Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington Privacy Policy

Last Updated:  April 13, 2021

This Privacy Policy explains how information about you is collected, used and disclosed by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (“CREW”).  This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect when you use our website and any other websites, mobile sites, applications and other online products and services that link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the “Site”).

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time.  If we make changes, we will notify you by revising the date at the top of the policy and, in some cases, we may provide you with additional notice (such as adding a statement to our homepage or sending you an email notification).  We encourage you to review the Privacy Policy whenever you access the Site to stay informed about our information practices and the ways you can help protect your privacy.

 

Collection of Information

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information you provide directly to us.  For example, we may collect information when you request information, fill out a form, send us an email, sign up to receive updates, submit a tip, sign a petition, make a donation, or otherwise communicate with us.  The types of information we collect may include your name, email address, postal address, phone number, mobile number, credit card information, and other information you choose to provide.

Information We Collect Automatically When You Use the Site

When you access or use our Site, we automatically collect information about you, including:

Log Information:  We log information about your use of the Site, including the type of browser you use, access times, pages viewed, your IP address and the page you visited before navigating to our Site.

Device Information:  We collect information about the computer or mobile device you use to access our Site, including the hardware model, operating system and version, device identifiers and mobile network information.

Information Collected by Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies:  We use various technologies to collect information, and this may include sending cookies to your computer or mobile device.  Cookies are small data files stored on your hard drive or in device memory that helps us to improve our Site and your experience, see which areas and features of our Site are popular and count visits.  We may also collect information using web beacons (also known as “tracking pixels”).  Web beacons are electronic images that may be used in our Site or emails and help deliver cookies, count visits, understand usage and campaign effectiveness and determine whether an email has been opened and acted upon.  For more information about cookies, and how to disable them, please see “Your Choices” below.

Information We Collect From Other Sources

We may also obtain information from other sources and combine that with information we collect through our Site. For example, we may collect information about you from other organizations or public databases.

 

Use of Information

We may use information about you for various purposes, including to:

  • Provide, maintain, and improve our Site;
  • Provide the information you request and confirm tips you submit;
  • Process and complete any donations or other transactions between you and CREW and provide receipts or acknowledgements;
  • Request feedback and otherwise contact you about your use of the Site;
  • Respond to your emails, submissions, questions, comments, and requests;
  • Send you updates and newsletters and otherwise provide you with information that we think will be of interest to you, such as sending you news and information to keep you informed about various issues, events, resources, promotions, products and services;
  • Solicit volunteers, donations and support for our organization and for issues and organizations that we support;
  • Send you technical notices, updates, confirmations, security alerts and support and administrative messages and otherwise facilitate your use of, and our administration and operation of, the Site;
  • Monitor and analyze trends, usage and activities in connection with our Site 
  • Link or combine with information we get from others to help understand your needs and provide you with better information and
  • Carry out any other purpose for which the information was collected.

Sharing of Information

We may share information about you as follows or as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy:

  • With vendors, consultants and other service providers or volunteers who need access to such information to carry out work on our behalf;
  • With organizations, groups, campaigns, or causes that we believe have similar political viewpoints, principles or objectives or share similar goals;
  • In response to a request for information if we believe the disclosure is in accordance with, or required by, any applicable law, regulation, rule, or legal process;
  • If we believe your actions are inconsistent with the spirit or language of our user agreements or policies, or to protect the rights, property and safety of CREW, its volunteers, constituents, or others;
  • In connection with, or during negotiations of, any merger, reorganization, asset sale, financing or acquisition of all or a portion of our business to another company; and
  • With your consent or at your direction, including if we notify you through our Site that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information.

We may also share information more broadly, provided that it is aggregated or anonymized information that does not directly identify you. The above excludes text messaging originator opt-in data and consent; this information will not be shared with any third parties.

SOCIAL SHARING FEATURES

The Site may offer social sharing features and other integrated tools (such as the Facebook “Like” button), which let you share actions you take on our Site with other media, and vice versa.  The use of such features enables the sharing of information with your friends or the public, depending on the settings you establish with the entity that provides the social sharing feature.  For more information about the purpose and scope of data collection and processing in connection with social sharing features, please visit the privacy policies of the entities that provide these features.

ONLINE PETITIONS

If you sign an online petition, you understand that such petition is public information and that we may make the petition and the information contained therein, including your email, name, city, state, zip code, and any comments provided in connection with signing the petition, available to the public, to national, state or local leaders, and/or to the press.  In addition, we may provide such information to organizations, groups, campaigns, or causes that are participating in shared actions or that we believe have similar political viewpoints, principles or objectives or share similar goals.

ANALYTICS SERVICES

We may allow third parties to use cookies, web beacons, or other technologies or otherwise collect information about you in order to provide analytics services.  These entities may collect or receive information about your use of the Site and other websites and mobile applications, including your IP address, browser, device information, pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked and conversion information.  This information may be used by CREW and others to, among other things, analyze and track data, determine the popularity of certain content, and better understand your online activity.

ADVERTISING

We also work with third parties to serve ads to you as part of customized campaigns on third-party platforms (such as Facebook).  As part of these ad campaigns, we or the third-party platforms may convert information about you, such as your email address, into a unique value that can be matched with a user account on these platforms to allow us to serve you advertising.  Note that the third-party platforms may offer you choices about whether you see these types of customized ads.

SECURITY

CREW takes reasonable measures to help protect information about you from loss, theft, misuse and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration and destruction. 

TRANSFER OF INFORMATION TO THE U.S. 

CREW is based in the United States, and is directed to U.S. residents, and we process and store information in the U.S.  If you are located outside the U.S., we and our service providers may transfer your information to, or store or access to your information in, jurisdictions that may not provide equivalent levels of data protection as your home jurisdiction. 

 

Your Choices

Cookies

Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default.  If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove or reject browser cookies.  Please note that if you choose to remove or reject cookies, this could affect the availability and functionality of our Site.

Updates and Other Communications

You may opt out of receiving text messages, updates and newsletters from CREW by following the instructions in those emails or text messages.  If you opt out, we may still send you other types of emails, such as those about your use of the Site or any donations or transactions.

 

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: [email protected].