ዋሻ የጥበብ ዓለም
Updated: May 2026

Privacy & Legal Hub

Your trust is our canvas — transparent, secure, and in your control.

On this page

1. Information We Collect

At Washa (ዋሻ የጥበብ ዓለም), we collect information to provide better services to all our users — models, art partners, and visitors. Categories include:

  • Personal identifiers: Name, email address, phone number, date of birth (when applying for books).
  • Account credentials: Username, hashed password, profile preferences.
  • Usage data: IP address, browser type, pages visited, referral source, and timestamps.
  • Media & portfolio: Photos, videos, and artistic statements you submit voluntarily.
  • Communication: Messages via contact forms, email inquiries, or support tickets.
We do NOT collect sensitive data (biometric, political opinions, health) unless explicitly required with lawful consent.

2. How We Use Your Information

Your data helps us build a thriving art community. We process information for:

Manage applications & talent profiles
Send event updates & newsletters (opt-out anytime)
Analyze website traffic & improve UX
Prevent fraud, security incidents & legal compliance
Deliver relevant Google AdSense ads (non-personalized where required)

3. Cookies & Tracking Technologies (GDPR/CCPA Compliant)

We use first-party and third-party cookies to enhance functionality and ad relevance. You control your cookie preferences at any time via our cookie settings widget (bottom-right corner).

TypePurposeDuration
EssentialSession management, security, form submissionsSession / 1 year
Analytics (Google Analytics)Audience measurement, anonymized performanceUp to 2 years
Ad Personalization (Google AdSense)Serve interest-based ads — requires consent (GDPR)Up to 540 days

You may withdraw consent via the “Cookie Settings” link in footer, or manage through browser settings. For California residents (CCPA), we honor opt-out of “sale or sharing” of personal information.

4. Sharing & Disclosure

We never sell your personal data to third parties for monetary value. However, limited data sharing occurs in these scenarios:

  • Service providers: Hosting, analytics, email delivery (Google, Cloudflare) under strict data processing agreements.
  • Google AdSense: Ad serving may involve sharing non-identifiable interests data. Google’s use of data is governed by their partner policies.
  • Legal obligations: If required by law, court order, or to protect the rights/safety of Washa or its users.
  • Business transfers: In case of merger or acquisition, users will be notified before data is transferred.

5. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR / CCPA / LGPD)

Right to Access: Obtain copy of personal data we hold.
Right to Deletion: Request erasure (subject to exceptions).
Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate data.
Opt-out of Sale/Sharing (CCPA): We do not sell data, but you may request to limit sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising.
Data Portability: Receive structured, machine-readable format.
Automated decision-making: We do not engage in solely automated profiling with legal effects.

To exercise any right, email negele@washa.et or use the “Privacy Request” form below. We respond within 30 days.

6. Data Security & Retention

We implement SSL encryption, access controls, and regular vulnerability scans. Your data is stored on secure servers with limited employee access. Retention periods:

  • Account data: until you delete your account + 30 days grace period.
  • Application records: 3 years for books/historical reference.
  • Analytics logs: anonymized after 14 months (Google Analytics).
  • Cookie consent logs: 1 year to respect user choices.

7. Children’s Privacy

Washa does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13 (or under 16 in certain jurisdictions). If you are a parent/guardian and believe we have inadvertently collected such data, please contact us immediately for removal.

8. International Data Transfers

Our servers are located in the EU & United States. If you access from other regions, your data may be transferred internationally. We rely on Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and GDPR adequacy mechanisms to ensure protection.

9. Policy Updates

We may revise this Privacy Policy occasionally. Material changes will be notified via website banner or email (for registered users). The "Updated" date at the top always reflects the latest version.

10. Contact Our Privacy Team

For privacy-specific concerns, data requests, or to report a breach, reach out:

negele@washa.et
Google AdSense Certified Partner

This website uses Google AdSense to serve advertisements. Google may use cookies to serve ads based on your visits to this and other websites. You may opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ad Settings. We also support IAB TCF v2.0 framework for transparency & consent.

CCPA Disclosure: You have the right to opt-out of “sharing” for cross-context behavioral advertising. Click “Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information” link in the footer or email negele@washa.et with subject “CCPA Opt-out”.