Privacy Policy

Last updated: November 6, 2026

This policy explains what personal information Stephen's World ("I", "me") collects through stephens.world, why, and the choices you have. Stephen's World is a one-person Shopify, web and AI services business based in Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada. If you have any questions, email [email protected].

What I Collect

• Project requests. When you send a request through one of the package forms, I receive what you enter: usually your name, email address, store or website address, your Shopify collaborator code (if you give it), and your answers about the project.
• Technical details sent with a request. Each request is stored with your IP address and browser type, which helps me spot and block spam.
• Your dashboard account. If you sign in to your dashboard, I keep your email address, the name you give, when you last signed in and, if you choose a username and password, the username and a scrambled copy of the password that can't be turned back into it.
• Emails and messages. Anything you send me by email, through the message button on this site, or in your dashboard.
• Email attachments. Files attached to emails you send me can be opened from my dashboard for 30 days. If I need one for longer, I save a copy on the server that runs this website, and it stays there until I delete it.
• Your picture. If you upload a picture on your Account page, I keep a small copy of it, without its hidden photo details such as location. It shows beside your messages in the dashboard, to me and to anyone who shares the conversation with you.
• Reviews. If you leave a review, I keep your name and email address privately. Only the date, rating and the words of your review are shown on this site.
• Analytics. Google Analytics records how the site is used, such as pages visited, the type of device and browser, and an approximate location.

How I Use It

I use your information to reply to you, prepare quotes, plan and deliver your project, send invoices, provide support afterwards, and keep business and tax records. Analytics data helps me understand which pages are useful and improve the site. I don't sell your personal information, and I don't use it for advertising.

Cookies and Browser Storage

Google Analytics uses cookies to count visits and to tell new visitors from returning ones. You can block or delete them at any time in your browser's settings, or switch Google Analytics off on every website with Google's free opt-out browser add-on. When the site shows a cookie notice, these cookies are only set if you choose "Accept", and you can change your choice later with "Cookie Settings" at the bottom of the page.

If you sign in to your dashboard, one essential cookie keeps you signed in on that device for 30 days after your last visit, or until you sign out. It's only used for signing in, never for tracking or advertising, so it's set without asking.

The site also saves a few things in your own browser, which never leave your device on their own: your cookie choice, any project form you've started, so you can pick up where you left off, and the email you last signed in with. Clearing your browser's site data removes them.

Services That Help Run This Site

• Hosting: the site and the requests you send are stored on the server that runs this website.
• Resend delivers the site's emails (notifications about requests and messages, replies I email to you, and the sign-in links for your dashboard) and receives copies of the emails sent to [email protected] so they appear in my dashboard. It keeps those copies, with their attachments, for 30 days.
• Google Firebase Cloud Messaging delivers notifications to my own phone when you message me or place an order. A notification can include your name or email address, the subject and start of your message, or your order number, total, and what you ordered.
• Cloudflare Turnstile checks that the sign-in, project request and message forms are being used by a person, not a bot. It looks at technical details from your browser and how the page was used; Cloudflare says it doesn't use them for advertising.
• Proton Mail hosts my email address, [email protected], and forwards a copy of the emails sent to it to Resend.
• Gravatar: if you haven't uploaded a picture, this site's server sends Gravatar (run by Automattic) a scrambled version of your email address to check for a picture linked to it. If there is one, the server keeps a small copy to show beside your messages. Your browser never contacts Gravatar. If your email address is at a company, the server first looks for the public icon on that company's website and uses that instead, in which case Gravatar isn't asked.
• Google Analytics provides site statistics.
• Shopify: if you give me collaborator access to your store, the information in your store stays under Shopify's terms and your own store policies. I only use that access for the work we've agreed on.
• Payments: payments are made by Interac e-Transfer or PayPal. Your bank or PayPal processes them, and I never see your card numbers.

Some of these providers are based outside Canada, for example in the United States, so your information may be stored or processed there.

Your Dashboard Account

You can sign in at stephens.world/dashboard to see your conversations with me and your orders. You enter the email address you used for a request or an order, and I email you a one-time sign-in link and code, which expire after 15 minutes. You can also choose a username and password on your Account page and sign in with those instead.

• What's in it. Your email address, the name you choose (you can change it anytime), your conversations with me (your project requests, messages, and emails you've sent to [email protected]), and your orders.
• Shared conversations. If you work with a team, a conversation can be shared with your organization or with specific people. Everyone on it sees the others' names and email addresses, and can reply. Someone added to a conversation only sees what's sent while they're on it, someone in a sub chat only sees that sub chat, and an organization's members see all of the conversation. Orders are never shared.
• Message notices. If you haven't read a new message from me within about 10 minutes, you get a short email saying there's a new message, without the message itself. Sometimes I'll also email you my reply in full.
• Orders. Orders and payments are handled through my Shopify store. The details of your orders there, such as the order number, date, items, totals, taxes, billing and shipping addresses, phone number, how and when you paid, and payment and fulfillment status, are copied to your dashboard and kept up to date automatically. I use them to show you your orders, make your invoices and keep my tax records.
• Staying signed in. You stay signed in on a device for 30 days after your last visit, until you sign out. Anyone using that device could see your dashboard, so sign out on shared computers.

How Long I Keep It

I keep project requests and correspondence for as long as I need them to respond to you, deliver and support the work, and meet legal and accounting obligations. After that, I delete them. You can ask me to delete your information sooner, as described below.

Your Choices and Rights

You can ask to see the personal information I hold about you, ask me to correct it, or ask me to delete it, and you can opt out of analytics at any time, as described under Cookies and Browser Storage above. Email [email protected] and I'll respond within 30 days. If you're not satisfied with my answer, you can contact the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada.

Security

I take reasonable steps to protect your information, including encrypted (HTTPS) connections and restricting access to the admin area. No website or email system is completely secure, so please don't send passwords or payment details through the forms or messages.

Children

This site is meant for businesses and isn't directed at children. I don't knowingly collect information from anyone under the age of majority in their province or country.

Changes to This Policy

If I change how I handle personal information, I'll update this page and the date at the top.

Contact

Stephen's World, Maple Ridge, British Columbia, Canada · [email protected]