Americans for Decency in Government, Inc. (“ADG,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) respects the privacy of our supporters, donors, volunteers, and visitors to our website and online services (collectively, the “Service”). This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, protect, and share information when you interact with us online or offline. By using the Service or providing information to us, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

​

1. Who We Are - ADG is a North Carolina 501(c)(4) nonprofit social welfare organization. We advocate for honesty, integrity, and ethical conduct in government through public education, outreach, and civic engagement activities.​

​

2. Information We Collect - We collect information in the following ways:

• Information you provide directly, such as:

  • Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address.

  • Donation information (amount, date, method of payment).

  • Petition signatures, survey responses, and messages you submit.

  • Event registrations, volunteer sign‑ups, and subscription forms.​

• Payment information:

  • Donations and purchases are processed by third‑party payment processors.

  • We receive limited information (for example, transaction amount, date, and in some cases the last four digits of a card number) but do not store full credit card numbers on our systems.

  • When you donate or make a payment online, transactions are processed through Anedot, a fundraising and payment platform that uses encrypted connections and PCI Level 1–compliant processing to help keep your financial data secure.

• Other information like:

  • IP address, browser type, device identifiers, operating system, domain name, access times, and referring website addresses.

  • Pages visited, links clicked, and general usage data collected via cookies, pixels, or similar technologies, used to operate and improve the Service and to compile aggregate statistics.

You may choose not to provide certain information, but this may limit your ability to use some features (for example, making a contribution or subscribing to updates).

​

3. How We Use Your Information - We use the information we collect to:

• Process and acknowledge donations, purchases, and event registrations.

• Communicate with you about our campaigns, programs, events, and organizational updates.

• Manage email lists, petitions, advocacy actions, and other supporter engagement, including delivering messages you direct to public officials.

• Maintain accurate internal records and improve our fundraising and outreach efforts.

• Operate, maintain, and improve our website and digital tools, including analytics, troubleshooting, and security.

• Comply with legal, regulatory, and reporting obligations.​

We aim to use only the information reasonably necessary to achieve these purposes and to avoid collecting or retaining unnecessary personal data.

​

4. Our Commitment to Donor and Supporter Privacy - We are committed to maintaining the trust and confidence of our donors and supporters.

• We do not sell, rent, or trade our donors’ or supporters’ personal information (including mailing and email lists) with other organizations.

• We do not send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.

• When donations are processed through a third‑party service provider, donor information is used only as necessary to process the transaction and for related recordkeeping.

When you give online, your payment is processed through Anedot. Anedot does not sell or share your personal or financial information and uses industry‑standard security measures, including PCI‑compliant processing and encrypted transmission, to process your contribution safely.

You may request that your donation be listed as “anonymous” in any public acknowledgments we may make.

​

5. When We Share Information - We may share personal information in limited circumstances:

• Service providers and vendors
  We may share information with trusted third parties who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processors (including Anedot), email service providers, data hosting services, analytics tools, or digital advocacy platforms. These providers are expected to use the information only to perform services for us and to protect it appropriately.

• Advocacy actions you choose
  If you sign a petition, send a message to an elected official, or participate in an advocacy campaign, we may transmit your name, contact information, and message content to relevant officials or entities as part of the action you authorize.

• External partners and offerings
  At times, we may contact you about offerings, events, or information from partner organizations that we believe may be of interest to you; however, your unique personally identifiable information (such as email, name, address, or telephone number) is not given to those partners unless you explicitly authorize us to share it.​

• Legal and safety reasons
  We may disclose information if required by law, subpoena, court order, or government request, or when we believe in good faith that it is necessary to protect our rights, property, staff, volunteers, supporters, or the public.

• Organizational transitions
  In the unlikely event of a significant organizational change (such as a merger or transfer of activities), supporter and donor information may be transferred consistent with this Policy and applicable law.

We do not otherwise share personally identifiable information with third parties without your consent, except as described above.

​

6. Cookies, Analytics, and Online Tracking - We may use cookies, pixel tags, and similar technologies to:

• Remember your preferences and personalize your experience.

• Analyze how visitors use our website (such as pages visited and time spent).

• Support measurement of online outreach, advertising, or campaign performance.

Cookies are small text files placed on your device by a web server; they cannot run programs or deliver viruses. You can typically adjust your browser settings to refuse or delete cookies, though some features of the Service may not function properly without them. When required by applicable law, we will provide a cookie notice and, where necessary, obtain consent or provide opt‑out options.

​

7. Email, Text, and Communications Preferences - You may receive communications from us by email, postal mail, phone, or text message if you have provided contact information.

• Email and mail
  You can opt out of email communications at any time by using the unsubscribe link in our emails or by contacting us directly. To update or correct your contact information or preferences, please contact us using the details below.

• SMS/text messages
  If you opt in to receive SMS/text messages from us, we will use your mobile number only to send the messages you have requested, which may include updates, event notices, and fundraising appeals. SMS opt‑in data and consent will not be sold or shared with third parties, except with service providers that help us send those messages on our behalf. Standard message and data rates may apply, and the number of messages may vary. You can opt out of SMS at any time, for example by replying “STOP” or using any other opt‑out method we provide, and we will honor your request as promptly as practicable.

Where required by law, we will obtain your consent before sending certain types of electronic communications.

​

8. Interactive Features and Public Areas - If the Service offers comments, discussion areas, or other interactive features, content you share in these areas may be visible to other users. Please be aware that if you choose to post personal or sensitive information in public or semi‑public areas of our Service, that information may be viewed, collected, or used by others and is outside of our control. You should exercise caution before disclosing personal information in these spaces.

​

9. Data Security - We implement reasonable physical, technical, and administrative safeguards to help protect personal information from unauthorized access, loss, misuse, or disclosure. These measures may include:

• Encrypted connections (such as SSL/TLS) for online forms and transactions, including when transmitting payment information to processors like Anedot.

• Limiting access to donor and supporter records to authorized personnel who need the information for their work.

• Using reputable vendors and platforms that follow recognized security standards.

No system can be guaranteed 100% secure. If we become aware of a data security incident involving your personal information, we will take appropriate steps consistent with applicable law and our internal procedures.

​

10. Data Retention - We retain personal information for as long as needed to:​

• Fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.

• Maintain appropriate accounting, tax, and compliance records.

• Comply with legal obligations and resolve disputes.

We seek to avoid keeping data longer than necessary and may periodically review and securely delete or anonymize information that is no longer needed.

​

11. Your Rights and Choices - Depending on your location and applicable law, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, which may include:

• Accessing and obtaining a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

• Requesting corrections if your information is inaccurate or incomplete.

• Requesting deletion of your personal information, subject to legal and operational limitations.

• Objecting to certain uses or requesting restrictions on processing.

We will make reasonable efforts to honor these requests where required and appropriate. To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information provided below.

​

12. Children’s Privacy - Our Service is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we learn that we have received such information, we will delete it as soon as reasonably practicable.

​

13. International Visitors -  The Service is operated in the United States. If you access the Service from outside the U.S., you understand that your information may be processed and stored in the United States and in other countries where our service providers operate, which may have different data protection laws than those in your jurisdiction.

​

4. Links to Other Websites - Our Service may contain links to websites operated by third parties. This Privacy Policy does not apply to those sites, and we are not responsible for their content, policies, or practices. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third‑party sites you visit.

 

15. Changes to This Privacy Policy - We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. When we make material changes, we will revise the “Effective Date” above and, where required by law, provide additional notice or obtain consent.

Your continued use of the Service after any changes become effective means you accept the updated Privacy Policy.

 

16. Contact Us - If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to update your information, or would like to change your communication preferences, please contact us at: info@decencyingov.org