Terms of Use | Ottawa International Writers Festival

We send marketing or promotional emails only to recipients who have given clear consent (opt-in) or where we have another lawful basis for contact (e.g., a pre-existing transactional relationship), consistent with applicable laws (CAN-SPAM, GDPR, CASL, and similar).

We do not use purchased or rented email lists unless explicit, documented permission from every recipient is obtained and verified.

Sign-up channels: website sign-up forms, event registrations, sign-up sheets at in-person events, partner opt-ins, and explicitly recorded verbal consent.

Recommended default: double opt-in (confirmation email required) for new subscribers. Single opt-in is permitted only if clear disclosure is provided and evidence of consent is retained.

All forms collecting email addresses must clearly disclose: the sender (WritersFestival.org), the types of messages, typical frequency, and a straightforward way to unsubscribe.

We retain records of consent: date/time, source (webform, event, partner), copy of the consent language shown to the user, and IP address or other proof where available.

Consent records are stored securely and retained for as long as necessary to demonstrate compliance.

Every email will include accurate From/To/Reply-To header information identifying WritersFestival.org as sender.

Subject lines and header information must not be deceptive or misleading and must reflect the message content.

Each marketing email will include a valid physical postal address for the Festival.

Every marketing email must include a clear, functioning unsubscribe link or instructions that allow recipients to opt out easily.

Unsubscribe requests will be honored promptly and in accordance with Zoho's requirements; the Festival will process unsubscribe requests without undue delay (in most jurisdictions within 5 business days, or sooner where required by law).

A subscriber preference center will be maintained so recipients can manage frequency and types of communications (e.g., newsletters, event alerts, volunteer requests).

After unsubscribe, the recipient will not receive further marketing emails; transactional messages necessary for service delivery may still be sent where permitted by law.

The Festival uses Zoho services to manage, send, and track email communications. Use of Zoho is subject to Zoho's security, privacy, and anti-spam policies.

We will enable and maintain appropriate sender authentication (SPF, DKIM, and recommended DMARC) for all sending domains used with Zoho services to protect deliverability and recipient trust.

Personal data collected for mailing purposes will be processed in accordance with our Privacy Policy and applicable data-protection laws (e.g., GDPR where applicable). Transfers to third parties (including Zoho) will be subject to appropriate safeguards.

The Festival will maintain suppression lists for unsubscribed, bounced, and spam-complaint addresses and will ensure these are honored in Zoho Campaigns and any other sending platforms.

We will not re-add unsubscribed addresses to mailing lists without renewed, documented consent.

Bounced addresses will be managed per best practices; persistent hard bounces will be removed.

• No harvesting, scraping, or automated acquisition of email addresses for mailing.
• No sending to purchased or third-party lists without proof of explicit consent from each recipient.
• No deceptive subject lines, hidden unsubscribe mechanisms, or masking of sender identity.
• No sending that would cause the Festival or Zoho to violate applicable laws or Zoho's acceptable use policies.

All email programs will comply with Zoho's anti-spam, acceptable use, and best-practice requirements, including permission-based sending, suppression-list management, and honoring unsubscribe requests.

The Festival will also comply with applicable national and international email laws (CAN-SPAM, GDPR, CASL, and similar) and industry best practices.

The Festival will cooperate with Zoho and regulators in investigations relating to complaints, spam reports, or policy violations.

We will monitor deliverability, complaint rates, bounces, and engagement metrics and take corrective action if issues arise (list hygiene, content review, throttling).

Repeat violations of these Terms by staff, contractors, or partners may result in suspension of sending privileges and other disciplinary or contractual remedies.

The Festival may update these Terms from time to time. Material changes will be published on WritersFestival.org and, when appropriate, notified to subscribers.

Questions, complaints, or requests regarding email communications may be sent to: email-comms@writersfestival.org or WritersFestival.org, [physical address included in emails].

By subscribing to or receiving communications from WritersFestival.org, recipients agree to these Terms of Use as they apply to direct email and newsletter outreach.