Polycivic ("Polycivic," "we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, retain, and protect information when you access or use our website, services, accounts, comment features, civic information tools, election forecasts, fact-checking resources, and related features (collectively, the "Services").

By using the Services, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, you should not use the Services.

1. About Polycivic

Polycivic is a California-based nonprofit organization located in the United States. Polycivic provides political information, election analysis, forecasting, fact-checking resources, civic education, public policy information, and related content.

2. Information We Collect

We may collect the following categories of information.

A. Information You Provide Directly

When you create an account, contact us, post comments, participate in discussions, subscribe to updates, donate, or otherwise interact with the Services, we may collect:

  • Name;
  • Email address;
  • Username;
  • Password or authentication information;
  • Profile information;
  • Comments, posts, replies, and other user-generated content;
  • Communications you send to us;
  • Donation-related information, if donations are enabled;
  • Any other information you voluntarily provide.

B. Account Information

If you create an account, we may collect and store information necessary to operate your account, including your username, email address, password credentials, account settings, profile information, and activity connected to your account.

You are responsible for keeping your account information accurate and your password secure.

C. User-Generated Content

If you post comments, replies, discussions, or other content on Polycivic, that content may be visible to other users or the public, depending on the feature.

You should not post private, sensitive, confidential, or personally identifying information that you do not want others to see.

D. Automatically Collected Information

When you use the Services, we may automatically collect certain technical and usage information, including:

  • IP address;
  • Device type;
  • Browser type;
  • Operating system;
  • Pages viewed;
  • Referring and exit pages;
  • Date and time of visits;
  • Approximate location derived from IP address;
  • Log data;
  • Cookie and similar tracking data;
  • Interactions with site features.

E. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We may use cookies, pixels, local storage, analytics tools, and similar technologies to:

  • Keep you signed in;
  • Remember preferences;
  • Improve site functionality;
  • Understand how users interact with the Services;
  • Detect abuse or security issues;
  • Measure site performance.

You may be able to disable cookies through your browser settings. Some features of the Services may not function properly without cookies.

F. Analytics Information

We may use analytics tools to understand traffic, usage patterns, technical performance, and user behavior on the Services.

Analytics information may include pages visited, time spent on pages, browser type, device information, approximate location, referral sources, and similar usage data.

G. Political and Civic Activity Information

Because Polycivic is a political and civic information platform, your activity may involve political topics, public policy, elections, candidates, parties, ballot measures, or ideological viewpoints.

We do not require users to disclose political affiliation. However, information you choose to post, comment, like, share, or otherwise submit may reveal political opinions or civic interests.

You should carefully consider what you choose to make public.

3. How We Use Information

We may use information we collect to:

  • Provide, operate, and maintain the Services;
  • Create and manage user accounts;
  • Display comments, discussions, and user-generated content;
  • Moderate content and enforce our Terms of Service;
  • Respond to questions, feedback, and support requests;
  • Improve site design, performance, security, and functionality;
  • Analyze usage trends and user engagement;
  • Prevent fraud, abuse, spam, harassment, and unauthorized access;
  • Protect the safety and integrity of Polycivic and its users;
  • Send administrative notices, updates, or service-related messages;
  • Process donations, if donations are enabled;
  • Comply with legal obligations;
  • Support Polycivic’s nonprofit mission.

4. Public Content

Comments, usernames, profile information, and other content you post publicly may be visible to other users, search engines, and the general public.

Even if you delete your account or remove content, copies may remain in backups, cached pages, screenshots, archives, or content shared by other users.

5. How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information.

We may share information in the following limited circumstances.

A. Service Providers

We may share information with vendors and service providers who help us operate the Services, such as hosting providers, security services, analytics providers, email services, payment processors, and technical infrastructure providers.

These service providers may access information only as necessary to perform services for Polycivic.

B. Legal Compliance and Safety

We may disclose information if we believe it is reasonably necessary to:

  • Comply with applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request;
  • Enforce our Terms of Service;
  • Investigate potential violations;
  • Detect or prevent fraud, spam, abuse, security threats, or harmful activity;
  • Protect the rights, safety, or property of Polycivic, users, or others.

C. Organizational Changes

If Polycivic is involved in a merger, restructuring, transfer of assets, partnership, or similar organizational change, user information may be transferred as part of that process, subject to this Privacy Policy or a substantially similar policy.

D. With Your Consent

We may share information when you direct us to do so or give us permission.

6. Advertising and Sponsorships

Polycivic does not currently plan to display advertisements.

However, Polycivic may in the future display advertisements, sponsorships, partnerships, or promotional content to support its nonprofit mission.

If we introduce advertising or sponsorship features that materially change how we collect, use, or share personal information, we will update this Privacy Policy.

At this time, Polycivic does not sell personal information for advertising purposes.

7. Donations and Payment Information

If Polycivic accepts donations, payment information may be processed by third-party payment processors.

Polycivic may receive limited donation-related information, such as your name, email address, donation amount, date of donation, and transaction confirmation details.

We do not intend to store full credit card numbers on our own servers.

Payment processors may collect and process information under their own privacy policies.

8. Data Retention

We retain information for as long as reasonably necessary to:

  • Provide the Services;
  • Maintain user accounts;
  • Comply with legal obligations;
  • Resolve disputes;
  • Enforce our Terms of Service;
  • Maintain security;
  • Preserve backups;
  • Support Polycivic’s nonprofit operations.

We may retain certain information after account deletion where required or permitted by law, including logs, moderation records, security records, legal records, and backup copies.

9. Your Choices and Rights

Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have rights to:

  • Access personal information we maintain about you;
  • Correct inaccurate information;
  • Delete certain personal information;
  • Object to or restrict certain processing;
  • Request a copy of your information;
  • Opt out of certain communications;
  • Disable cookies through browser settings.

To make a privacy request, contact us using the information listed below.

We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

10. California Users

Polycivic is a California-based nonprofit organization.

Although some California privacy laws may not apply to nonprofit organizations in the same way they apply to covered businesses, Polycivic aims to respect reasonable privacy requests from California users where feasible and legally appropriate.

California users may contact us to request access, correction, deletion, or additional information about how we handle personal information.

11. Children’s Privacy

The Services are not directed to children under 13.

You must be at least 13 years old to use the Services.

We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without legally required parental consent, we will take reasonable steps to delete that information.

If you believe a child under 13 has provided personal information to Polycivic, please contact us.

12. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect personal information.

However, no website, online service, database, or internet transmission is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security.

You are responsible for keeping your account credentials confidential.

13. Third-Party Links and Services

The Services may link to third-party websites, news sources, government websites, social media platforms, payment processors, analytics providers, or other services.

Polycivic is not responsible for the privacy practices, content, or security of third-party services.

You should review the privacy policies of third-party services before using them.

14. Do Not Track

Some browsers offer a "Do Not Track" signal.

Because there is no uniform industry standard for responding to Do Not Track signals, Polycivic may not respond to such signals at this time.

15. Email Communications

We may send you service-related emails, including account notices, security alerts, policy updates, and administrative messages.

If we offer newsletters or promotional communications, you may unsubscribe from those communications using the instructions provided in the email.

You may not be able to opt out of important service-related messages.

16. International Users

Polycivic is operated from the United States.

If you access the Services from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be processed and stored in the United States, where privacy laws may differ from those in your location.

17. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time.

When we update the Privacy Policy, we will revise the "Last Updated" date above.

If changes are material, we may provide additional notice, such as through the website or by email.

Continued use of the Services after changes become effective means you acknowledge the updated Privacy Policy.

18. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy, contact us at:

Polycivic

support@polycivic.com

polycivic.com