PRIVACY POLICY

This privacy notice is applicable to visitors of the WITNESS website or the below related services that may provide personal data to WITNESS.

1. Introduction

This website is owned and operated by WITNESS (or “us” or “we”). WITNESS takes your privacy seriously and is committed to handling your personal data in a fair and secure manner. Below we describe the personal data we collect and our use of that personal data.

This privacy notice applies to all personal data collected and used by us when you attend a training, apply for a pro bono support, receive any other type of support from us (“Services”), or when you visit our website.

2. Who we are

WITNESS is a non-profit organization whose mission is to make it possible for anyone, anywhere, to use video and technology to protect and defend human rights. In support of that work, WITNESS may collect and use your personal data through your use of our Services or visits to the website.

3. Personal data we collect

The personal data we collect from the website or our Services may include the following:

Personal data you provide to us:

  • Your contact details – your name and your email address.
  • Other data you share with us intentionally via email or other methods.
  • When you make a donation on our website – your name, email address, credit card information, address, and phone number. We use this information to process your donations, to keep you updated on your donations, and to personalize your website experience.
  • Other information you provide to us, either voluntarily or upon request.

Third-party cookies and pixels:

In the course of utilizing analytics, customizing your experience, or related activities, our third-party ad and analytics providers (Google, Matomo) may place or recognize a unique cookie on your browser. Information about your visit to this website, (such as the number of times you viewed and/or clicked items on the page as well as other analytics information such as IP address, location, device, and some other personal data), is used only for internal reporting and optimization. We do NOT allow third-party vendors or providers to utilize your personal data except in support of internal WITNESS operations. Users may opt out of WITNESS’s use of cookies by refusing this Privacy Notice.

4. What we do with your personal data

WITNESS collects and uses your personal data on a lawful basis for the purposes described in this policy. “Personal data we collect” may be used to maintain appropriate business records, to comply with lawful requests by public authorities, and to comply with applicable laws and regulations in response to required legal obligations.

WITNESS may use your email address for information purposes if you sign up for our newsletter. This includes informing you of new initiatives or new content on our website according to your consent. You can withdraw your consent at any time. In order to do so, see the “Your rights” section below.

5. Data retention

We retain your personal data as long as required to satisfy the collection purpose unless a longer period is necessary to comply with any legal obligation or to defend a legal claim.

6. Social media and other websites

Our website may contain links to third-party websites (for example, Twitter and Facebook). Following these links will take you off our website. While these third-party website links are selected with care, WITNESS cannot accept liability for the use of your personal data by these organizations. For more information, please consult the privacy statements for whichever websites you visit.

7. Disclosure and transfer of personal data

For the purposes described in this privacy notice, we may share your personal data on a need-to-know basis with WITNESS colleagues within WITNESS. Information about our users (including personal data), might also be disclosed as part of any merger, sale, transfer of WITNESS’ assets, acquisition, bankruptcy, or similar event.

8. Children’s policy

WITNESS does not knowingly collect or solicit any information from anyone under the age of 16, and does not knowingly allow such persons to donate. The services, purpose, and utility of this website, as well as its content, are not directed at children under the age of 16. In the event that we learn that we have collected personal data from a child under the age of 16 without parental consent, we will delete that information as soon as possible. If you believe that we might have any information from or about a child under 16, please contact us at privacy@witness.org for that information’s removal.

9. Your rights

We will take steps in accordance with applicable law to keep your personal data accurate, complete, and up-to-date. You are entitled to have any inadequate, incomplete, or incorrect personal data rectified. You also have the right to request access to your personal data, to obtain a copy of it, request additional information about the processing, and to request the erasure of personal data we hold about you.

In addition to the above, the following rights may apply to European residents:

  • The right to restriction: you have the right to restrict processing of your personal data (for example, when we no longer need your personal data in connection with the initial purpose for collection, but it is required by you for the establishment, exercise, or defense of legal claims);
  • The right to object: you have the right to object to that processing of your personal data based on our legitimate interests. Upon your request, we will cease processing your personal data unless we have compelling legitimate grounds for the continuation of the processing which override your interests, rights, and freedoms; or for the establishment, exercise, or defense of our legal claims;
  • The right to withdraw consent: in cases where we rely on your consent for using your personal data, you can withdraw such consent at any time by contacting us; you may also use the unsubscribe button provided in every newsletter we send;
  • The right to erasure (or the “right to be forgotten”): under certain circumstances, you have the right to have your personal data erased by WITNESS.
  • The right to data portability: under certain circumstances, you have the right to have your personal data transmitted to another data controller in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format;
  • The right to lodge a complaint: if you have a complaint about how we process your personal data, you can send an email to privacy@witness.org. Alternatively, you have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory data protection authority.

For further information regarding your rights or to exercise any of your rights, please contact us through the details provided below.

10. Donor policy

Last updated: 29/09/2023

This Donor Privacy Policy applies to collection, use and protection of personal data related to WITNESS’ donation collection and outreach, including information collected on our website Donation page (https://www.witness.org/donate) and donations collected offline.

Online donations are processed by Classy, our donation processing vendor. Classy has its own Classy Terms of Service (https://www.classy.org/terms/)  and Privacy Policy (https://www.classy.org/terms/privacy/), which govern donations submitted through the Classy platform. Classy provides WITNESS certain personal data about donors, which is subject to WITNESS’ Privacy Policy (https://www.witness.org/data-use-policy/).

Classy may provide to WITNESS:

  • Donor name, email, and phone number;
  • The last four digits of a donor’s credit card number (for fraud prevention);
  • Donation amount and recurrence;
  • Any dedication, if applicable,
  • Employer details, if applicable; and
  • Any additional information you provide via the donation page comments box.

We may use donor personal data to contact a donor about WITNESS donor, or other events, as well as updates related to our philanthropic and other efforts.

WITNESS does not sell or share personal data and we will only sell or share personal data to other entities if the donor has given WITNESS specific permission to do so. Information about our donors, including personal data, might also be disclosed as part of any business transaction, such as a merger, sale, transfer of WITNESS’ assets, acquisition, bankruptcy, or similar event. WITNESS may disclose to or receive donor personal data from our vendors, such as Classy, in order to process donations.

If you have any questions about your donation or would like to know about alternative ways to send your support, please contact development@witness.org.

11. Contact us

If you have any questions regarding the processing of your personal data or this Privacy Policy, please contact WITNESS via privacy@witness.org or via the below postal address:

Witness.org
228 Park Ave S
PMB 26641
New York, New York
10003-1502 US

This privacy notice is dated October 2018. We may change this privacy notice from time-to-time. If a fundamental change is involved that requires us to inform you about this, or if the change is in any other manner relevant to you, we will ensure that information is provided to you well in advance of the change taking effect.

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