Privacy Policy

1. Overview

This Privacy Policy explains what personal information Flash Pot Fiction ("we," "us," "the organizer") collects from entrants and visitors, how it is used, who it is shared with, and what choices entrants have. It applies to flashpotfiction.ca and flashpotfiction.com and to the entry and submission process described in our Official Contest Rules.

2. Information We Collect

• Entry information: first name, last name, and email address, provided at the time of entry.
• Payment information: entry fees are processed directly by Stripe, our payment processor. We do not receive or store full card numbers — Stripe provides us with limited transaction details (amount, currency, payment status, and a Stripe-generated customer/session ID).
• Submission content: the title and text of the story submitted, plus its word count and submission timestamp.
• Technical information: standard web server and hosting logs (such as IP address, browser type, and access times), collected automatically by our hosting provider.

3. How We Use Your Information

• To process entry payments and confirm paid entries.
• To accept, store, and administer story submissions.
• To notify winners and administer prize payment, including any required tax documentation.
• To provide entrants with feedback on their submission.
• To communicate with entrants about the contest cycle they entered (for example, deadline reminders or results).
• To comply with legal and tax reporting obligations.

We do not sell personal information to third parties, and we do not use entrant data for advertising or marketing to third parties.

4. Blind Judging & Data Separation

Flash Pot Fiction is a blind contest. Judges are given access only to a submission's title and text — never the entrant's name, email address, or any other identifying information collected at entry. Identifying information and submission content are handled as logically separate data for judging purposes, even though both are associated with the same entry record internally.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We rely on third-party providers to operate the contest, and your information may be processed by them as follows:

• Stripe (payment processing): handles entry fee payments directly. Stripe's own privacy policy governs how it handles payment data. See stripe.com/privacy.
• Netlify (hosting and data storage): hosts the website and stores entry and submission records and server logs. Netlify's own privacy policy governs its handling of this data. See netlify.com/privacy.

6. Data Retention

Entry and submission records are retained for as long as reasonably necessary to administer the contest cycle, announce results, and satisfy tax and legal recordkeeping obligations. Specific retention periods to be confirmed with counsel.

7. Your Rights

Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to request access to, correction of, or deletion of your personal information, or to object to certain uses of it. To make such a request, contact us using the information in Section 10.

8. Cookies & Tracking

As of this draft, no analytics or advertising cookies have been implemented on this site.

9. Children's Privacy

This contest is not intended for and does not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under the minimum entry age set out in our Official Contest Rules. If we learn that we have collected personal information from someone under that age, we will take steps to delete it.

10. Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or requests regarding your personal information can be directed to admin@flashpotfiction.com.

11. Changes to This Policy

This Policy is currently in draft form and under legal review; it has not yet received final legal sign-off. We may update this Privacy Policy, including material terms, at any time before or during the current contest cycle. The version posted on this page at any given time is the version in effect, and by entering the contest or otherwise providing personal information to us, you agree to this Policy as it may be revised from time to time, and are responsible for checking this page for changes.