Privacy Policy
THIS AMERICAN LIFE, PBC’S PRIVACY POLICY
Your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains what type of information is collected from you when you visit This American Life’s online interfaces (e.g. websites and mobile applications) including but not limited to those located at thisamericanlife.org, tal.fm, store.thisamericanlife.org, and shortcut.thisamericanlife.org (collectively, the “Sites”) and how that information may be used.
By using the Sites, you signify your agreement to the terms and conditions of our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. If you do not agree to these terms and conditions, please do not use the Sites. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please exit the Sites and do not use the Sites. We reserve the right, at our discretion, to modify, add or delete portions of these terms at any time by posting an updated Privacy Policy on the Sites. Please check this Privacy Policy frequently for updates. Any modifications, additions or deletions to this Privacy Policy shall be effective immediately upon posting. Your continued use of the Sites following the posting of an updated Privacy Policy will mean that you agree to such changes.
INFORMATION AUTOMATICALLY GATHERED WHEN YOU VISIT A SITE
Our web servers automatically create log files for each visitor who accesses our Sites. These “access logs” allow us to enhance the Sites for all visitors. The access logs do not record a visitor’s name, address, phone number, credit card numbers, or any other personally identifying information. Rather, these log files may contain some or all of the following information: the date of the visit; the time and length of the visit; the path taken through the Sites; the browser being used; a list of files downloaded or viewed; your location, the amount of time spent listening to audio files; the Internet Protocol Address (IP Address), as may be assigned by your Internet Service Provider, of the machine accessing our Sites; and any errors encountered.
We use this information to aid the technical administration of the Sites and to better understand how the Sites are functioning for users. This information may be correlated with your profile, if you have provided this data either through registration or a purchase via the Sites. This information may also be used in aggregate form.
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”) to collect certain information relating to your use of the Sites. Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the Sites analyze how users use the Sites. You can find out more about how Google uses data when you visit our Sites by visiting “How Google uses data when you use our partners' sites or apps”, (located at www.google.com/policies/privacy/partners/). We may also use Google Analytics Advertising Features to provide you with interest-based advertising based on your online activity. For more information regarding Google Analytics please visit Google's website, and pages that describe Google Analytics, such as www.google.com/analytics/learn/privacy.html. To learn more about interest-based advertisements and your opt-out rights and options, visit the Digital Advertising Alliance and the Network Advertising Initiative websites (www.aboutads.info and www.networkadvertising.org). Please note that if you choose to opt out, you will continue to see ads on our Sites, but they will not be based on how you browse and shop. Cookies are also used on our site for security software CloudFlare.
We may track your visit to sections of our Sites in order for some site features to function properly for you. In some instances, cookies or a similar technology may be used to update your registration records with session information. If you do not wish to accept a cookie from our servers, you can adjust the settings on your browser accordingly. Refusing to accept cookies from our server may result in some limits on the benefits that we can provide to you via the Sites.
Our sites utilize remarketing services through Google Adwords and other vendors to help us better serve our audience. Based on information that we automatically collect and information that you provide to us, we may display targeted banner ads tailored to you based on your previous interactions with our sites. Google may also display targeted ads tailor made for you on outside sites based on your previous interactions with our sites. We may also send you an email encouraging you to complete a previously abandoned donation form, or to return to a previously visited website offering events or content, both audio and digital. You may opt out of Google Remarketing Ads on Google’s website.
Certain features of our Sites may use local stored objects (or Flash cookies) to collect and store information about your preferences and navigation to, from and on our Sites. Flash cookies are not managed by the same browser settings as are used for browser cookies. To learn how you can manage your Flash cookie settings, visit the Flash player settings page on Adobe's website.
Pages of our Sites may contain small electronic files known as web beacons (also referred to as clear gifs. pixel tags and single-pixel gifs) that permit us, for example, to count users who have visited those pages or and for other related website statistics (for example, recording the popularity of certain content and verifying system and server integrity).
PERSONAL INFORMATION
We do not collect personally-identifying information from the Sites unless you choose to provide that information to us, either by registering with our Sites, or logging into our sites by using your Twitter or Facebook account information.
We may ask you to provide certain personal information when you: (a) register for a contest; (b) sign up for an email list; (c) request information; (d) purchase products or services; (e) submit Content that may be used on the Sites; (f) participate in a forum, bulletin board or chat; (g) become a member; (e) make a financial contribution; (f) register for an account; or (g) fill out a survey. Required personal information will be identified as such at the time the personal information is requested. This information may include (1) Name; (2) shipping and/or billing address; (3) telephone number; (4) email address; (5) credit or debit card number.
This information may be used to: (a) verify your identity; (b) manage a contest, survey, sweepstakes, or other promotion; (c) gather your editorial comments and feedback; (d) contact you for additional information; (e) send you an email newsletter; (f) ensure our sites are working at maximum performance; (g) fulfill your order or request; and (h) provide you with information that you request from us. We may also use this information for marketing and promotional purposes. By providing this information, you may receive an occasional email or letter from us. You will be given the option to opt-out of any such listing or have your information removed from a list as set forth in this Privacy Policy.
HOW WE USE AND SHARE YOUR INFORMATION
To Provide Products, Services, and Information. We collect information from you so that we can provide products and services that you purchase using the Sites, and provide information that you request from us. We use your personal information to contact you about your orders, process credit card and debit card transactions, and make products available to you. We may send you information about our products and services, and new offerings.
Sharing with Third Parties. We may provide information to third party service providers that help us operate and manage our Sites, process orders, and fulfill and deliver products and services that you purchase from us. These service providers will have access to your personal information in order to provide these services, but when this occurs we implement reasonable contractual and technical protections to limit their use of that information to helping us provide the service.
Affiliate Advertising & Marketing. From time to time with your consent, we may disclose information with our affiliates who may offer you products and services of interest. You may opt out of or discontinue this this sharing by going to the account section of our Sites, and by using the opt-out or unsubscribe feature contained in emails.
Your Consent. In addition to the sharing described elsewhere in this Policy, we will share personal information with companies, organizations or individuals outside of American Life when we have your consent to do so.
Legal Proceedings. We will share personal information with third party companies, organizations or individuals outside of American Life if we have a good-faith belief that access, use, preservation or disclosure of the information is reasonably necessary to: (a) meet any applicable law, regulation, subpoena, legal process or enforceable governmental request; (b) enforce applicable Terms of Use, including investigation of potential violations; (c) detect, prevent, or otherwise address fraud, security or technical issues; and (d) protect against harm to the rights, property or safety of American Life, our users, customers or the public as required or permitted by law.
Transfer in the Event of Sale or Change of Control. If the ownership of all or substantially all of our business changes or we otherwise transfer assets relating to our business or the Sites to a third party, such as by merger, acquisition, bankruptcy proceeding or otherwise, we may transfer or sell your personal information to the new owner. In such a case, unless permitted otherwise by applicable law, your information would remain subject to the promises made in the applicable privacy policy unless you agree differently.
Collection of Parent or Guardian Email Addresses: Consistent with the requirements of COPPA, on any child-targeted site, or in any instance where we ask for age and determine that the user is under the age of 13, we will ask for a parent’s or guardian’s email address before we collect any personal information from the child. We do not use parent or guardian email addresses provided for parental consent purposes to market to the parent or guardian, unless the parent has expressly opted into email marketing or has separately registered with our Sites.
Verifiable Parental Consent: COPPA requires that we first seek a parent or guardian’s consent by email or some other approved means if a child registers with our Sites. In the email we will explain what information we are collecting, how we plan to use it, and how the parent or guardian can provide and revoke consent. We may require the parent or guardian to verify their identity by providing a credit card number or other information which is likely to be only known by the parent. If we do not receive parental consent within a reasonable time, we will delete the parent contact information and any other information collected from the child from our Sites. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 13 without parental or guardian consent, please contact us at through the contact information set forth below or at [email protected].
CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 18 IN CALIFORNIA
Our Sites may contain message boards, chat rooms, personal web pages, profiles, forums, or bulletin boards that allow our users to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to other users or other persons (hereinafter, “post”) content or materials (collectively, “Content”) on or through the Sites. California law permits minors under the age of 18 to request the removal of the minor’s Content, subject to certain exceptions. If you are under the age of 18 and a resident of California, you may send an email to [email protected] with the subject “California Eraser Law Request” or contact us at the address listed below. We may not remove your Content that we are required to retain under any federal or state law, or that have been provided by a third party. While we will do our best to remove a minor’s information upon a valid request, we cannot ensure the complete or comprehensive removal of your content from our Sites or any information that has been republished, copied, downloaded, or reposted by any third party, and we cannot guarantee that any such information may not be accessible to users of the Internet in the future. We do not advertise or market any of the products or services identified in California Business and Professions Code Section 22580(i) to users who we have actual knowledge are under 18 years of age.
DEMOGRAPHIC AND PROFILE INFORMATION
We occasionally conduct online surveys, sometimes in association with a contest or other offer. These surveys may ask you for demographic information such as ZIP code, age, education or income level. This information is used in an aggregate form to help us understand our audiences and improve our services. Demographic and profile information may be shared with selected third-party organizations, only on an aggregate basis, to describe the nature of our online audiences, as well as to further understand our audience’s behavior so that we may better serve them.
CREDIT CARD INFORMATION
You must be 18 to engage in transactions on the Sites. When you do so, you may be asked for a credit card number. All financial transactions take place only on secure servers. Electronic communication of credit card information is sent only in a secured or encrypted format. Your credit card information is considered completely confidential. We strive to be compliant with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards.
CORRECTION / REMOVAL OF PERSONAL INFORMATION
You can access and update certain information we have relating to your online account by signing into your account and going to the account preferences section of our Sites. If you have questions about personal information we have about you or need to update your information, you can contact us using the information below or through the Contact Us link on our Sites. You can opt-out of receiving marketing and promotional e-mails from American Life by going to the account preferences section of our Sites, and by using the opt-out or unsubscribe feature contained in the e-mails. Notwithstanding the above, you acknowledge and understand that it may be impossible to delete personal information entirely, such as personal information existing in backups and other records. This will not remove any Content intended for public display on the Sites.
THIRD PARTY WEBSITES
The Sites may contain links to other websites. We are not responsible for third party website privacy policies, practices or content. Occasionally, you may receive cookies from third party advertisers, partners and vendors. We do not control these cookies.
ADVERTISING
We do not use technologies that collect information about your online activities over time and across third-party websites or other online services (behavioral tracking). Therefore, we currently do not recognize if your browser sends a “do not track” signal or other similar mechanism to indicate that you do not wish to be tracked or receive interest based ads.
YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS
Under California’s "Shine the Light" law, California residents who provide personal information in obtaining products or services for personal, family or household use are entitled to request and obtain from us once a calendar year information about the customer information we shared, if any, with other businesses for their own direct marketing uses. If applicable, this information would include the categories of customer information and the names and addresses of those businesses with which we shared customer information for the immediately prior calendar year (e.g. requests made in 2016 will receive information regarding 2015 sharing activities).
To obtain this information, please send an email message to [email protected] with "Request for California Privacy Information" on the subject line and in the body of your message. We will provide the requested information to you at your e-mail address in response. Please be aware that not all information sharing is covered by the "Shine the Light" requirements and only information on covered sharing will be included in our response.
INTERNATIONAL USER NOTICE
For international users, please note that it may be necessary to transfer your information internationally and, in particular, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States. For residents of the European Union: the data protection and other laws of other countries outside of the European Union may not be as comprehensive as those of the European Union. Please be assured that we take steps to ensure that your privacy is protected as described in this policy. By using the Sites, you agree to have your information used and transferred to the United States as set forth in this policy.
CONTACT
[email protected]