The Human Rights Campaign and Human Rights Campaign Foundation (jointly, "HRC") strongly believe in protecting the integrity and privacy of personal information gathered from all our donors and members regardless of source as well as visitors to our web sites ("End Users"). Since the protection of your privacy is of the greatest importance to us, we have created this privacy policy to communicate our practices regarding the collection and dissemination of personal information that can be linked to a specific individual, such as a name, address, phone number, email address, or any other information, provided to us by our members and web site visitors.

You do not have to share personally identifiable information to use the HRC web site. HRC does not collect personally identifiable information about people on our web site without their permission. However, please be aware that our web site links to a limited number of other web sites and HRC cannot control and is not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of those web sites.

1. Our privacy policy explains the information practices we use at hrc.org related to:

• How we collect and use the information gathered when you become a member of HRC or use one of our online services
• How you receive emails and email newsletters from HRC
• How we share information
• Your California privacy rights
• How we protect your information
• How to unsubscribe from mailing lists
• How to contact us about privacy

2. How we collect and use the information gathered when you become a member of HRC or use one of our online services or mobile applications:

We gather contact information when you contribute to HRC online or via mail, join at pride or another event, when you sign up to use the HRC Action Center, when you sign up on one of our listservs such as Family Project, Workplace Project or in our press room, when you download one of our mobile applications, or when you otherwise provide personal information on our web site.  We may also collect information from public sources, third party companies, or other organizations which we may combine with information from other sources. We use this information to contact you and send you legislative updates, action alerts, press releases, information about HRC programs, events and activities, local volunteer opportunities and membership and renewal appeals.

HRC also uses information gathered via the HRC web site or one of our mobile applications to improve our web-based services. HRC periodically performs statistical analyses of aggregate user behavior and characteristics in order to measure interest in and use of various areas on our web site and to use such information to improve on our website's ability to serve you better.

Cookies: HRC uses "cookies" on some web pages. A cookie is a small piece of data stored in the memory of on an End User's web browser but does not itself contain any personal information. Cookies enhance an End User's experience by saving the End User from having to log in or provide information each time he or she revisits an HRC web page and by customizing content based on an End User's interests. An End User can configure his or her browser to be alerted when a site is attempting to send a cookie and refuse the cookie. HRC also tracks End User activity and click-through behavior to provide an End User with a more personalized experience while visiting our web pages and for more personalized email alerts. HRC also uses IP addresses to analyze trends, administer the web site, track End User movement and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use.

Geolocation data: If you choose to provide location data pursuant to a Location-Based Service feature on our website, or to enable Location Services for an HRC mobile application such as the "Buy4Equality App," we may collect and use location data as you provide, or as sent from your device, to provide and improve location-based products and services. For mobile applications, you can turn off this functionality at any time by disabling Location Services in the settings for the application on your device; however, some parts of the application may not work if Location Services are disabled.

HRC’s web site is not directed to children, and HRC does not knowingly collect personally identifiable information about individuals under the age of 18. 

3. How you receive emails and email newsletters from HRC:

You will only receive email newsletters from us if you have a) expressly signed up to receive emails from HRC through the HRC web site, b) taken action on behalf of HRC either online or in person; c) signed up to receive HRC emails at prides, HRC action center and stores, public outreach or canvassing, and at many other hosted HRC events; or (d) become an HRC member. In order to provide you with better and more relevant information, we compile information about email response and website usage. This information helps us to better understand our members' web site usage patterns and also what types of content and information may help improve your user experience on the HRC web site. All emails sent contain a link to unsubscribe or to modify your profile. You may subscribe or unsubscribe to any newsletter or email communication from HRC at any time.

4. How we share information:

HRC may occasionally share contact information gathered from subscribers with organizations or parties it considers to be supportive of its broader mission. HRC may also share information with trusted third-party vendors who contact you on behalf of HRC.

HRC follows the Association of Fundraising Professional's (AFP) Ethical Guidelines to the Code of Ethical Principles and Standards of Professional Practice. Occasionally, HRC does exchange or rent mail lists to like-minded organizations through bonded third-party vendors. From time to time, HRC may partner with for-profit companies to provide you with special offers available to members, such as our HRC affinity credit card or special offers on insurance.  These organizations are never given direct access to HRC’s membership database. HRC itself screens each mailing before we allow it to be sent to our membership. Information pertaining to current HRC board members, major donors, Federal Club members, Partners, and/or $250+ donors is never — under any circumstance — released to external entities for the purpose of list rentals or exchanges.

Should you not wish your information to be shared with or sold to other organizations, or to receive offers for member benefits, you may opt out at any time by contacting us at our Member Services Department mailing address below, or by emailing us at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

We also may be required to release information if required to do so by law or if, in our sole discretion, such disclosure is reasonably necessary to comply with legal process or to protect the rights, property, or personal safety of our web site, HRC, our officers, directors, employees, members, other users, and/or the public.

5.  Your California Privacy Rights

California Law California Civil Code Section 1798.83, also known as the "Shine The Light" law, permits California residents to annually request, free of charge, information about personal information (if any) disclosed to third parties for direct marketing purposes in the preceding calendar year.  If applicable, this information would include a list of the categories of personal information that was shared and the names and addresses of all third parties with which we shared information in the immediately preceding calendar year. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please submit your request in writing to:

Legal Department

Attn: Shine the Light Disclosure
Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-3278

6. How we protect your information:

HRC is extremely protective of the information gathered through its membership and website. Our website has security measures in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of the information under our control. Our web server is located in a locked, secure environment. All databases containing personal information are securely stored and only accessed by authorized HRC personnel.

When you contribute to HRC online, we use a secure server and encryption to protect your financial and other personal information during transmission.

7. How to unsubscribe from mailing lists:

All HRC communication, whether via email or US mail, provides information on how to unsubscribe quickly and easily. Those wishing to opt out of receiving all communications from HRC ("do not contact"), or from being included in list exchanges with like-minded organizations ("do not exchange") or from receiving special offers for HRC members from third party companies (“do not offer”) can simply contact our Members Services Department at membership@hrc.org or via phone 1-800-727-4723, or via US mail at 1640 Rhode Island Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036.

8. How to correct information you have provided:

You may correct and/or change any information regarding your membership by contacting our Member Services Department at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or by calling 1-800-727-4723.

9. How to contact us about privacy:

If you have any questions about our privacy policy, the information we have collected from you online, the practices of this site or your interaction with this web site, send email to: membership@hrc.org.

You can also reach us via U.S. mail or telephone at:

Member Services
Human Rights Campaign
1640 Rhode Island Ave., N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20036-3278
Phone: 202.628.4160
TTY: 202.216.1572
Fax: 202.347.5323

Effective October 23, 2013