Privacy Policy

Last updated: August 2, 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how Dropping Names (referred to as we, us, or our) collects, uses, discloses, and protects information about you when you visit droppingnames.com or otherwise interact with us (the Site). It also describes the choices and rights available to you, including rights under California privacy law. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Site.

Information We Collect

Information you provide to us directly:

Your email address, when you subscribe to our newsletter.
Contest entries, including your name, email address, phone number, mailing address, country, social media handle, the artwork you upload, and any description you include.
Applications, such as guest or participation submissions, including the details you choose to provide.
Messages and any information you include when you contact us through a form on the Site.

Information collected automatically:

When you visit the Site, we and our providers may automatically collect certain technical information, such as your device and browser type, operating system, referring pages, the pages and content you view and interact with, an approximate location derived from your Internet Protocol (IP) address, and the dates and times of your visits. Some of this information is collected through cookies and similar technologies described below.

Categories of Personal Information (California)

For California residents, the categories of personal information we may collect, as defined by the California Consumer Privacy Act as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act (together, the CCPA), include:

Identifiers, such as name, email address, phone number, postal address, and IP address.
Customer records, such as the contact and mailing information you provide.
Commercial or participation information, such as newsletter subscriptions, contest entries, and applications.
Internet or other electronic network activity, such as browsing and interaction data on the Site.
Geolocation data, limited to the approximate location derived from your IP address.
Audio, electronic, or visual information, such as images you choose to upload.
Inferences we may draw from the above to understand engagement with the Site.

We do not intentionally collect sensitive personal information as defined by the CCPA. Please do not submit government identifiers, financial account numbers, health information, or other sensitive data through the Site.

Sources of Information

We collect information directly from you when you choose to provide it, and automatically from your device and browser when you use the Site.

How We Use Your Information

To provide, operate, and maintain the Site and its features.
To send the newsletter you requested and related updates about the show.
To administer, review, and judge contests and applications, and to contact winners, finalists, or applicants.
To respond to your messages, questions, and requests.
To understand and improve how the Site is used.
To protect the security and integrity of the Site and to detect, prevent, and address fraud or abuse.
To comply with our legal obligations and enforce our terms and rules.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use a limited set of cookies and similar technologies that are necessary for the Site to function and to remember your preferences, such as your selected display theme, your session if you sign in, and a single anonymous identifier used to help ensure one vote per person in contests. We also use privacy-conscious analytics to understand general Site usage. We do not use cookies for cross-site behavioral advertising. Your browser may allow you to control or delete cookies, though some features may not work properly without them.

Global Privacy Control: Where required by law, we aim to honor recognized browser-based opt-out preference signals, such as the Global Privacy Control.

How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, as those terms are defined under the CCPA. We may disclose information only in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers: We use trusted third-party service providers to perform functions on our behalf, such as website hosting, data storage, email delivery, form processing, and analytics. These providers may use the information only to provide services to us and are bound by obligations to protect it. For security reasons, we do not name specific providers in this Policy.
Legal and safety: We may disclose information if required by law or legal process, or when we believe in good faith that disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Dropping Names, our users, or the public.
Business transfers: If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, financing, or sale of assets, information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to this Policy.

Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including to operate the Site, comply with our legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements. When information is no longer needed, we take reasonable steps to delete or de-identify it.

Data Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or alteration. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, however, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have the following rights under the CCPA, subject to certain exceptions:

Right to know and access: You may request the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you, the sources, the purposes for collecting it, and the categories of third parties to whom we disclose it.
Right to delete: You may request that we delete personal information we collected from you.
Right to correct: You may request that we correct inaccurate personal information.
Right to opt out of sale or sharing: We do not sell or share personal information, so there is nothing to opt out of, but you retain this right.
Right to limit use of sensitive personal information: We do not use sensitive personal information for purposes that would trigger this right.
Right to non-discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your rights.

How to exercise your rights: You may submit a request through our contact form. We will verify your request using the information you provide, and we may ask for additional information to confirm your identity. You may use an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf, subject to verification. We will respond within the timeframe required by law, generally within 45 days, and will let you know if we need additional time.

Children and the Site

The Site is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. Entry into our contests is limited to individuals who are at least 18 years old. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will take appropriate steps to delete it.

Users Outside the United States

The Site is operated in the United States. If you access the Site from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be processed and stored in the United States, where data protection laws may differ from those in your location.

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the date at the top of this page. Your continued use of the Site after an update takes effect means you accept the revised Policy.

Contact Us

If you have questions about this Policy or wish to exercise your privacy rights, please reach us through our contact form.