Privacy Policy
Witness to Innocence (“we,” “us,” or “our”) values and respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal data. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website located at witnesstoinnocence.com (the “Site”). It also provides specific information regarding your legal rights under applicable privacy laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) and the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”).
1. Introduction
At Witness to Innocence, we prioritize your privacy. We are committed to ensuring the security and confidentiality of your personal data. Whether you are visiting the Site simply to learn more about our mission or interacting with us more deeply, we strive to handle your data in a responsible, lawful, and transparent manner.
2. Scope and Data Controller
This Privacy Policy applies to all personal data processed via witnesstoinnocence.com and any related services. Witness to Innocence functions as the data controller under GDPR and as the “business” under CCPA. As such, we determine the purposes and means of processing your personal data.
3. Categories of Personal Data We Process
We may collect, use, store, and transfer different kinds of personal data depending on your interaction with our Site:
a. Usage Data
Includes information about how you use the Site, such as your IP address, browser type and version, time zone setting, browser plug-in types, operating system, platform, pages viewed, and session duration.
b. Account Data
Includes your first and last name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and other information you provide when creating or managing an account.
c. Profile Data
Includes your stated preferences, behavior on the Site, history of purchases and donations, or interactions with our content.
d. Communication Data
Includes all communications exchanged with us, such as contact forms, emails, support requests, and records of your inquiries.
e. Technical Data
Includes device type, hardware model, unique device identifiers, mobile network data, and settings related to your system configuration.
f. Transaction Data
Includes donation history, credit card or other payment information, delivery instructions, and billing details.
g. Preference Data
Includes your stated interests, subscription preferences, consent to receive marketing communications, and engagement with promotional content.
4. Legal Bases for Processing
We will only process your personal data when legally permitted. We rely on the following legal bases under GDPR:
– Consent: When you have provided explicit consent (e.g., subscribing to our newsletter).
– Contract: When processing is necessary to fulfill a contract with you (e.g., processing a donation).
– Legal Obligation: Where we are subject to legal or regulatory obligations.
– Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate business purposes, and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests.
For residents of California, Witness to Innocence complies with the CCPA by providing transparency around the collection and use of personal information and offering the ability to exercise associated rights.
5. Your Privacy Rights
You have the following rights concerning your personal data:
– Right of Access: You may request access to the personal data we hold about you.
– Right to Rectification: You have the right to request correction of inaccurate or incomplete data.
– Right to Erasure: You can request the deletion of your personal data under certain conditions.
– Right to Restriction: You may request that we limit the processing of your personal data.
– Right to Data Portability: You may obtain and reuse your personal data for your own purposes.
– Right to Object: You have the right to object to processing when based on legitimate interests or direct marketing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at [email protected].
For California residents, additional CCPA-specific rights include:
– The right to know categories and specific pieces of personal information collected.
– The right to request deletion of personal information.
– The right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: Witness to Innocence does not sell personal information).
– The right not to be discriminated against for exercising any privacy rights.
6. Data Security Measures
We implement industry-standard technical and organizational safeguards to protect your personal data:
– Encryption of data in transit and at rest.
– Role-based access control systems and multi-factor authentication for internal systems.
– Secure server environments and network security protocols.
– Routine data backups and secure storage practices.
– Ongoing privacy training for our team to maintain awareness and compliance.
While we take reasonable measures to protect data, no system is completely secure. We encourage discretion when sharing personal data online.
7. International Data Transfers
If and when personal data is transferred outside of the country in which it was collected, including transfers outside the European Economic Area (EEA), we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place. These may include:
– European Commission-approved Standard Contractual Clauses.
– Certification schemes or binding corporate rules where applicable.
– Compliance with local data protection laws in the receiving jurisdiction.
8. Data Retention Policy
We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which we collected it, including:
– Usage and Technical Data: Up to 12 months for analytics and security purposes.
– Account and Profile Data: Retained as long as the user maintains an account, or 5 years following the last interaction.
– Transaction Data: Retained for 7 years to comply with tax and regulatory requirements.
– Communication Data: Retained for 3 years for customer service recordkeeping.
– Preference Data: Retained until preferences are updated or consent is withdrawn.
After the applicable retention period expires, data is securely deleted or anonymized.
9. Cookie Policy
Our website uses cookies and similar technologies to enhance your user experience and analyze performance. These include:
a. Essential Cookies
Necessary for core Site functionality such as page navigation and secure log-ins.
b. Functional Cookies
Support Site personalization, including remembered preferences and language settings.
c. Analytics Cookies
Help us understand how users interact with the Site so we can improve functionality and usability.
d. Performance Cookies
Used to optimize speed, responsiveness, and overall user experience.
10. Cookie Management
You can manage cookie preferences through the banner displayed on your first visit or via your browser settings. Under GDPR, we request your consent for the use of non-essential cookies. California residents may opt out of cookie-based tracking by selecting applicable settings or contacting us.
Most browsers permit users to refuse cookies or notify you when a cookie is being sent. However, certain functions of witnesstoinnocence.com may not operate properly if cookies are disabled.
11. Children’s Data Protection
Our website is not intended for and does not knowingly collect data from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that personal data has been inadvertently collected from a child under 13, we will delete such data promptly. Parents or guardians who believe we may have collected data from a child are encouraged to contact us immediately at [email protected].
12. Policy Updates
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in laws, technology, or our practices. Any significant changes will be posted on this page, and we may take additional steps to inform users where required by law. Continued use of witnesstoinnocence.com following such updates constitutes your acknowledgment of the revised Privacy Policy.
13. Contact Information
If you have any questions regarding this Privacy Policy, our data practices, or would like to exercise your privacy rights, please contact us at:
Email: [email protected]
We are committed to full compliance with all applicable data protection laws, and we encourage you to reach out with any concerns.