personal information as defined by California law and do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. We do not use sensitive personal information for purposes beyond those permitted by law without offering an opt-out. California residents may designate an authorized agent to submit requests on their behalf by contacting us at the contact form on the Contact page.

Children

The site is not directed at children under the age of thirteen and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If a parent or guardian believes that a child has submitted personal information to us through the contact form or otherwise, they may contact us at the contact form on the Contact page and we will delete that information promptly.

We do not knowingly collect or sell personal information of consumers between the ages of thirteen and fifteen for purposes of targeted advertising without affirmative authorization, consistent with applicable state law.

Data Retention

• Server logs: retained for a short rolling window (typically 30 to 90 days) to diagnose errors and investigate abuse, then overwritten or deleted as part of normal server rotation.
• Contact form correspondence: retained for as long as the exchange is relevant and for a reasonable period afterward for reference. We do not retain email correspondence indefinitely.
• Aggregate analytics data: retained for site planning purposes on a rolling basis. Because this data is never tied to an individual, it does not constitute personal data under any applicable law.
• Affiliate commission records: these are maintained by the affiliate networks and governed by their retention policies. We receive only aggregate reports without personal identifiers.

Security

The site is served exclusively over HTTPS with a valid TLS certificate. Access to server infrastructure and administrative systems is restricted to the editorial team. We use strong, unique credentials and keep our platform and plugins updated to reduce exposure to known vulnerabilities.

No information system is perfectly secure. We do not make promises we cannot keep, but we follow reasonable and recognized practices and update them as platform guidance evolves. If we become aware of a data breach that is likely to affect readers, we will disclose it in accordance with applicable state breach notification laws.

International Visitors

This site is operated from the United States and its servers are located in the United States. If you are visiting from the European Union, United Kingdom, or another jurisdiction with data protection laws, please be aware that your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States, where data protection standards may differ from those in your jurisdiction. By using this site you understand and accept this transfer. Readers in the EU or UK who wish to exercise rights under GDPR may contact us at the contact form on the Contact page.

Links to Third-Party Sites

This site contains links to external websites, including affiliate retailer sites, reference sources such as the Smithsonian and Gemological Institute of America, and other educational resources. When you click those links, the privacy practices of those sites apply, not ours. We encourage readers to review the privacy policies of any external site before submitting personal information.

Changes to This Policy

We update this policy when our data practices change. The version you are reading is current. Meaningful changes — such as adding a new analytics provider, enabling display advertising, or joining a new affiliate network — will be reflected in this document before the change takes effect. We do not send notification emails when the policy is updated; we encourage periodic review of this page if you wish to stay current.

Contact Us

For any questions about this policy, to submit a data access or deletion request, or to report a concern about our data practices, contact us at the contact form on this pagehe Contact page. We aim to respond to all privacy inquiries within thirty days.