Privacy Policy

Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Protecting your privacy is important to us. This Privacy Policy explains how Stop Secrecy collects, uses, stores, and shares information when you visit or interact with stopsecrecy.org and any related pages, forms, newsletters, or services that link to this Policy.

For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Stop Secrecy,” “we,” “us,” and “our” refer to Stop Secrecy and its affiliated projects, operators, and service providers. “You” and “your” refer to visitors, readers, subscribers, contributors, and other users of the website.

By using our website, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us, including:

  • Name
  • Email address
  • Phone number
  • Mailing address
  • Organization or affiliation
  • Messages, inquiries, tips, requests, or other information you submit through our forms
  • Any other information you choose to provide

We may collect this information when you contact us, submit a form, sign up for updates, request information, participate in a campaign, communicate with us by email, or otherwise interact with the website.

We may also automatically collect certain technical and usage information when you visit the website, such as:

  • IP address
  • Browser type
  • Device type
  • Operating system
  • Referring website
  • Pages visited
  • Date and time of access
  • General usage and analytics information

This information helps us operate the website, understand how visitors use it, improve performance, protect against misuse, and measure the effectiveness of our content and outreach.

2. How We Use Information

We may use the information we collect to:

  • Respond to your inquiries, messages, or requests
  • Operate, maintain, and improve the website
  • Provide news, updates, alerts, or other communications you request
  • Manage contact-form submissions and related records
  • Analyze website traffic and usage trends
  • Protect the security, integrity, and functionality of the website
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Enforce our rights, policies, or terms
  • Support our transparency, public-records, reporting, advocacy, or public-interest work

We do not use personal information for purposes materially different from those described in this Policy unless we provide notice or obtain consent where required by law.

3. Contact Forms and Submitted Information

If you submit information through a contact form or similar feature, your submission may be stored in our website system and/or in third-party tools used to manage responses, records, spreadsheets, email, analytics, or other operational functions.

Please do not submit sensitive personal information unless it is necessary for your communication with us. If you send us information relating to a public-records request, news tip, legal matter, advocacy issue, or similar topic, we may retain and use that information as needed to review, respond to, document, or act on your submission.

4. Cookies and Analytics

Our website may use cookies, pixels, analytics tools, and similar technologies to improve your experience, understand site traffic, and evaluate website performance.

A cookie is a small file placed on your device that helps a website remember information about your visit. You can usually set your browser to refuse cookies or alert you when cookies are being used. Some website features may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

We may use third-party analytics services, such as Google Analytics or similar tools, to understand how users interact with our website. These services may collect information about your device, browser, pages visited, and other usage activity.

5. How We Share Information

We do not sell, rent, or lease our user lists to third parties.

We may share information with trusted service providers who help us operate the website, host data, manage forms, maintain security, analyze traffic, send email, store records, or perform other services on our behalf. These service providers are authorized to use personal information only as necessary to provide services to us.

We may also disclose information if we believe disclosure is necessary to:

  • Comply with applicable law, regulation, subpoena, court order, public-records obligation, or legal process
  • Protect and defend our rights, property, website, users, or the public
  • Detect, prevent, or address fraud, security issues, technical problems, or misuse
  • Respond to emergencies or threats to safety
  • Transfer information in connection with a merger, restructuring, change in control, or similar organizational transaction

6. Public-Interest and Reporting Activities

Stop Secrecy may engage in public-interest reporting, transparency projects, public-records requests, research, advocacy, or related activities. Information submitted to us may be reviewed and used in connection with those activities where appropriate.

We will use reasonable judgment before publishing or disclosing personal information submitted by private individuals, but information you provide to us may not always be confidential, privileged, or protected from disclosure. Do not submit information to us if you are not comfortable with us reviewing, storing, or potentially using it for the purposes described in this Policy.

7. Email Communications

If you provide your email address, we may contact you to respond to your message, provide requested information, send updates, or share communications related to Stop Secrecy’s work.

You may opt out of marketing or promotional emails by following the unsubscribe instructions included in the email or by contacting us directly. Even if you opt out of promotional emails, we may still send non-promotional messages, such as responses to your inquiries or administrative notices.

8. Third-Party Links

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, platforms, documents, or services. We are not responsible for the content, security, or privacy practices of those third parties. When you leave our website, we encourage you to review the privacy policy of any third-party site you visit.

9. Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational measures designed to protect personal information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee the absolute security of information submitted through or stored by the website.

10. Data Retention

We retain personal information for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, including to respond to inquiries, maintain records, operate the website, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, protect our rights, and support public-interest or reporting work.

Retention periods may vary depending on the type of information, the purpose for which it was collected, and applicable legal or operational requirements.

11. Your Privacy Choices

Depending on where you live and the laws that apply, you may have rights to request access to, correction of, deletion of, or restriction on the use of your personal information.

To make a privacy request, contact us using the information below. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling certain requests.

Please note that we may not be able to delete or restrict information where retention is necessary to:

  • Complete the purpose for which the information was collected
  • Comply with legal obligations
  • Protect against fraud, misuse, security incidents, or unlawful activity
  • Exercise free speech, press, public-interest, or legal rights
  • Maintain records related to public-interest reporting, research, transparency, or advocacy work
  • Resolve disputes or enforce agreements
  • Use information internally in a lawful manner compatible with the context in which it was provided

12. Children’s Privacy

Our website is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use the website or submit information to us.

If we learn that we have collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take reasonable steps to delete it.

13. Users Outside the United States

The website is operated from the United States. If you access the website from outside the United States, you understand that your information may be collected, transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States or other jurisdictions where our service providers operate.

14. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “Last updated” date above. Changes are effective when posted on this page unless otherwise stated.

Your continued use of the website after changes are posted means you acknowledge the updated Policy.

15. Contact Us

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

Stop Secrecy
Email: privacy@stopsecrecy.org
Website: stopsecrecy.org