Privacy Policy
Privacy Policy
PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA (the “Organization” or “PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA”) recognizes that visitors to our respective Web sites are entitled to know how we collect, use, and maintain information we collect or may collect about them. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, how we use that information, with whom we will share this information, and related information.
Information Collection
Non-Personally Identifiable Information
We gather certain broad information about Web site use, including the number of unique visitors, the frequency with which they visit, and the programs and services preferred. We look at the data in summary form, rather than on an individual basis. We gather this information so we can learn how many people visit our site, see which pages are the most and least viewed, identify which Web sites are referring visitors to our site, and related information. The data helps us determine the extent to which visitors use certain parts of our Web site. Thus, we use this information to help us in restructuring our site to better meet the needs of our constituency and to better serve our constituency as an effective organization.
In connection with these activities we may use some of the below mentioned tools.
Cookies
We use a standard technology called a “cookie” to collect information about how the site is used. Cookies are small strings of text stored on your computer’s hard drive by a Web server. We use session cookies to identify your computer during a particular session, i.e., when you sign into the site or post a comment. If you create a user account or otherwise join our site, these cookies enable you to store your password for fast logon and other conveniences. We do not store personal or sensitive information in cookies. Cookies cannot retrieve any other data from your hard drive, pass on computer viruses, or capture your e-mail address. Most Web browsers provide you the ability to accept or decline cookies, as well as to be warned each time a cookie is being sent. If you choose to decline cookies, however, you may not be able to take advantage of all aspects of our site.
IP Addresses
We collect and analyze traffic on our Web site by keeping track of the IP addresses of our visitors. An IP address is the unique numeric identifier assigned to each computer browser accessing the Internet. An IP address, by itself, cannot identify you personally. However, when combined with other information provided by your Internet Service Provider (ISP), your IP address can be used to identify the computer originating a message.
Personally Identifiable Information
Certain actions and areas of the site require you to provide personal information, including but not limited to:
- Join our Web site or create a user account;
- Submit a comment;
- Make a donation;
- Contact a legislator;
- Join an exclusive strategy phone call;
- Obtain a premium gift; or
- Sign a petition.
The personal information we collect may consist of your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, birth year, t-shirt size, hat size, and personal statement or similar information. By submitting personal information to us, you agree that we may use the information in accordance with this privacy policy. We will update this privacy policy as we deem necessary. You should be sure to reread this policy in its entirety from time to time.
If you do submit information to us, we will use that information for the purposes for which it was submitted. For instance, if you join our Web site and ask to be placed on our e-mail list, we will use your email address to send you alerts and other messages about topics and developments we think may be of interest to you. Likewise, for any web-based grassroots program, we may collect and use personally identifiable information in connection with such grassroots outreach and advocacy efforts. In order to use these grassroots that may allow us to send e-mails, faxes, or letters to policy makers, we may require a user to provide a name, mailing address, and e-mail address. Information collected is used for the promotion of PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA’S legislative goals, grassroots outreach and policy advocacy.
We may also use your information in other ways, such as to contact you about other activities and/or fundraising campaigns or as otherwise disclosed to you at the point of collection, and we may share or transfer your information with our affiliates and partners and any other organizations or entities for similar purposes. Additionally, to the extent required by applicable federal or state law, we will provide this information to others. To be clear, we may share personally and non-personally identifiable information with third parties that help manage our Web site and databases as well as with our partners, affiliates, or other third parties.
You should be aware that we use third-party vendors to provide services on this site and in our offline business operations. The information that you submit on this site may be provided to those vendors on a confidential basis so that those vendors can provide services (including, but not limited to, maintaining our databases, sending e-mail messages to our visitors, facilitating our fundraising activities and campaigns, or processing credit card donations) on our behalf.
We also reserve the right to share personal information you provide with legal authorities if it is, in our sole opinion, necessary to investigate, prevent, or otherwise take action regarding suspected fraud, situations involving threats or potential harm, or if otherwise required by law (such as by a subpoena, court order, or other legal means). In the event that we reasonably believe that you have violated any of the Terms of Conditions governing your use of this site, we reserve the right to use any information we have collected about you in connection with any efforts we make or made by any of our agents on our behalf.
Financial Information You Choose to Provide
If you choose to make an online donation, you will have to provide your credit card billing information. Whenever this information is collected and transferred over the Internet to our secure server, it is encrypted using Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, the industry standard security technology that is designed to protect sensitive information. Whenever we allow online donations, our online donation page will display a third party secure site seal to assure you that our Web site is authentic and that all transactions are secured by SSL encryption. If you make a donation, the credit card information that you provide at the time of donation will be used only to process your donation and will not be used for any other purposes.
Online Advertisements
From time to time, we may run online advertisements on third-party Web sites to attract visitors to our site or to alert our supporters to special opportunities. Our advertising partners may use cookies and clear GIFs on this site and on the third-party sites on which our ads appear, which allow the advertising partner to track certain information about user behavior, such as “click-stream data.” Any use of information by an advertising partner would be governed by their terms of use and privacy policy, so be sure to be familiar with these policies prior to responding to online advertisements.
Sweepstakes, Contests, and Promotions
From time to time, we may request information from you via online polls, surveys, sweepstakes, or contests. Participation in these polls, surveys, sweepstakes, or contests is completely voluntary; you have a choice whether or not to disclose information required to enter. Information requested may include personal contact information such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, and/or similar information. Contact information will be used to notify winners, award prizes, and contact users with further information about PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA, as well as the products and services of PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA’S partners and third parties. Survey information will be used for the purposes of monitoring or improving use and satisfaction of the PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA site and to better the organization’s accomplishment of its’ mission. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, partners, and other organizations or entities.
E-mail Newsletter and Updates
If you sign up to receive our e-mail newsletter and updates, we may collect, store, and use your e-mail address to send you such information from PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. We may also collect and store other personally identifiable information including but not limited to your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, and/or similar information you may opt to provide us. If you provide us with your mobile phone number, we may use it to send you text messages from PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, partners, and other organizations or entities.
Text messages
If you sign up to receive text messages from us, we will collect, store and use your mobile phone number to send you such messages from PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. We will also collect and store other personally identifiable information, such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, and/or similar information you may opt to provide to us. If you provide us with your e-mail address, we will use it to send you e-mail newsletters and updates from PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, partners, and other organizations or entities.
User Accounts
If you sign up for a user account, to participate in any Web site features we offer, we will collect and store certain personally identifiable information, such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, and/or similar information you may opt to provide to us. Your user account information will be visible to designated team members of PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA and our third-party Web site services vendor, but not to other registered users or Web site visitors (except to the extent you voluntarily provide any such information when you post your comments). When you register for a user account, you will also be registered to receive e-mail updates, e-mail newsletters, and text messages as a member of PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, partners, and other organizations or entities.
User Comments
Please be aware that any personal information you provide in connection with comments you contribute to this site or any other interactive features we may offer will be visible to other users and Web site visitors.
User Letters and Articles
If you use any interactive forms we may offer to draft articles or letters to officials, editors, or other recipients, we will collect and store certain personally identifiable information, such as your name, address, phone number, mobile phone number, e-mail address, username, and/or similar information you may opt to provide to us. We will use this information to help you draft your article or letter, and to send you e-mail updates, e-mail newsletters, and text messages as a member of PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA. In addition, as noted above, we may share this information with our affiliates, partners, and other organizations or entities.
Job Opportunities
You may choose to apply for employment or an internship position with our affiliate PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA FOUNDATION through online application forms we may provide or by sending us, by e-mail or otherwise, a resume and letter (containing personally identifiable information). Any information you provide to us in this regard will be viewed by PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA FOUNDATION only for the purpose of evaluating your application and/or responding to your employment-related inquiry.
Other Communications
You may choose to contact PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA, by e-mail or otherwise, with other inquiries or to provide comments. Any personally identifiable information you provide in connection with such inquiries or comments will be collected and used by PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA for the purpose of processing and responding to your inquiries or comments.
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Other Third-Party Social Networking Sites
The Organization maintains an active presence on several social networks. Any information we collect from you on those sites will be governed by the privacy policies governing those social networks. Except as prohibited by those sites, we will use any personally identifiable information we collect from or about you from those sites in the manner described in this Policy.
Security
Information submitted via the Internet, including through a Web page or e-mail is subject to interception or incorrect routing, and the Internet is not a fully secure communications channel. Please consider this prior to submitting any information to us via this Web site.
Certain sections of this site may have heightened security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information you have provided. The security measures used on this site to protect any available online donation pages include, but are not limited to, industry-standard Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology, third party SSL certificate validation, firewalls, and internal policies to maintain the security of stored data. While we follow generally accepted industry standards to protect the personal information submitted to us, no method of transmission over the Internet, or method of electronic storage, is 100 percent secure. Therefore, while we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.
Your Help Is Needed
Remember, breaches of security also can occur when users are not vigilant in protecting their own information. The next section of our privacy policy suggests some actions you can take to help control the security of your personal information
Although we do our best to protect your privacy on our site, we need your help.
You have control over your own privacy. Think carefully before providing any personal or financial information online.
Although this site has security measures in place to protect the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information you provide, no e-mail or Web transmission is completely secure against interception. If you are worried because your communication is very sensitive, do not send it electronically.
When you write to us or send us submissions, if you desire to remain anonymous, you should not tell us your name, the names of other users, or of your friends. To fully protect your privacy, you should try to exclude any information that you think may identify you or others.
Remember that we cannot protect your privacy once you leave our site, such as by hyperlink. So when you visit other Web sites, check each site’s privacy policy, and be careful about the information you submit or share.
You should be aware that in some areas of this site we utilize personalization measures designed to make your site experience more enjoyable (i.e., personalized links in e-mail that allow data fields to be pre-populated with certain personal information). We need your help to protect the information embedded in these links. You should always keep your e-mail account information secure and not allow others to access your e-mail account.
In addition, you should only forward our email messages or other Web site information (such as volunteer or job postings) to others through the buttons or links provided within the e-mail or Web site. When you use your e-mail system’s forwarding capabilities, others may be able to take actions in your name and/or access your personal information.
You may be given the option to turn on a persistent cookie on your computer. Remember that once you have set a persistent cookie that is linked to your personal information, anyone can access your personal information by using your computer.
In addition to the records left on your computer by cookies, your browser and operating system contain other records of your Web browsing and other actions (e.g., browser history). As with cookies, you can find information about how to clear these history trails in your browser’s “Help” section or through other Web sites that provide detailed information for each browser and operating system.
How to Unsubscribe or Contact Us About Your Information
If you do not want to receive any e-mail from us in the future, click the “unsubscribe” reference in any e-mail we send you. Otherwise, you may email patriot@betteramerica.us to complete the opt-out process, or send a letter to the below address requesting that we unsubscribe you from our contact lists. Note that absent a specific request your records will remain in our database, but your log-in and e-mail address will be deactivated.
If you wish to review the contact information we have on file for you, correct your contact information, provide a change of address, or inform us how you wish your contact information to be used, please contact our staff. You may contact us by mail, e-mail, or telephone, as follows:
Patriots for a Better America
P. O. Box 999, Dearborn, MI 48121
Phone: Toll Free (866) 488-6554
Attn: Web Master
Email: patriot@betteramerica.us
Policy Last Updated: Sept. 27, 2012
Modifications to this Privacy Policy
We reserve the right to amend or change this Policy at any time. In the event of any material change, PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA will post a prominent notice of such a revision to this Policy on this site’s home page or e-mail you such notice at an e-mail address you have provided to PATRIOTS FOR A BETTER AMERICA.
Complaints or Questions
If you have any questions or concerns about how we have used the information we have collected about you, please contact us:
Compliance Officer
Patriots for a Better America
1128 Walnut St., Dearborn, MI 48124
Phone: 313-879-1794
patriot@betteramerica.us (Put “Compliance Officer” in the subject line