Privacy Surveillance Policy

Psymposia strives to protect the digital privacy of our audience, but thanks to surveillance capitalists, that’s very difficult. 

If you want to learn more about surveillance capitalism, we recommend reading Shoshana Zuboff’s groundbreaking book, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism: The Fight for a Human Future at the New Frontier of Power, and watch this talk. 

Effective Date: June 23, 2020

Psymposia, Inc (“Psymposia,” “we,” “our” or “us”) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit media organization and we are committed to protecting the privacy of our audience to the best of our abilities. The objective of this Privacy Policy is to be fully transparent with our audience and intended to explain how we collect, use, and share information about you through your use of https://www.psymposia.com and https://store.psymposia.com (the “Services”).

This Privacy Policy does not govern our use of any information you provide to us when you call us, write to us, or communicate with us in any way other than through the Services.

By using the Services, you explicitly consent to such use of your information and agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you disagree, please discontinue use of our websites and services. If you have questions about this Privacy Policy contact us here.

1. Data Collection
The data we collect is information that you voluntarily supply from using our Services. The different types of information are identified in this Privacy Policy.

We automatically collect data from your device through Tracking Technologies (as defined below). Examples may include the following:

  • Configuration data and device connectivity, including your device type (mobile, computer, tablet), your operating system, your browser, and your device resolution.
  • Visited pages, viewed emails, referral website, time viewed, visit duration, and exited pages.
  • Geolocation data (via IP address and data indicating your city, country, and zip code).
  • Device identifiers, including your IP address.

Our websites may include external content, or include links to third parties. Psymposia is not responsible for the privacy policies of these third parties. This Privacy Policy does not relate to these third party’s websites, and you should read their privacy policies and terms of use to learn more about how your information is used. You can find a list of some of our Service Providers and their Privacy Policies here. While this list includes our Service Providers, it may not be fully complete.

Below you will find the instances where we will collect, use, and share your data from the use of our Services.

Except as otherwise described in our Privacy Policy, we will never share your Usage Data, Personal Information, Non-Personal Information, or Shared Information with any third party without your permission.

2. Email Marketing
By signing up for our emailers, Psymposia and Mail Chimp will collect your email and information about how you interact with our emails. Psymposia and Mail Chimp will use this data to:

  • Send email communications to the email address you provided;
  • View associated data in an effort to interpret user engagement and improve our Services;
  • Prevent violations of policies and identify instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

3. Donations
When you make a donation, Psymposia and our Services Providers may collect: your full name, your physical address, your postal code, your email address, the amount of your donation, your billing information, and your payment information. This information will be used in the following manner:

  • Processing the transaction and storing your credit or debit card information;
  • Sending any notices, alerts, updates, or policy changes to the email address on file;
  • Sending emailers;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Providing information to our team in order to send you a thank you reply;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

4. Social Media
If you share or “like” any content through a social media sharing tool that may be integrated on our Services, data about you will be collected. This may include device data. This information will be used by Psymposia and Service Providers to:

  • Post and manage content on these Services;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Identify and improve user engagement with the content;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

These various third party social media services will also collect the data that is associated with this content, including through Tracking Technologies.

5. Podcasts and Video Streaming Players
Any podcast or video content streamed through third party players on our Services collects data. This may include data about your device, including through Tracking Technologies. This information is used for:

  • Managing content on our sites;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Identifying and improving user engagement with the content;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

These various third party podcast and video services will also collect data that is associated with this content, including through Tracking Technologies.

6. Analytics
Throughout our Services, Psymposia and our Service Providers gather and analyze data  about your interaction with our Services. By accessing our sites, Psymposia and our Service Providers will collect data from your device, including through Tracking Technologies. This information is used for:

  • Managing content on our sites;
  • Observing and analyzing usage, patterns, and other activities;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

7. Store
When you make a purchase on our Services, Psymposia and our Services Providers may collect: your full name, your physical address, your postal code, your email address, the amount of your purchase, your billing information, and your payment information. This information will be used in the following manner:

  • Processing the transaction and storing your credit or debit card information;
  • Sending any notices, alerts, updates, or policy changes to the email address on file;
  • Sending emailers;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

8. Content Acceleration Services
Our Services may use acceleration to improve website performance. Data will be collected from your browsing device, including through Tracking Technologies. This information is used for:

  • Improving Services speed and functionality;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

9. Emailing Us
Psymposia and our Service Providers will collect any data that may be associated with your email address. This includes both the content of your email and may include any data from your device, including through Tracking Technologies.

Please, do not share sensitive or confidential information from unencrypted email services – like Gmail. To submit sensitive or confidential information by email please read our Tips and Whistleblower Leaks procedure document found here. This information is used for:

  • Our team replying to your email;
  • Improving and maintaining our Services;
  • Preventing violations of policies and identifying instances of fraud;
  • Use for any additional reason that was disclosed when you signed up.

10. Data Disclosure
Notwithstanding anything in this Privacy Policy to the contrary, we reserve the right, and you hereby expressly authorize us, to share any User Information: (1) in response to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish, protect, or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims; (2) if we believe it is necessary in order to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding potentially illegal activities, fraud, or situations involving potential threats to the safety of any person or property; (3) if we believe it is necessary to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding significant abuse of the Services’ infrastructure or the Internet in general (such as voluminous spamming, denial-of-service attacks, or attempts to compromise the security of information); (4) in connection with, or during negotiations of, any proposed or actual merger, purchase, sale or any other type of acquisition or business combination of all or any portion of our assets, or transfer of all or a portion of our business to another business.

You will be notified, as permitted by law, and we will cooperate with you in an effort to produce any potential lawful objections to any such disclosures. We will seek out any appropriate protective orders limiting such disclosures of your information. Lawful disclosures will be limited to those strictly required by law.

Data involving our patrons and donors is also shared with third party Service Providers. We are not responsible for the policies, practices, or security of our third party donor partners.

By using third party podcast or video services in connection with our site, you understand that the data that third party podcast and video services collect comes from you, and not us or our Service Providers, and that the third party podcast or video services may disclose the data it collects to additional third parties. We are not responsible for such third party collection, use, and sharing.

11. Tracking Technologies: Cookies, Web Beacons, Tracking Pixels
Psymposia and our Service Providers may collect and store your data in log files as well as through the use of cookies, web beacons (also known as “tracking pixels”), embedded scripts, and other tracking technologies now and hereafter developed (“Tracking Technologies”). The Tracking Technologies on the Services may include, without limitation:

Cookies. Cookies are small files that your web browser places on your hard drive for record-keeping purposes. A cookie may be a session ID cookie or tracking cookie. Session cookies make it easier for you to navigate the Services and expire when you close your browser. Tracking cookies help in understanding how you use the Services, and remain longer. Cookies may remain on your hard drive for an extended period of time. You may generally disable or remove cookies by tools available as part of most commercial browsers, and in some instances blocked in the future by selecting certain settings. If you use your browser’s method of blocking or removing cookies, some features and functionalities of the Services may not work.

Web Beacons or Tracking Pixels. Web beacons are small graphic images, also known as “internet tags” or “clear gifs,” that are embedded in web pages and emails. Web beacons may be used to provide information about how our visitors use the Services and how they interact with our email newsletters and with our stories that appear on other websites.

Third parties may also collect information from you using Tracking Technologies, and we are not responsible for and make no representations regarding their collection practices.

12. Your Rights
Accessing and Changing Your Information
You may update or remove any data you have voluntarily shared with us by emailing us. If your information has been collected by third parties through your use of the Services, you must contact those third parties with your request for data removal. In order to verify your identity, we may require additional information from you.

We will not remove donor names that we publish anywhere on our site.We also may deny removing your name or other information that we published if that information was made publicly available on social media or on external publications.

Opting-Out
You may choose to opt-out of certain data collection, use, and sharing, as described below.

If you would like to opt-out of receiving our periodic emailers, scroll to the bottom of the email and click on the unsubscribe link.

Opting-out of the use of Tracking Technologies on our site from Service Providers may be very difficult. We are not responsible for any third party opt-outs.

For any additional requests, questions, or concerns, email us.

13. Children’s Privacy
We are committed to protecting the privacy needs of children, and we encourage parents and guardians to take an active role in their children’s online activities and interests. The Services are not intended for and may not be used by children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13, and we do not market the Services to children under the age of 13.

14. International Users
This Privacy Policy is intended for and directed to users within the United States. If you are using our Services from outside of the United States, please be aware that by using our Services, which are governed by U.S. law, you are transferring your personal data to the United States and you are consenting to that transfer.

15. Privacy Policy Changes
This Privacy Policy may change from time to time. The revised Privacy Policy will be posted and the “Effective Date,” will reflect the date the changes were made. The updated Privacy Policy will be effective immediately. Your continued use of the Services after any updates shall indicate that you are in agreement with the terms of the revised Privacy Policy.

16. Contacting Us
If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, or our compliance with applicable law, please contact us by email.