Legal

This page includes our privacy policy, cookie policy, and terms of use.

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 12, 2020

We respect your privacy. We never sell or rent your information to anyone.

The purpose of this page is to describe the personal information we collect, when we collect it, and what we do with it. We’ll also talk about your choices and your rights.

In short, we collect information from you to deliver our services to you. Please keep in mind that when you provide information to us on a third-party site or platform (for example, via our workshop registration), the information you provide may also be collected by the third-party site or platform. The information we collect is covered by this privacy policy, but the information the third-party site or platform collects is subject to their privacy policy. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of any site not owned or controlled by us. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of third-party sites or platforms.

By using our website, and by registering for one of our classes, seminars, workshops, or excursions, you confirm you have agreed to our Terms and Conditions, and that you have read and understood our Privacy Policy (on this page) and our Cookie Policy (also on this page).

What types of information we collect.

We collect personal information and anonymous information. At times, we may combine the two to create aggregate information.

In particular, we collect:

  • Registration information you provide when subscribing to our newsletter. This information can include your name, email address, interests, etc.
  • Registration information you provide when registering for a class, seminar, workshop, or excursion with us. This information can include your first and last name, date of birth, email address, physical address, phone number, emergency contact information, medical information, dietary restrictions, passport number, visa number etc. This information can be collected at time of registration or via subsequent communications.
  • Transaction information you provide when you register for a class, seminar, workshop, or excursion with us, when you contribute to one of our crowdfunding campaigns, or when you purchase any service or products directly from us. This information can include your name, telephone number, mailing address, a portion of your payment data (last 4 digits and the payment amount when you pay by credit card), etc. However, we do not collect or store your credit card information in full. (See below for more) If you pay for a class, seminar, workshop, or excursion by check, we do retain a copy of that check for our records.
  • Information you send to us via our contact forms and email, or otherwise submit to us directly or through a third-party service.
  • Information we obtain from a third party, such as a site or platform provider.
  • IP addresses, preferences, web pages you visited prior to visiting our site, information about your browser, network, or device.
  • Location information associated with your IP address or other online device identifier.
  • Usage and viewing data when you visit our site or open emails we send, such as timestamps, clicks, scrolling, browsing times, searches, transactions, referral pages, load times, and problems you may encounter.

How we collect your information.

  • You send it to us when making a general inquiry.
  • When you email us, we will have your email address and other personal information you provide us.
  • You provide it to us when you opt-in to our mailing list, and we then have your name, email address, and any other information you provide, so we can send you the marketing information you have requested.
  • You provide it to us when you register for a class, seminar, workshop, or excursion. When you register, you provide us with the information we need in order to deliver a quality experience, and to ensure your safety if you are traveling with us.
  • We receive some of it from third parties. For example, when you pay for a workshop using our payment processor, Stripe, or when you contribute to a fundraising campaign via Stripe or PayPal. This is where we’ll receive your name, address, last 4 digits of the credit card, payment date and amount, and a unique identifier of the payment made.
  • We receive some of it by using analytics tools.
  • We record some of it automatically (including with technology like Cookies).

How we use your information.

  • To communicate with you.
  • To send you opted-in marketing and announcement communications.
  • To deliver your class, seminar, workshop, or excursion experience. This means that we may be using the information to communicate with you, our local providers (for example, a restaurant to provide you with the food you require), with travel and service providers to ensure a smooth travel experience (for example, providing passport numbers that may be required for hotel registrations), and with our trip leaders who are responsible for the experience.

Consent, rights, and choices.

  • By using our website, you have specifically consented to the use of your information in these ways. When you consent, you can change your mind at any time.
  • You have the right to access, update, have changed, or have deleted any personal information we keep on file for you, by contacting us at hello@hiddencompass.net.
  • You can also elect not to receive marketing communications by following the unsubscribe instructions in those communications.
  • California residents and UK and EU residents may have certain additional rights. (See below for more information.)

Protection and retention of your personal information.

  • While no service is completely secure, your privacy is important to us. We utilize third parties with a reputation for data security for credit card payments, and we limit internal access to your information in order to appropriately protect against accidental or unlawful destruction, accidental loss, unauthorized alteration, unauthorized disclosure or access, misuse, or any other unlawful form of processing of the personal information in our possession.
  • We retain personal information regarding you or your use of our services for as long as you remain active with Hidden Compass or for as long as needed to provide you with our services. We also retain personal information for as long as necessary to achieve the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, for example, to comply with our legal obligations, to protect us in the event of disputes, and to enforce our agreements and to protect our and others’ interests. The precise periods for which we keep your personal information vary depending on the nature of the information and why we need it. Factors we consider in determining these periods include the minimum required retention period prescribed by law or recommended as best practice, the period during which a claim can be made with respect to an agreement or other matter, whether the personal information has been aggregated or pseudonymized, and other relevant criteria. You may delete your information at Hidden Compass by contacting us at hello@hiddencompass.net. We will delete the personal information we hold about you unless we need to retain it for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy. Please note that in the course of providing our services, we collect and maintain aggregated, anonymized, or de-personalized information which we may retain indefinitely. Please also note, that if we communicate your information to any third party in accordance with this Privacy Policy, use and retention of that information is governed by the policies of the third party.

Residents of California

In addition to the rights already outlined in this Privacy Policy:

  • You have the right to request up to two times each year, access to categories and specific pieces of personal information about you that we collect, use, and disclose.
  • You have the right to request that we delete personal information that we collect from you, subject to applicable legal exceptions.
  • To make an access or deletion request, please email us at hello@hiddencompass.net. Before completing your request, we may need to verify your identity. We may request additional documentation or information for the purpose of verifying your identity. You have the right not to receive discriminatory treatment for the exercise of your privacy rights.
  • You have the right to opt out of the sale of your personal information to third parties. Our Privacy Policy describes the limited circumstances in which we may share your information with third parties. We do not sell your information.
  • Shine the Light Act. California Civil Code Section 1798.83 permits you to request information regarding the disclosure of your personal information by Hidden Compass, Inc. to third parties for the third parties’ direct marketing purposes. We value your privacy, and we do not share your information with third party companies for those parties’ direct marketing purposes.
  • Mandatory Disclosures. In addition to the information provided in our Privacy Policy, we make the following disclosures in order to comply with the CCPA:
    • In the last 12 months, we collected the following types of personal information: Identifiers and contact information, internet or other electronic network activity information, geolocation data, and inferences made from the above.
    • The sources of personal information that we collected are: our users directly, analytics tools, social networks, third party email marketing tools.
    • The business or commercial purposes of collecting personal information are described in this Privacy Policy under “How we use your information.”
    • We disclose the following categories of personal information for a business purpose in the last 12 months: Identifiers and contact information, records of payments, internet or other electronic network activity information, geolocation data, and inferences drawn from the above.
    • As the term is defined by the CCPA, we “sold” the following categories of personal information in the last 12 months: NONE.

Residents of the UK and EU

This privacy notice should be read in conjunction with the rest of this Privacy Policy.

  • Your personal data is primarily used to provide you with the Hidden Compass products and services you request. It may also be used to comply with legal obligations we are to or to fulfill our legitimate interests, such as to personalize your experience, and develop and improve our services. With your prior consent, it may also be used to send you marketing communications.
  • You have a number of rights, including the right to request access to, change, or remove your personal data, or to withdraw your consent to marketing communications at any time. Information about unsubscribing from marketing communications is contained in this Privacy Policy.
  • Our Data Protection Officer can be contacted by emailing hello@hiddencompass.net.
  • You have the right to file a complaint with your local Data Protection Supervisory Authority.
  • For more information about Hidden Compass’s data collection and use practices, please read this Privacy Policy in its entirety.

Cookie Policy

Effective Date: October 12, 2020

This Cookie Policy describes how Hidden Compass, Inc. uses and intends to use cookies and similar technologies to provide, customize, evaluate, improve, promote, and protect our Services. If you have any comments or questions about this Cookie Policy, feel free to contact us.

Cookies are small files stored on your computer when you visit a website. They serve a variety of functions, like enabling us to remember certain information you provide to us as you navigate between pages on our website. We currently use or intend in the future to use cookies on our website for the following purposes:

  • Authentication, Customization, Security and Other Functional Cookies. Cookies help us verify your Account and device and determine when you’re logged in, so we can make it easier for you to access the Services and provide the appropriate experiences and features. We also use cookies to help prevent fraudulent use of login credentials and to remember choices you’ve made on the Services, such as your language preference.
  • Performance And Analytics. Cookies help us analyze how our website information is being accessed and used, and enable us to track performance. For example, we may use cookies to determine if you viewed a page or opened an email. This helps us provide you with information that you find interesting.
  • Third Parties. Third Party Services may use cookies to help you sign into their services from our website. Any such third-party cookie usage is governed by the policy of the third party placing the cookie.
  • Hidden Compass Ads. We partner with third-party publishers, advertising networks, and service providers to manage our ads on other sites. Our third-party partners may set cookies on your device or browser to gather information about your activities on our website and other sites you visit, in order to provide you with Hidden Compass ads. For example, if you visit Hidden Compass and also use a social media platform, you may see a Hidden Compass ad in your social media newsfeed or timeline.
  • Opting Out. You can set your browser to not accept cookies, but this may limit your ability to use the Services. You can also opt out of receiving interest-based ads from certain ad networks here (https://optout.networkadvertising.org/?c=1) (or if you are located in the European Union, here https://www.youronlinechoices.eu/).

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. When we make changes, we’ll update the “Effective Date” at the top of the Cookie Policy and post it on our sites. We encourage you to check back periodically to review this Cookie Policy for any changes since your last visit.

Terms and Conditions

Effective October 12, 2020

Fundraising Campaigns

Hidden Compass, Inc. (“HC”) is providing an opportunity for the Hidden Compass community to directly support individual journalists and the magazine with a financial contribution, and thereby help HC in its mission to create a more sustainable future for journalism that doesn’t rely on click-based advertising or selling user data.

These Terms and Conditions govern the relationship between HC and each contributor, including the terms on which contributions may be accepted, refused, or returned by HC. Contributions will only be accepted in the form a payment made directly to HC as described in these Terms and Conditions.

Agreement

By making a contribution, a contributor agrees and acknowledges that:

  • The contribution is provided to HC as an irrevocable gift, subject to any exercise of the donor’s right to receive a refund as described below and HC’s right to return any contribution at its discretion.
  • HC will split proceeds from the contribution with the individual journalist associated with the specific campaign to which a contribution was made. Proceeds will be split evenly, with 50% going to the journalist and 50% going to HC. Both the journalist and HC may use their shares of the donation for any purpose. HC may use the donation to support any and all areas of its business.
  • The donation is made subject to these Terms and Conditions, which constitute a legally binding agreement between the contributor and HC.

Conditions

Contributions will be accepted from individuals as well as any other legal entity, such as a company.

Individual contributors must be at least 18 years of age. All other contributors must be incorporated, established and/or registered in the United States if applicable.

Administration of Contributions

All contributions to HC must be made through the contributions platform on https://www.hiddencompass.net. Contributions for specific campaigns will be accepted for the period during which the campaign is live on the HC website.

Contributions will be received by one of our payment processors (Stripe or PayPal), and will be held until paid out to HC. Each contributions will be identifiable by a unique identifier.

From the moment a contribution is processed, HC will be legally entitled to the full amount of the donation. The contributor has no entitlement to the return of a contribution under any circumstances except those specified in these Terms and Conditions.

The contributor shall receive no benefit in return for any contribution and will have no rights to influence the editorial or creative policy or the output of HC.

HC is a for-profit business. As far as HC is aware, contributions made to HC are not tax deductible.

Refunds and Cancellations

HC reserves the right to refuse and/or return any contribution at HC’s absolute discretion. This includes, without limitation, where it believes that accepting the contribution would conflict with HC’s mission, values, or interests, or where HC believes that accepting the contribution might damage the independence or reputation of HC or might adversely affect HC’s relationship with other contributors and stakeholders.

Contributors are entitled to a refund of their contribution for up to 7 days from the date of their contribution. Refunds must be requested in writing by emailing hello@hiddencompass.net. A refund request made after the 7-day period will be ineligible.

Refused or returned contributions will be repaid to the account from which the contribution was originally made.

Transparency

HC reserves the right to:

  • Request the full name and contact information of any contributor;
  • Request from the contributor any information that HC deems necessary to determine the propriety of a contribution;
  • Undertake any further investigation to determine the propriety of a contribution.

If a contributor refuses to provide information requested by HC, HC may refuse and return the contribution to the contributor. Such decisions will be made at the absolute discretion of HC.

Data Protection and Privacy

A contributor may opt in to receive marketing information from HC via the email address used to make the contribution. Any such contributor may opt out an anytime and unsubscribe by clicking the unsubscribe link within HC emails.

Any personal information of a contributor collected by HC as a result of a contribution will be used in accordance with the HC Privacy Policy (listed above). Making a contribution, a contributor consents to the Privacy Policy.

Contributions are made using third-party service providers, including payment processors Stripe and PayPal. Personal information collected by third-party providers is governed by the privacy policies of those third-party providers.

Liability

Neither HC nor any affiliated person, employee, agent, officer, or director shall be liable for any loss suffered by a contributor or other person arising out of or in connection with a contribution, whether direct or indirect, except as pertains to liability which cannot be excluded or limited by law.

Dispute Resolution

Should a dispute arise out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions, or a contribution, HC and the contributor or relevant party shall engage in good faith, informal dispute resolution for a minimum period of thirty (30) days to resolve the dispute. Should the parties fail to resolve such dispute informally, they shall engage in mediation with JAMS (as defined below), at their joint and equal expense. Should the mediation fail to resolve such dispute, the parties thereafter shall engage in binding arbitration conducted in accordance with the then-current Commercial Dispute Rules of JAMS/Endispute (“JAMS”) strictly in accordance with the terms of this Contract and the substantive law of the State of California. All claims, disputes, or controversies subject to arbitration as set forth in this paragraph must be submitted to arbitration on an individual basis and not as a representative, class and/or collective action proceeding on behalf of other individuals. Claims will be governed by applicable statutes of limitations. The arbitration shall be held at the office of JAMS located in San Francisco, California, and it shall be conducted by one arbitrator, pursuant to JAMS arbitration rules, and shall be conducted in accordance with JAMS’ Optional Expedited Arbitration Procedures. The binding arbitration shall be at the parties’ joint and equal expense, with attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing party upon conclusion.

Miscellaneous

A failure of HC to assert a right or provision under these Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between the contributor and HC regarding any contributions made by the contributor.

The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of these Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws. This Contract may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.

Workshops and Classes

These Terms and Conditions govern the relationship between Hidden Compass, Inc., and registrants and participants in Hidden Compass programs, classes, seminars, workshops, and excursions.

Liability

By attending one of our classes, seminars, workshops, or excursions you are accepting certain risks. Your application or registration shall serve as a release of our liability and a complete assumption of all risks by you and your heirs, administrator, executor, successors, and assign for all family members. By accepting our terms of service, you are acknowledging that you are aware that travel, wherever it may be, and by whatever means, involves some inherent risk of injury, illness, death, loss, or damage to personal property, which may be caused by acts of nature, negligence, or actions of others.

In consideration of, and as part of the payment for your participation in a program, class, seminar, workshop, excursion, other activity, or any program that Hidden Compass, Inc., or their assigns, may be conducting, you are voluntarily releasing Hidden Compass, Inc., their employees, assigns, independent contractors, or anyone involved thereof, from any damages, liabilities, costs, injuries whether mental or physical, known or unknown, and by participation you agree to assume all risks whether known or unknown. You acknowledge voluntarily that by traveling to areas that may be remote, foreign, urban, suburban, coastal, mountainous, wilderness, wild rivers, deserts, and that may not be maintained to the standards you are accustomed, you have assumed certain additional risks, dangers, and inconveniences including, but not limited to, terrorism, forces of nature, wild animals, hotel accommodations, airplanes, aircraft, vehicles, trains, boats, roads, walkways, trails, paths and other means of conveyance or other unknown risks. You acknowledge that medical services and facilities may not be readily available during all or part of the trip, including medical care, presence of physicians, and medication. We assume no liability for medical care. We assume no liability for dietary requirements you have.

Your application or registration signifies your full understanding and agreement that you release and hold harmless Hidden Compass, Inc., its officers, agents, assigns, sponsors, associates, and sub-contractors, from any and all liability, actions, causes of actions, claims, debts, and demands of every kind whatsoever, known or unknown which may arise in connection with your participation in any activities arranged by them without limitation, including all liability, actions, causes of action, claims, debts, and demands related to the negligence of said persons.

Unless accompanied by a parent or legal guardian (and with our prior approval), you must be at least 21 to attend one of our workshops.

You also acknowledge that you understand that travel with a group invariably involves compromise to accommodate the diverse desires, travel goals, personalities, and physical abilities of group members. You understand that while itineraries are carefully planned, they are not a guaranteed schedule of activities, events, or participation, but only a guideline and example. Group participants must allow for flexibility and changes deemed necessary by the program leader or professional guides. There may be situations beyond our control due to geographic, climatic, physical, or governmental restrictions that will cause further changes in timing, locations, and activities. Understanding this, you further agree that there will be no discounts or refunds for activities curtailed or otherwise affected by such circumstances.

You have assumed the responsibility to select an activity appropriate to your physical abilities and interests. You are personally responsible for being in sufficiently good health to undertake the activity. By accepting our terms of service, and by your deposit, you certify that you do not knowingly have any physical or other considerations of disability that would create a risk for you or other participants. In addition, you authorize Hidden Compass, Inc. and/or its trip leader, to initiate or offer medical care in the event of a medical emergency. We reserve the right to request a doctor’s statement of good health.

You will be responsible for studying all pre-trip information; for bringing all equipment, personal items, and appropriate clothing; for conforming to standards of dress and hygiene; and for acting in a manner considerate of fellow participants, locations and environments, and models. We reserve the right to cancel any activity and to accept or reject any person as a member of any activity. The program, class, seminar, workshop, excursion, or trip leader’s judgment shall provide the ultimate determination of an individual’s ability to participate in, or continue to participate in, any activity or program.

You may receive promotional items from us, such as articles of clothing, pens and notebooks, or travel accessories. There is no requirement to use these items, and you are solely responsible for their use and anything that may happen to you or your property while using these items.

Cancellation or Change of a Workshop

While Hidden Compass, Inc. will make every attempt to operate a trip once confirmed, we do reserve the right to cancel or change a program (class, seminar, workshop, excursion), at any time due to insufficient bookings and/or reasons beyond our control that might create unsafe or undesirable travel conditions for the participants. In such case, a full and immediate refund will be issued. However, the financial liability of Hidden Compass, Inc. shall be limited to the amount paid to Hidden Compass, Inc. for the program only and shall not be extended to cover any other associated travel costs incurred (e.g. non-refundable air tickets, visa fees if applicable, clothing, equipment, miscellaneous transportation costs, medical expenses, travel insurance premiums, etc.). We reserve the right to refuse acceptance of any participant, for any reason, at any time. We are not responsible for any additional expenses incurred by such participants. For workshops outside of the US, tuition may be adjusted after you have signed up, based on local currency fluctuation.

Cancellation and Refund Policy

We understand that attending our workshops requires advanced commitment, and also that things can happen in life that may require you to cancel from a workshop. Based on cancellation date, the following apply:

  • Greater than 150 days before the workshop start date: full refund of any payments made.
  • 150-91 days before the start of the workshop: 50% refund of any payments made.
  • 90-61 days before the start of the workshop: 25% refund of any payments made.
  • Within 60 days of the start of the workshop: no refund.

Refunds will be paid by the same method that the original payment was made.

Note that there are some non-refundable workshops for which the above terms do not apply, and for these workshops we do not offer a refund of any payments made under any circumstances. This will always be noted clearly in the workshop description as “Payments for this workshop are non-refundable under any circumstances, our other Terms and Conditions apply.”

No matter when you cancel, if we are able to fill your space in the workshop, we will provide a 100% refund of any payments made.

Payments made for private workshops that you arrange with us are not refundable.

Use of Name and Likeness

We reserve the right to take photographs or videos during the operation of any class, seminar, workshop, excursion, or part thereof, and to use the resulting images or videos in whole or in part for promotional purposes, including, but not limited to: advertising and publicity both in print and electronic media. By booking a reservation with Hidden Compass, Inc., you agree to allow your images to be used in such photography; participants who prefer that their image not be used are asked to identify themselves to their tour leader at the commencement of their trip. We also reserve the right to use, in all or in part, any written reviews you may provide to us in our advertising and publicity both in print and electronic media.

Not Included

Air transportation and related fees (except as indicated in the itinerary); activities noted as optional in the itinerary; gratuities, unless otherwise noted on the itinerary page; passport and visa expenses; baggage/accident/cancellation insurance; personal expenses, such as laundry, telephone calls, meals (except as indicated on the itinerary), alcoholic beverages; and any other items not specifically noted as included.

Travel Documentation

You are responsible for ensuring that you have the proper travel documents and immunizations. You should check with the respective consulate(s) or visa agencies to determine whether visas are required. Valid passports are required for international travel.

Insurance

Unless you are already covered under an existing policy, we require that you purchase travel medical insurance, and we strongly recommend that you purchase travel cancellation/interruption insurance. Such insurance often provides coverage for losses suffered in the event of trip cancellation and interruption, travel delay, loss of baggage and travel documents, baggage delay, medical emergencies and accidental death.

Third-Party Services

You understand that we rely upon third party tour organizers, transportation providers, hotel operators, and food providers to provide the services associated with classes, seminars, workshops, and excursions. All tickets, coupons, reservations, etc. are subject to the terms and conditions and other policies of the third-party service provider. We cannot control the actions of such third parties and do not assume responsibility for unanticipated events that may occur, including, without limitation, travel delays, lost luggage, cancellations, overbooking, and other reservation errors. You should build some flexibility into your schedule in case we need to extend the length of the class, seminar, workshop, or excursion, or make other reasonable scheduling changes to accommodate unanticipated events such as travel delays, lost luggage, cancellations, overbooking and other reservation errors. You will not be entitled to a refund in the event of unanticipated events requiring scheduling changes. You further agree to hold us harmless from and against any liability for injury, death, damage, loss, accident, delay or irregularity that might occur in connection with any services provided by any third party or parties.

Dispute Resolution

Should a dispute arise out of or relating to these Terms and Conditions, or your registration, participation or attendance at a Hidden Compass, Inc. class, seminar, workshop, or excursion, the parties shall engage in good faith, informal dispute resolution for a minimum period of thirty (30) days to resolve the dispute. Should the parties fail to resolve such dispute informally, they shall engage in mediation with JAMS (as defined below), at their joint and equal expense. Should the mediation fail to resolve such dispute, the parties thereafter shall engage in binding arbitration conducted in accordance with the then-current Commercial Dispute Rules of JAMS/Endispute (“JAMS”) strictly in accordance with the terms of this Contract and the substantive law of the State of California. All claims, disputes, or controversies subject to arbitration as set forth in this paragraph must be submitted to arbitration on an individual basis and not as a representative, class and/or collective action proceeding on behalf of other individuals. Claims will be governed by applicable statutes of limitations. The arbitration shall be held at the office of JAMS located in San Francisco, California, and it shall be conducted by one arbitrator, pursuant to JAMS arbitration rules, and shall be conducted in accordance with JAMS’ Optional Expedited Arbitration Procedures. The binding arbitration shall be at the parties’ joint and equal expense, with attorneys’ fees and costs to the prevailing party upon conclusion.

Miscellaneous

A failure of Hidden Compass, Inc. to assert a right or provision under these Terms and Conditions shall not constitute a waiver of that right or provision.

These Terms and Conditions constitute the entire agreement between the contributor and Hidden Compass, Inc. regarding any contributions made by the contributor.

The validity, interpretation, construction and performance of these Terms and Conditions shall be governed by the laws of the State of California, without giving effect to the principles of conflict of laws. This Contract may be executed in counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original, but all of which together will constitute one and the same instrument.