Website Privacy Policy

1. Introduction 

Legal Services NYC (“LSNYC,” “we,” “us,” or “our”) is a nonprofit organization that provides free civil legal services to low-income New Yorkers.  LSNYC recognizes the importance of your privacy and the need to protect information that users of our website, located at https://www.legalservicesnyc.org (the “Website”), provide to us. This Website Privacy Policy (“the Policy”, “this Policy”) explains our data collection practices, how we may use and disclose that information, the steps we take to keep it secure, your choices regarding our use of this information, and how you can contact us if you have any questions about our privacy practices. We will refer to the personal information we obtain about you as “Your Data.” Please read our complete Website Privacy Policy. By visiting https://www.legalservicesnyc.org, you accept the practices described in this Policy. 

LSNYC will occasionally update this Policy. When we do, we will also revise the “Last Update” date at the top of the Policy.

2. Information We Collect

a) Information you provide to us 

We collect information from and about you directly when you provide it to us. This information may be collected when you contact us, fill out a form, access or participate on our Website, respond to surveys, or otherwise interact with us, such as through social media or networking sites. This information may include: 

  • Contact information, such as your name, phone number, physical address, and e-mail address;
  • Comments, questions, and requests you may make; 
  • Information about your preferences, such as your preferred methods of communication and the types of information in which you are interested; 
  • Details of your donations; 
  • Records and copies of your correspondence (including email addresses and phone numbers), if you contact us; and 
  • Any other information you voluntarily provide.

b) Information we collect automatically

Like most online services, we automatically receive standard technical information when you use the Website. This information (“Analytics Information”) includes:

  • Information about your browser, network, and device;
  • Web pages you visited prior to coming to this website; 
  • Your IP address;
  • Details about your use of this Website, including clicks, internal links, pages visited, scrolling, searches, and timestamps.

We collect this information through browser cookies, pixel tags, web server logs, web beacons, embedded scripts, and similar technologies. These features enable us to personalize your experience on the Website, understand how you use it, maintain a persistent session, and improve and further develop the Website. We collect this information as follows:

  • Web server cookies: A cookie is a small piece of information that is sent by our web server, stored on your PC’s hard drive, and used by your web browser to “remember” information about your visit. We use cookies to help us collect information and to enhance your experience using the Website. Specifically, we use cookies to authenticate users, personalize your experience when using the Website, analyze which features of the Website you use most frequently, and measure and optimize advertising and promotional effectiveness. To do this, we may use both session cookies, which expire once you close your web browser, and persistent cookies, which stay on your computer until you delete them. If you do not want us to place a cookie on your hard drive, you may be able to turn that feature off on your computer or mobile device. Please consult your internet browser’s documentation for information on how to do this. However, if you decide not to accept cookies from us, certain features of the Website may not be fully available.
  • Pixel Tags: Certain websites contain electronic images known as pixel tags (also called web beacons or gifs) that we use to help deliver and recognize cookies on our Website, count users who have visited those sites, and gather usage and performance data. We also include pixels in our emails to tell if you open and act on them.
  • Embedded Scripts: An embedded script is programming code that is designed to collect information about your interactions with the Website, such as the links you click on. The code is temporarily downloaded onto your device from our web server or a third-party service provider, is active only while you are connected to the Website, and is deactivated or deleted thereafter. 
  • Log files: Like most standard website servers we use log files. This includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses etc. are tied to personally identifiable information to enable our web-based service.
  • Device information: We collect information about the device you use to access or use the Website, including the hardware model, operating system and version, unique device identifiers, network information, and information about your use of our applications.
  • Geolocation information: We may automatically collect geolocation information from your device, your wireless carrier, or certain third-party service providers (“Geolocation Information”). You may control the collection of Geolocation Information through the user settings on your device. You may decline to allow us to collect such Geolocation Information, in which case we may not be able to provide certain services to you. 

c) Information we collect from other sources, including our social media pages

We may collect personal information from users and visitors of other sites on which you have interacted with us. We will do so in accordance with the terms of use and privacy policies of those sites and applicable law. This includes our social media pages on places like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Twitter. For example, we may collect the information you shared on our social media pages through an application or form, which will have a link to this Privacy Policy. We may also receive personal information when you comment on our social media posts, post comments about us, or tag LSNYC in a public-facing social media post. Personal information may also be collected by the third-party social media sites that host our social media pages. These sites may provide aggregate information and analysis to us about visitors’ use of our social media pages. This allows us to better understand and analyze our visitors, general demographic information about the visitors of these pages, and interaction with the content that we post. Overall, this information may be used to help us understand the types of visitors of our social media pages and how they interact with the content. This Privacy Policy does not cover personal information collected by such third-party social media sites. For more information on their privacy and security practices please review the privacy policies and terms of use on their respective websites.

d) Information we collect through third-party data and analytics providers

We use third-party data and analytics services (including as Google Analytics) to evaluate your use of the Website, compile reports on activity, collect demographic data, enhance our data with other information about our users, analyze performance metrics, and collect and evaluate other information relating to the Website and internet usage. These third parties use cookies and other technologies to help analyze and provide us the data, and may also collect information regarding your use of other websites, apps, and online resources, and across your electronic devices. We may also receive information about you from our marketing partners, including data brokers, such as ad campaign information (e.g., the ads you click on) or the social media platforms you use. These third-party services may also provide us with information based on inferences to better understand our users (see below). The information used by such services is usually at the aggregate level, but may contain identifiable personal information.

For more information on Google Analytics, including how to opt out from certain data collection, please visit: https://www.google.com/analytics. Please be advised that if you opt out of any service, you may not be able to use the full functionality of the Website.

e) Tracking data

We collect tracking data using first and third-party cookies, pixels, web server logs, web beacons, and similar data collection and tracking technologies on the Website, third party websites, apps and online services, and across your devices (such as IP address, browser, type, ISP, platform type, device type). Third parties such as analytics providers may also collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites and devices when you access or use the Website.

3. How We Use Your Data

We use Your Data to provide the Website to you, and to operate our organization. This includes:

  • Service-related usage: We use Your Data to provide and support the Website, such as communicating with you and other users, communicating our services, informing you about our work, processing your requests, and maintaining our systems.
  • Analyzing and improving our Website services: We may run calculations, aggregate, normalize, clean, enhance, and make derivative works of the information obtained about you in order to:
    • Understand and analyze usage trends and preferences;
    • Monitor and analyze the effectiveness of the Website;
    • Improve the Website and develop new products, services, features, and functionalities; and
    • Test the Website and our infrastructure to make sure the Website is working correctly.

We share Analytics Information with Google Analytics, our website analytics provider, to learn about site traffic and activity.

  • Marketing: If you enter your contact information on the Website and opt-in to subscribe to our email list, we will provide you with materials that could be useful, relevant, valuable, or otherwise of interest to you, such as our newsletter, and updates about services and products offered by us. We will not send you marketing emails if you have not signed up for this, and you can unsubscribe from receiving such emails at any time by clicking on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of all our marketing emails.

4. How We Share Your Data

We may share, transfer, or disclose Your Data if you ask us to do so, as well as in the following circumstances. We will take reasonable measures to require that any party receiving any of your personal information from us undertakes to: (i) retain and use such information only for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy; (ii) not disclose your personal information except with your consent, as permitted by law, or as permitted by this Privacy Policy; and (iii) generally protect the privacy of your personal information.

a) To assist us in running our organization and providing services to you

We may employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf, such as website hosting, data analysis and enhancement, order fulfillment, information technology and related infrastructure provision. LSNYC thus may reveal user data to third parties including third-party affiliates. Additionally, we may use third-party credit card processing companies to bill users for donations. These other companies will have access to Your Data only as necessary to perform their functions and to the extent permitted by law. LSNYC will not, however, share information with third parties about individuals who have consented to be included in our SMS program or their SMS phone numbers.

b) To better understand and serve our users

In an ongoing effort to better understand our users, we might analyze Your Data in aggregate form in order to operate, maintain, manage, and improve the Website. This aggregate information does not identify you personally. We may share this aggregate data with our affiliates, agents, and business partners. We may also disclose aggregated user statistics in order to describe our donations, products and services to current and prospective business partners and to other third parties for other lawful purposes. 

c) As part of a change of our organization

As we grow and develop our organization, we might share Your Data with other organizations we join, merge with, or in other forms cooperate with.

d) For legal purposes

To the extent permitted by law, we may also disclose Your Data when required by law, court order, or other government or law enforcement authority or regulatory agency, or whenever we believe that disclosing such information is necessary or advisable, for example, to protect the rights, property, or safety of LSNYC or others.

5. Children’s Privacy 

LSNYC takes children’s privacy seriously. We do not seek to collect personal information about children under the age of 13 through our Website. If you are under 13 years old, please do not give us any personal information. We encourage parents and legal guardians to monitor their children’s internet usage and to help enforce our Privacy Policy by instructing their children to never provide us personal information without their permission. If you have reason to believe that a child under the age of 13 has provided personal information to us, please contact us, and we will promptly take steps to delete such information and terminate the child’s account.

6. External Websites and Payment Service Providers

The Website may contain links to third-party websites. LSNYC has no control over the privacy practices or the content of any of our business partners, advertisers, sponsors, or other websites to which we provide links. As such, we are not responsible for the content or the privacy policies of those third-party websites. You should check the applicable third-party privacy policy and terms of use when visiting any other websites. 

Please be advised that your use of third-party payment processors is subject to the terms and conditions, including the privacy policies, of those companies. By using these services, you accept the their terms of service, which can be found here: https://www.blackbaud.com/company/privacy-policy/blackbaud-id#:~:text=Blackbaud%20does%20not%20sell%20your,parties%20for%20targeted%20behavioral%20advertising. 

7. Security 

We take commercially reasonable steps to protect Your Data from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction. Please understand, however, that no security system is impenetrable. We cannot guarantee the security of our databases, nor can we guarantee that the information you supply will not be intercepted while being transmitted to and from us over the Internet. In particular, e-mail may not be secure, and you should therefore take special care in deciding what information you send to us via e-mail.

8. Your Choices

a) Deletion of Information

If you would like us to delete any or all information, please email us at [email protected]. To the extent compatible with our legal or regulatory record keeping requirements, we will use commercially reasonable efforts to process such requests in a timely manner.

b) 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 the Website.

For information about the cookies dropped on your device, by our website provider Squarespace, please visit: https://support.squarespace.com/hc/en-us/articles/360001264507#toc-check-your-cookies. 

c) Promotional Communications

You may opt out of receiving promotional communications from us by following the instructions in those communications or by emailing us at [email protected]. Please note that you cannot opt out of receiving transactional e-mails related to your donations. 

9. Do Not Track

As discussed above, third parties such as analytics providers may collect information about your online activities over time and across different websites when you access or use the Website. Currently, various browsers offer a “Do Not Track” option, but there is no standard for commercial websites. At this time, we do not monitor, recognize, or honor any opt-out or do not track mechanisms, including general web browser “Do Not Track” settings and/or signals.

10. Notice to California Residents

Pursuant to California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83), California residents have the right to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes, including the names and addresses of those third parties, and examples of the types of services or products marketed by those third parties. 

To make such a request, please send an email to [email protected]. Please note, however, that we have never shared any personal information for a third party’s direct marketing purposes.

11. Notice to Nevada Residents

If you are a resident of Nevada, you have the right to opt-out of the sale of personal information to third parties. You can exercise this right by contacting us at [email protected] with the subject line “Nevada Do Not Sell Request” and providing us with your name and the email address associated with your account. Please note, however, that we do not sell personal information to third parties.

12. Notice to All Non-U.S. Residents

The Website is hosted in and provided from the United States and is intended for visitors located within the United States. If you are located outside of the United States, please be aware that any information you provide to us will be transferred to the United States where the privacy laws may not be as protective as those in your country of origin. If you are located outside the United States and choose to use the Website, you consent to any transfer and processing of your personal information in accordance with this Privacy Policy, and you do so at your own risk.

13. Updates to This Privacy Policy 

This Privacy Policy is effective as of the date stated at the top of this Privacy Policy. We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time and without prior notice to you to reflect changes in our privacy practices. We will indicate at the top of this Privacy Policy when it was most recently updated, and we encourage you to revisit this page periodically to stay aware of any changes. By accessing the Website after we notify you of changes to this Privacy Policy, you are deemed to have accepted such changes. 

14. How to Contact Us

If you have any questions or comments about this Privacy Policy, our privacy practices, or if you would like to exercise your rights and choices, please email us at [email protected].

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