Privacy & Data Use Policy for Covid Stories Archive, Inc., a Nonprofit Corporation
Last Updated: July 21, 2021
THE TERMS OF THIS PRIVACY & DATA USE POLICY (“POLICY”) ARE LEGALLY BINDING. IF YOU USE OUR SERVICE (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ENGAGE WITH OUR WEBSITE, YOU AGREE TO BE BOUND TO ALL OF THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF THIS POLICY.
Covid Stories Archive, Inc. (“CovidStories” “we”, “us”, or “our”), a nonprofit corporation, respects the privacy of its users and has developed this Policy to be transparent about how we may collect, use, and share information and demonstrate our commitment to protecting your privacy.
This Policy applies to you, as an individual, when you use our website (www.covidstoriesarchive.org).
We encourage you to read this Policy carefully when using our website. If you have any questions about our privacy practices, please refer to the end of this Policy for information on how to contact us.
Overview
The kind of data we collect about you can be different based on how you use the CovidStories website. If you only use our services to research our archives, we’ll have less information about you than if you share your experiences. Even if you do not share an experience or fill out any information for research purposes, we may still collect some data about you, like your IP address and other device information when you browse our website or mobile application, or your email address and phone number if provided to us by another user hosting an event.
Ultimately, the information we collect and process from you and about you is used in various ways to operate our services, none of which are for profit. These services may include, now or in the future, collecting stories and data for our archive (in written, video, audio, or file format), providing access to researchers to search and use our archive, organizing volunteers and/or hiring for our endeavors, and receiving donations. Any data we collect now or in the future is to facilitate the services above.
Information we receive about you
In General. We receive several different types of information from you when you use our services or about you via someone else using our services (like when a friend or family mentions you in a submitted story with your name or other identifying information), some of which is personally identifying, some is not. The information received through our services may be sent to servers located in the United States and other countries around the world.
How we use the information we collect
If you are submitting a story or have submitted a story, your information may be used in our archive and, without personal or identifying information, for promotional purposes. Your information may be used for contact purposes so that we may update you on CovidStories news, to request support, for surveys about our services, or to inform you that a researcher would like to speak with you about your experiences. You have the option to keep your personal information private and allow CovidStories to act as a go-between to send you a notification that a researcher would like to speak with you. If you request that option and a researcher requests to speak with you, you will receive a correspondence (via email. SMS text message or other form of communication) providing you with information to reach out to the researcher if you so choose.
If you are researching or have researched our archive, your information may be used for contact purposes so that we may update you on CovidStories news, to request support, to share your contact information to the provider of a story upon your request, or for surveys about our services.
If you are contacting us or have contacted us about volunteering or employment opportunities, your information may be used for contact purposes so that we may respond to your inquiry and arrange follow up, to update you on CovidStories news, to request support, or for surveys about our administration.
If you are providing or have provided support to CovidStories, your information may be used for contact purposes so that we may update you on CovidStories news, to request further support, for surveys about our service, or to ask you to participate by sharing your story or stories for our archive.
Financial information. If you provide us with financial information or payment information for the purpose of donating, then we will use financial information or payment method to process payment, to protect against or identify possible fraudulent transactions, and otherwise as needed to manage CovidStories.
Your choices regarding your information
How we protect your personal information
We take reasonable security measures (including physical, electronic and procedural measures) intended to help safeguard your personal information from unauthorized access and disclosure. For example, except for personal information shared with your permission in our archive. only authorized employees, contractors, and service providers are permitted to access personal information, and they may do so only for permitted business functions. In addition, we use firewalls to help prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to your personal information.
No system can be completely secure. Therefore, although we take steps to secure your information, we do not promise, and you should not expect, that your personal information, or searches, or other information will always remain secure.
Children’s Privacy
Our services are for a general audience and are not directed to or intended for children under the age of 16. Accordingly, we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 16 and if we become aware that we have, we will promptly delete such information from our servers.
Visiting our websites from outside the United States.
If you are accessing our services from outside the United States, please be aware that your information may be transferred to, stored, and processed in the United States where our servers are located and our central database is operated. This Policy and the storage, use and disclosure of your information under this Policy, is governed by the laws on the United States. The services are controlled and operated by CovidStories from the United States and you expressly waive the application of any laws of any territory other than the United States. The data protection and other laws of the United States and other countries might not be as comprehensive as those in your country. By using our services, you understand and agree that your information may be transferred to our facilities and those third parties with whom we share it as described in this Policy, and the laws of the United States apply to the use, storage and disclosure of your information.
Additional Disclosures: California
Under the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, California residents have certain rights regarding their data, including:
No Rights of Third Parties
This Policy does not create rights enforceable by third parties or require disclosure of any personal information relating to users of the services.
Changes to this Policy and Successors
CovidStories reserves the right to amend this Policy at its sole discretion and any modifications shall be effective immediately upon posting. When we revise this Policy, we will notify you by posting the new Policy on the CovidStories website or a successor website with the “Last Updated” legend at the top of this page. By continuing to use the services of CovidStories or engaging with CovidStories following such changes, you will be deemed to have agreed to such changes. If you do not agree with the terms of this Policy or any changes thereto, you may not continue using the services.
This Policy will apply to any Successors of CovidStories, pending changes or modifications to this Policy which will be posted as described above.
How to contact us
If you have any questions about this Policy or our information-handling practices, please contact us by email as follows: