Privacy Policy
Website Access & Privacy Practices at DesignerSwap.ca
You can access our official website at rare-diseases.ca at any time. This privacy statement explains how we handle your personal information in accordance with Canadian privacy laws and our commitment to transparency.
Commenting: What We Collect and Why
When you leave a comment, we automatically collect certain technical information — such as your IP address and browser type — to help us detect spam and maintain a secure environment for all users.
If you choose to provide your email address, it may be securely hashed and shared with an avatar service like Gravatar. If your email is linked to a public Gravatar profile, your avatar may appear next to your comment once it’s approved.
Uploading Images or Media Files
Before uploading images or media, we recommend removing any embedded metadata (especially GPS location data) to avoid unintentionally sharing personal information with other users.
Cookies & Data Retention
We use cookies to personalise your browsing experience and support essential site functionality. Below is a summary of how long we retain specific types of data:
| Action | Data Stored | Retention Period |
|---|---|---|
| Posting a comment | Name, email, website | 12 months |
| Compatibility login check | Temporary session cookie | 48 hours |
| “Remember me” login option | Persistent login cookie | 14 days |
| Saving layout/preferences | User settings | 1 year |
| Drafts or unsaved edits | Technical (non-personal) cookie | 24 hours |
Third-Party Embedded Content
Some pages may include embedded content (videos, images, articles) from external websites. Interacting with this content may allow those third parties to collect information about you in accordance with their own privacy policies, which operate independently of DesignerSwap.ca.
Information Disclosure
If you initiate a password reset, your IP address will be included in the reset email. This helps us identify and prevent suspicious login activity.
Data Storage & Retention
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Comments and related metadata are retained indefinitely to support content moderation and preserve discussion history.
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User accounts are stored until they are manually deleted by the user or a removal request is submitted.
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You can request access to your stored personal data or ask us to delete it, unless we are required to retain it for legal or administrative reasons.
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Usernames may be stored for internal administrative purposes even after account deletion.
Your Privacy Rights in Canada
Under Canadian privacy legislation, you have the right to:
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Access the personal information we hold about you
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Request the correction or deletion of your personal data
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Receive a digital copy of your stored data upon request
To exercise these rights, please contact us via the support form on our website.
Anti-Spam Protection
All comments submitted on DesignerSwap.ca are automatically screened through anti-spam filters to ensure a respectful, clean, and safe user environment.