Privacy Policy

Last Updated: October 6, 2017

This Privacy Policy explains how information about you is collected, used and disclosed by Consumers For Quality Care (“CQC”). This Privacy Policy applies to information we collect when you use our website and other online products and services that link to this Privacy Policy (collectively, the “Site”).

We may change this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make changes, we will notify you by revising the date at the top of the policy and, in some cases, we may provide you with additional notice (such as adding a statement to our homepage or sending you an email notification). We encourage you to review the Privacy Policy whenever you access the Site to stay informed about our information practices and the ways you can help protect your privacy.

Collection of Information

Information You Provide to Us

We collect information you provide directly to us. For example, we collect information when you request information, fill out a form, participate in a contest or promotion, communicate with us via third party social media sites, request customer support, or otherwise communicate with us. The types of information we may collect include your name, contact information (such as email, address, and phone number), and other information you choose to provide. We also collect information when you submit a story or other content to us.

Information We Collect Automatically When You Use the Site

When you access or use our Site, we automatically collect information about you, including:

  • Log Information: We log information about your use of the Site, including the type of browser you use, access times, pages viewed, your IP address and the page you visited before navigating to our Site.
  • Device Information: We collect information about the computer or mobile device you use to access our Site, including the hardware model, operating system and version, unique device identifiers and mobile network information.
  • Information Collected by Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies: We use various technologies to collect information, and this may include sending cookies to your computer or mobile device. Cookies are small data files stored on your hard drive or in device memory that helps us to improve our Site and your experience, see which areas and features of our Site are popular and count visits. We may also collect information using web beacons (also known as “tracking pixels”). Web beacons are electronic images that may be used in our Site or emails and help deliver cookies, count visits, understand usage and campaign effectiveness and determine whether an email has been opened and acted upon. For more information about cookies, and how to disable them, please see “Your Choices”below

Information We Collect From Other Sources

We may also obtain information from other sources and combine that with information we collect through our Site. For example, we may collect information about you from third parties, including but not limited to mailing list providers and publicly available sources.

Use of Information

We may use information about you for various purposes, including to:

  • Provide, maintain and improve our Site;
  • Provide and deliver the information you request,
  • Send you technical notices, updates, security alerts and support and administrative messages;
  • Respond to your emails, submissions, comments, questions and requests and provide customer service;
  • Send you newsletters and updates and provide you with information about issues, organizations, initiatives, campaigns, candidates, services, offers, events, opportunities, and resources that we think will be of interest to you;
  • Monitor and analyze trends, usage and activities in connection with our Site;
  • Detect, investigate and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities and protect the rights and property of CQC and others;
  • Personalize and improve the Site and provide content or features that match user profiles or interests;
  • Process and deliver contest entries and rewards;
  • Link or combine with information we get from others to help understand your needs and provide you with better service; and
  • Carry out any other purpose for which the information was collected.

CQC is based in the United States and the information we collect is governed by U.S. law. By accessing or using the Site or otherwise providing information to us, you consent to the processing and transfer of information in and to the U.S. and other countries.

Sharing of Information

We may share information about you as follows or as otherwise described in this Privacy Policy:

  • With vendors, consultants and other service providers who need access to such information to carry out work on our behalf;
  • With organizations, candidates, campaigns, groups or causes that we believe have similar political viewpoints, principles or objectives or share similar goals and with organizations that facilitate communications and information sharing among such groups;
  • When we publish or otherwise share the stories or other content that you submit to us;
  • In response to a request for information if we believe disclosure is in accordance with any applicable law, regulation or legal process, or as otherwise required by any applicable law, rule or regulation;
  • If we believe your actions are inconsistent with the spirit or language of our user agreements or policies, or to protect the rights, property and safety of CQC or others;
  • In connection with, or during negotiations of, any reorganization, formation of a successor organization, asset sale or transfer, financing or lending transaction or other situations in which information may be disclosed or transferred as one of the assets of the Organization; and
  • With your consent or at your direction, including if we notify you through our Site that the information you provide will be shared in a particular manner and you provide such information.

We may also share aggregated or anonymized information that does not directly identify you.

Social Sharing Features

The Site may offer social sharing features and other integrated tools (such as the Facebook “Like” button), which let you share actions you take on our Site with other media, and vice versa. The use of such features enables the sharing of information with your friends or the public, depending on the settings you establish with the entity that provides the social sharing feature. For more information about the purpose and scope of data collection and processing in connection with social sharing features, please visit the privacy policies of the entities that provide these features.

Advertising and Analytics Services Provided by Others

We may allow third parties to use cookies, web beacons, or other technologies to collect or receive information about you in order to provide analytics, remarketing, conversion tracking, custom or tailored audiences, measurement, and other advertising services, including serving ads on other sites targeted to your interested or based on your visits to the Site and other sites across the Internet and across various mobile applications. These entities may collect or receive information about your use of the Site and other websites and mobile applications, including your IP address, browser, device information, pages viewed, time spent on pages, links clicked and conversion information. This information may be used by CQC and others to, among other things, analyze and track data, determine the popularity of certain content, deliver advertising and content targeted to your interests and better understand your online activity.

For example, we may use Facebook Conversion Tracking and Custom Audiences), Twitter Conversion Tracking and Tailored Audiences, Remarketing with Google Analytics or other tools to advertise online. This enables third-party vendors, such as Twitter, Facebook, and Google, to show our ads on sites across the Internet. Such third-party vendors may use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytics cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on your past visits to our Site.

For more information about Internet-based ads, or to opt out of having your web browsing information used for behavioral advertising purposes, please visit www.aboutads.info/choices. For information on how you can opt out of Google’s use of cookies for interest-based ads please visit Google’s Ads Settings. For information on how you can opt out of Twitter’s interest-based advertising, including through an applicable optout mechanism specified by Twitter please visit https://support.twitter.com/articles/20170405#.

Your Choices

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 our Site.

Promotional Communications

You may opt out of receiving promotional messages from CQC by following the instructions in those messages. If you opt out, we may still send you non-promotional communications, such as those about your account or our ongoing business relations.

Contact Us

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, please contact us at: info@consumers4qualitycare.org.