Privacy Policy
Written on January 13, 2018. Updated November 20, 2024.
This privacy policy has been compiled to better serve those who are concerned with how their ‘Personally identifiable information’ (PII) is being used online. PII, as used in US privacy law and information security, is information that can be used on its own or with other information to identify, contact, or locate a single person, or to identify an individual in context. Please read our privacy policy carefully to get a clear understanding of how we collect, use, protect or otherwise handle your Personally Identifiable Information in accordance with our website.
What personal information do we collect from the people that visit any webpages managed by Forward Together?
When filling out forms on any webpage managed by Forward Together, as appropriate, you may be asked to enter your name, email address, mailing address, phone number, credit card information or other details to help you with your experience. Forward Together’s digital advocacy is powered by EveryAction, a product of NGP VAN, Inc. and data stored in associated tools is additionally subject to the NGP VAN’s privacy policy, which is available at https://www.ngpvan.com/content/privacy-policy
When do we collect information?
We collect information from you when you complete any form on our website, engage with ads sponsored by Forward Together, or interact with pages managed by Forward Together on the advocacy platform EveryAction. Forms include but are not limited to: subscribing to a newsletter, signing a petition, sending a message to a legislator, responding to a survey or otherwise entering information on our site.
How do we use your information?
We may use the information we collect from you when you fill out any form or use certain other site features in the following ways:
- To personalize user’s experience and to allow us to deliver the type of content in which you are most interested.
- To improve our website in order to better serve you.
- To improve the content of mass emails or text messages to better serve you.
- To optimize how and when we communicate with donors.
- To administer a contest, promotion, survey or other site feature.
- To quickly process your transactions.
- To send periodic emails and/or SMS messages regarding advocacy campaigns, donor solicitation or culture shift campaigns.
- To periodically call regarding local Forward Together volunteer opportunities
How do we protect visitor information?
Our website is scanned on a regular basis for security holes and known vulnerabilities in order to make your visit to our site as safe as possible. Your personal information is contained behind secured networks and is only accessible by a limited number of persons who have special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential. In addition, all sensitive/credit information you supply is encrypted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology. We implement a variety of security measures when a user places an order enters, submits, or accesses their information to maintain the safety of your personal information. All transactions are processed through a gateway provider and are not stored or processed on our servers.
Do we use ‘cookies’?
Yes. Cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) that enables the site’s or service provider’s systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information. For instance, we use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart. They are also used to help us understand your preferences based on previous or current site activity, which enables us to provide you with improved services. We also use cookies to help us compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.
We use cookies to:
- Understand and save user’s preferences for future visits.
- Compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interactions in order to offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We may also use trusted third party services that track this information on our behalf.
You can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies. You do this through your browser (like Internet Explorer) settings. Each browser is a little different, so look at your browser’s Help menu to learn the correct way to modify your cookies.
If you disable cookies off, some features will be disabled It won’t affect the users experience that make your site experience more efficient and some of our services will not function properly.
However, you can still place orders .
Third Party Disclosure
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information unless we provide you with advance notice. This does not include website hosting partners and other parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. Mobile information will not be shared or sold with third parties/affiliates for marketing purposes. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others’ rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.
Third party links
Occasionally, at our discretion, we may include or offer third party products or services on our website. These third party sites have separate and independent privacy policies. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of these linked sites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our site and welcome any feedback about these sites.
Google’s advertising requirements can be summed up by Google’s Advertising Principles. They are put in place to provide a positive experience for users. https://support.google.com/adwordspolicy/
We do not currently use Google’s remarketing or similar audiences features to advertise online but we may do so in the future. When enabled, third-party vendors, including Google, may show your ads on sites across the Internet and may use cookies to serve ads based on past visits to your website. We currently use Javascript to collect data on how people interact with our web pages in the event we do decide to enable remarketing or similar audience features.
You can opt out of Google’s use of cookies by visiting Google’s Ads Settings. Alternatively, you may also opt out of a third-party vendor’s use of cookies by visiting the Network Advertising Initiative opt-out page.
We use a Facebook Pixel in order to track how people interact with our webpages. This means that third parties, including Facebook, may use cookies, web beacons, and other storage technologies to collect or receive information from your websites and elsewhere on the internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads. Users can opt-out of the collection and use of information for Facebook ad targeting by visiting http://www.aboutads.info/choices
California Online Privacy Protection Act
CalOPPA is the first state law in the nation to require commercial websites and online services to post a privacy policy. The law’s reach stretches well beyond California to require a person or company in the United States (and conceivably the world) that operates websites collecting personally identifiable information from California consumers to post a conspicuous privacy policy on its website stating exactly the information being collected and those individuals with whom it is being shared, and to comply with this policy. – See more at: http://consumercal.org/california-online-privacy-protection-act-caloppa
According to CalOPPA we agree to the following:
- Users can visit our site anonymously.
Once this privacy policy is created, we will add a link to it on our home page, or as a minimum on the first significant page after entering our website.
Our Privacy Policy link includes the word ‘Privacy’, and can be easily be found on the page specified above.
Users will be notified of any privacy policy changes:
On our Privacy Policy Page
Users are able to change their personal information:
- By emailing us
- By logging in to their account
How does our site handle do not track signals?
We honor do not track signals and do not track, plant cookies, or use advertising when a Do Not Track (DNT) browser mechanism is in place.
Does our site allow third party behavioral tracking?
It’s also important to note that we do not allow third party behavioral tracking
COPPA (Children Online Privacy Protection Act)
When it comes to the collection of personal information from children under 13, the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) puts parents in control. The Federal Trade Commission, the nation’s consumer protection agency, enforces the COPPA Rule, which spells out what operators of websites and online services must do to protect children’s privacy and safety online.
We do not specifically market to children under 13.
Fair Information Practices
The Fair Information Practices Principles form the backbone of privacy law in the United States and the concepts they include have played a significant role in the development of data protection laws around the globe. Understanding the Fair Information Practice Principles and how they should be implemented is critical to comply with the various privacy laws that protect personal information.
In order to be in line with Fair Information Practices we will take the following responsive action, should a data breach occur:
We will notify the users via email within 7 business days, We also agree to the individual redress principle, which requires that individuals have a right to pursue legally enforceable rights against data collectors and processors who fail to adhere to the law. This principle requires not only that individuals have enforceable rights against data users, but also that individuals have recourse to courts or a government agency to investigate and/or prosecute non-compliance by data processors.
CAN SPAM Act
The CAN-SPAM Act is a law that sets the rules for commercial email, establishes requirements for commercial messages, gives recipients the right to have emails stopped from being sent to them, and spells out tough penalties for violations.
We collect your email address in order to:
- Send information related to advocacy and culture shift campaigns.
- Send information, respond to inquiries, and/or other requests or questions.
- Process orders and to send information and updates pertaining to orders.
- We may also send you additional information related to your product and/or service.
- Market to our mailing list or continue to send emails to our clients after the original transaction has occurred.
To be accordance with CANSPAM we agree to the following:
- NOT use false, or misleading subjects or email addresses
- Identify the message as an advertisement in some reasonable way
- Include the physical address of our business or site headquarters
- Monitor third party email marketing services for compliance, if one is used.
- Honor opt-out/unsubscribe requests quickly
- Allow users to unsubscribe by using the link at the bottom of each email
If at any time you would like to unsubscribe from receiving future emails, you can
- Follow the instructions at the bottom of each email.
Text Messaging Terms of Service
By signing up for text message updates, you agree to receive promotional, informational, or account-related messages from Forward Together at the mobile number provided. Mobile information will not be shared with third parties/affiliates for marketing purposes. Message frequency may vary based on your interactions, upcoming events, or important notices from Forward Together. Message and data rates may apply. For more information on how we handle your data, please review our Privacy Policy. You can opt out of receiving text messages at any time by replying STOP to any message.
Forward Together does not share text messaging opt-in data or consent with third parties. Personally identifiable information will never be shared with third parties for marketing purposes.
Text Message Opt-Out
If you are receiving text messages from Forward Together and wish to stop receiving them, respond “STOP” to the text message. You will receive confirmation that you’ve been unsubscribed and will no longer receive text messages.
Contacting Us
If there are any questions regarding this privacy policy you may contact us using the information below:
communications@forwardtogether.org
510 663 8300