# Privacy Policy
Last updated: 14 August 2026
This Privacy Policy explains how personal information is collected and used when you visit cassandralaureano.com (the “Website”).
The Website is operated by Alessandro Caruana, who is the data controller for personal information processed in connection with the Website.
The Website is hosted using Squarespace.
This policy is intended to provide information in accordance with the UK General Data Protection Regulation (“UK GDPR”) and the Data Protection Act 2018, as amended.
## 1. Information collected when you visit the Website
When you visit the Website, certain technical information may be collected automatically in order to operate, secure and understand the use of the Website.
This may include:
* your IP address;
* information about your browser, network and device;
* pages you visit on the Website;
* the web page or source from which you arrived at the Website;
* timestamps relating to your visit; and
* information about how you interact with the Website.
Squarespace processes some of this information as the Website's hosting and infrastructure provider.
## 2. Website analytics
The Website may use Squarespace Analytics to understand general traffic and activity on the Website.
Analytics information may include:
* pages visited;
* visits and sessions;
* clicks and interactions;
* internal links;
* scrolling;
* searches;
* referral information;
* browser and device information;
* IP address; and
* timestamps.
This information is used to understand how the Website is being accessed and used and to help maintain and improve its content and operation.
Where analytics technologies require your consent, they will only be used after you have made an appropriate choice through the Website's cookie controls.
You can change your cookie preferences at any time using the Manage Cookies option on the Website.
For further information, please see the Website's Cookie Policy.
## 3. Information you provide directly
If you contact me directly, I may receive personal information that you choose to provide, such as:
* your name;
* your email address;
* your professional or institutional affiliation, where relevant;
* the content of your correspondence; and
* any other information that you choose to include in your communication.
This information will be used only as reasonably necessary to respond to your enquiry, communicate with you, or manage any subsequent professional, artistic, academic or collaborative correspondence.
Please avoid providing sensitive or special-category personal information unless it is genuinely necessary for the purpose of your communication.
## 4. Lawful bases for processing
Under UK data protection law, personal information must be processed on an appropriate lawful basis.
Depending on the circumstances, the Website relies on the following lawful bases:
### Legitimate interests
Certain information is processed where necessary for legitimate interests in:
* operating and maintaining the Website;
* protecting the Website and its security;
* understanding how the Website is used;
* responding to correspondence and enquiries; and
* managing professional, academic, artistic or collaborative communications.
These interests are considered against the rights and interests of individuals whose personal information is processed.
### Consent
Where consent is required for analytics cookies or other optional technologies, personal information associated with those technologies is processed on the basis of your consent.
You can withdraw that consent at any time by changing your cookie preferences.
### Steps before entering into a contract
Where you contact me in relation to potential professional work, services or another arrangement, personal information may also be processed where necessary to take steps at your request before entering into an agreement.
### Legal obligations
Personal information may be processed where necessary to comply with a legal or regulatory obligation.
## 5. Cookies
The Website uses cookies and similar technologies.
Some cookies are necessary for the Website to function securely and correctly. Other cookies, including certain analytics and performance cookies, may be used subject to your choices.
Further information about the cookies used, their purposes and how you can manage them is available in the Website's Cookie Policy.
## 6. Squarespace
The Website is built and hosted using services provided by Squarespace, Inc.
Squarespace may process information about Website visitors in order to provide its hosting, security, analytics and infrastructure services.
Information processed by Squarespace may include:
* IP addresses;
* browser, network and device information;
* pages visited;
* referral information; and
* information about interactions with the Website.
Squarespace may process personal information outside the United Kingdom, including in the United States.
Where applicable, Squarespace uses recognised safeguards for international transfers of personal information, including contractual protections designed to comply with UK data protection requirements.
Further information about how Squarespace processes personal information is available in Squarespace's own Privacy Policy.
## 7. Sharing personal information
Personal information is not shared with third parties except where reasonably necessary to operate the Website, provide relevant services, respond to your request, or comply with legal obligations.
Personal information may therefore be shared with:
*Squarespace**, as the Website hosting and infrastructure provider;
* service providers that are necessary for the technical operation or security of the Website;
* professional advisers, where necessary; or
* public authorities or other organisations where disclosure is required by law.
The Website does not currently use personal information for behavioural advertising.
If additional third-party services are introduced in the future, this Privacy Policy will be updated where appropriate.
## 8. International transfers
Because Squarespace and some of its service providers operate internationally, personal information may be processed or transferred outside the United Kingdom.
Where personal information is transferred to a country that does not benefit from an applicable UK adequacy regulation, appropriate safeguards are used where required by law.
These may include approved contractual safeguards for international transfers.
## 9. How long personal information is kept
Personal information is kept only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purpose for which it was collected.
In particular:
* technical and analytics information is retained in accordance with the operation and configuration of Squarespace and the Website;
* cookie durations are described in the Website's Cookie Policy; and
* correspondence will normally be retained only while it remains relevant to the enquiry, project or professional relationship concerned.
Correspondence that is no longer required for an ongoing matter will ordinarily be deleted within 24 months of the last substantive communication, unless there is a legitimate reason or legal requirement to retain it for longer.
Information may be retained for a longer period where necessary to establish, exercise or defend legal claims or to comply with applicable legal obligations.
## 10. Security
Reasonable technical and organisational measures are used to protect personal information against accidental loss, unauthorised access, alteration, disclosure or misuse.
The Website also relies on the security measures provided by Squarespace as its hosting platform.
However, no method of transmitting or storing information online can guarantee absolute security.
## 11. Your data protection rights
Depending on the circumstances and the lawful basis on which your personal information is processed, you may have rights including:
the *right of access** to personal information held about you;
the *right to rectification** of inaccurate or incomplete information;
the *right to erasure** of personal information in certain circumstances;
the *right to restriction of processing** in certain circumstances;
the *right to data portability** where applicable;
the *right to withdraw consent** where processing is based on consent; and
the *right to object** to certain forms of processing.
### Your right to object
Where personal information is processed on the basis of legitimate interests, you have the right to object to that processing in certain circumstances.
If you wish to exercise any of these rights, please use the contact details provided below.
You will not normally be required to pay a fee for exercising your data protection rights.
## 12. Automated decision-making
The Website does not currently use personal information to make decisions about individuals based solely on automated processing that produce legal or similarly significant effects.
## 13. External websites
The Website may contain links to third-party websites, publications, institutions, social platforms or other external resources.
Following an external link may result in the relevant third party collecting and processing personal information independently.
This Privacy Policy applies only to cassandralaureano.com. External websites are governed by their own privacy policies and practices.
## 14. Complaints
If you have concerns about how your personal information has been handled, please contact me first so that the matter can be considered.
You also have the right to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK's independent data protection regulator.
Further information about your rights and how to make a complaint is available from the Information Commissioner's Office at ico.org.uk.
## 15. Changes to this Privacy Policy
This Privacy Policy may be updated from time to time to reflect changes to the Website, the services it uses or applicable data protection requirements.
The date at the top of this policy indicates when it was most recently updated.
Where significant changes are made to the way personal information is processed, appropriate steps will be taken to bring those changes to the attention of Website visitors where required.
## 16. Contact
For questions about this Privacy Policy, the use of personal information on the Website, or to exercise your data protection rights, please contact:
Alessandro Caruana
Website: cassandralaureano.com
Email: art@cassandralaureano.com