Privacy

Privacy Policy

A plain-language explanation of the information involved when you visit the site, submit a project, purchase a service, or share private audio.

Effective and last updated: August 2, 2026

Overview

Sum & Difference respects the privacy of clients, prospective clients, and site visitors. This policy explains what information is collected, why it is needed, how it may be shared, and the choices available to you.

Questions or privacy requests may be sent to hello@sumanddifference.com.

Information collected

Information you provide

When you use a project or submission form, we may collect your name, email address, artist or project name, song information, track count, project status, goals, concerns, requested timeline, and links to audio or files. We also retain information you provide through email or other direct communication.

Transaction information

Payments for services are processed by Square. Sum & Difference may receive transaction details such as your name, email address, purchased service, amount, and payment status, but does not receive or store your full payment-card number. Shop purchases are completed through Etsy and are also subject to Etsy's policies.

Technical information

The site and its service providers may automatically record limited technical information, such as IP address, browser type, referring page, access time, and security or error logs. This information supports site delivery, reliability, and fraud prevention.

How information is used

Information may be used to:

  • Respond to inquiries and determine project fit, scope, price, and scheduling.
  • Provide mix diagnostics, online mixing, support, revisions, and final deliverables.
  • Match a submission to a Square payment and maintain transaction records.
  • Resolve technical, service, payment, or customer-support concerns.
  • Protect the site, clients, and business from misuse, fraud, or security incidents.
  • Meet accounting, tax, legal, and contractual obligations.

Form submissions and client email addresses are not added to a marketing list without separate consent. Sum & Difference does not sell or rent personal information.

Service providers and disclosure

Information is shared only when reasonably necessary to operate the business or provide a requested service. Providers currently include:

  • Formspree, which processes website form submissions.
  • Google Analytics, which processes optional website-usage information when a visitor allows analytics.
  • Square, which processes service payments.
  • Etsy, which hosts and processes shop transactions.
  • Website hosting, email, and the cloud-storage or file-transfer provider used for a project.
  • Professional advisers or authorities when required to comply with law, protect legal rights, or address fraud or safety concerns.

These providers process information under their own terms and privacy practices. Information may be processed in the United States or other locations where those providers operate.

Audio and project files

Private audio, session files, reference tracks, notes, and project links are used only to evaluate an inquiry, perform the requested service, communicate with you, and maintain necessary project records. They are not published, used in a portfolio, or shared for promotional purposes without your written permission.

You are responsible for choosing appropriate sharing settings and for providing links that Sum & Difference is authorized to access. Do not submit passwords, government identification, payment-card details, or other unnecessary sensitive information through website forms.

Retention and security

Online Mixing project files are generally retained for 90 days after final approval. Audio and files for other services are retained only as long as reasonably necessary to complete the work, provide follow-up support, resolve disputes, and maintain appropriate business records. Clients should keep their own permanent backups.

Contact, transaction, and business records may be retained for accounting, tax, fraud-prevention, contractual, or legal purposes. Third-party providers may retain information according to their own policies.

Reasonable administrative and technical safeguards are used, but no website, email system, cloud service, or transmission method can be guaranteed completely secure.

Cookies and analytics

The Google tag loads with analytics and advertising storage denied by default. In that state, it does not read or write Google Analytics or advertising cookies, although Google may receive the visitor's consent state and limited measurements without cookies for basic measurement and modeling. If a visitor allows optional analytics, Google Analytics 4 can measure visits, referral sources, pages viewed, device and browser categories, approximate location, and interactions such as service, checkout, shop, social-profile, and inquiry actions. It may then place first-party analytics cookies, including cookies beginning with _ga, to distinguish visitors and sessions.

Advertising storage, advertising personalization, and advertising-user-data collection remain disabled regardless of the analytics choice. Declining optional analytics does not affect access to the site. A visitor can review or change the choice at any time through “Analytics settings” in the footer. The hosting platform and connected service providers may still use essential technology or limited technical logs to deliver, secure, and troubleshoot their services.

Your choices and rights

You may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information held directly by Sum & Difference by emailing hello@sumanddifference.com. Requests may require identity verification and may be limited when information must be retained for legal, accounting, fraud-prevention, or contractual reasons.

You may also contact Square, Etsy, Formspree, or another provider directly regarding information controlled by that provider.

Children and policy changes

This site and its services are not directed to children under 13, and Sum & Difference does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13.

This policy may be updated as the site, services, or legal requirements change. The current effective date will always appear at the top of this page.