1. Scope
This Privacy Policy explains how Usefully Strange handles information associated with usefullystrange.com, Usefully Strange Signals, and related interactive experiences. It applies to information processed by Usefully Strange and not to the independent practices of participating venues or third-party websites.
2. Information we may process
- Signals information: your mobile number as necessary to route messages; the keyword and responses you send; timestamps; session status; participating venue or experience code; opt-out and support requests; and delivery or error information.
- Business and venue inquiries: your name, email address, business name, website or social-page address, and the problem, incident, consequence, or message you submit through an inquiry form.
- Minimized analytics: pseudonymous or hashed identifiers and aggregate counts such as starts, completions, steps, or redemptions.
- Website information: basic technical logs such as browser type, device type, referring page, approximate location derived from an IP address, and pages requested, where collected by our hosting or security providers.
- Information you provide: details you voluntarily send when requesting help or otherwise contacting us.
3. How we use information
We use information to deliver and maintain an experience; recognize the current session; process responses; evaluate and respond to business or venue inquiries; honor STOP, HELP, and related requests; prevent misuse; troubleshoot delivery; protect the service; comply with law; and produce aggregate performance reporting. We do not use Signals participation to enroll you in recurring marketing.
4. Mobile information and consent
We do not sell, rent, or share mobile numbers, SMS opt-in information, or text-message consent with third parties or affiliates for their marketing or promotional purposes. Participating venues do not receive participant mobile numbers or consent records. Mobile information may be disclosed only to service providers acting on our behalf as necessary to deliver and secure messaging, to comply with law, or to protect rights and safety.
5. Service providers
We may use vendors that provide messaging, hosting, databases, security, analytics, and technical infrastructure. These providers process information only to perform services for us, subject to their agreements and applicable law. Twilio provides SMS delivery infrastructure, and our website may be hosted through Netlify or another web-hosting provider.
6. Participating venues
Venues may receive aggregated information, such as the number of starts or completions, that is not intended to identify individual participants. Venues act independently for information they collect directly outside Signals, such as an in-person transaction or separate loyalty program.
7. Retention and security
We retain information only as reasonably necessary for the purposes described above, including operations, security, dispute resolution, and legal obligations. Signals is designed to minimize raw mobile-number retention and use pseudonymous identifiers where practical. No system is completely secure, but we use reasonable administrative and technical safeguards appropriate to the nature of the information.
8. Your choices
Reply STOP to end Signals messages. Reply HELP for assistance. You may request information about, correction of, or deletion of information associated with a Signals session by texting HELP to (855) 633-6638. We may need to verify a request and may retain information where permitted or required by law.
9. Children
The website and Signals program are not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that such information was collected, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.
10. External links
Our website or experiences may link to Etsy, participating venues, or other third-party services. Their privacy practices are governed by their own policies.
11. Changes and contact
We may update this policy by posting the revised version and updating the effective date. For privacy questions or requests, text HELP to (855) 633-6638.