Privacy Policy

Freedom United is a U.S. 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, USA, telephone +1 984 500 3725 (“Freedom United,” “we,” or “us”).  We value and respect your concerns about privacy.  This Privacy Policy explains how we use, disclose and protect the personal information of people who use our website or otherwise join or support Freedom United in the ways described below.

Freedom United is a nonprofit initiative that maintains the www.freedomunited.org website, the www.humantraffickingsearch.org website, and related websites owned and operated by Freedom United (our “Websites”).  By visiting our Websites, or by sharing personal information with Freedom United, you are agreeing to and accepting the practices described in this Privacy Policy, so please review it carefully.

WHAT INFORMATION DO WE COLLECT?

Personal information is data that can be used to identify or contact a single person. We generally collect or receive personal information in three ways:

• when you voluntarily provide information to us, such as when you register an account with or input information into our website, donate to us (online or offline), sign a petition, contact us, or attend one of our events;
• we collect information automatically, such as through cookies or through use of our website; and
• other parties, such as social networks, may provide information to us or grant us access to information which can be reasonably linked to you.

Each of these methods is described in more detail below:

• Information You Voluntarily Choose to Provide

The personal information we collect from you will vary depending on the services you are using, the websites you are visiting, and how you access those services and websites. The personal information you provide to us may include the following: first and last name, street address, city, state, zip code, country, email address, and any other information you submit to us through email, online forms on the websites or offline.

• Information Collected Automatically When You Use the Website

Like most websites, we collect basic web traffic information (such as IP addresses) to monitor overall usage of our site. This helps us understand traffic patterns and know if there are problems on the site. We use embedded images in emails to track open rates for our campaigns, so that we can better learn how to keep members of our community engaged with the fight against modern slavery. We also use URLs (website links) in emails with an identifier that allows us to correctly identify the person who takes an action using a web page, so we can know who our most active members are and what initiatives they support.

We also collect information about you through the use of cookies. Cookie technology is used on several parts of our Websites. Please see the ‘How do we use cookies?’ policy to learn more about our use of cookies and information we collect through them.

We use Google Analytics to collect certain analytical information, as described below, to help us better understand activity on the Websites, and improve the quality of the Websites. We receive this data in an aggregated, anonymous form that does not personally identify any individual user.

• Information We Receive from Others

In some cases, other parties provide us with personal information about you, or allow us to collect personal information about you. In some cases, we are not able to control the amount or type of information that other parties like social networks, make available to us. Although we cannot control your privacy settings at those websites or how those other parties protect your privacy, once we receive information about you through those websites, we will treat it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

HOW DO WE USE YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

We use your personal information:

• to provide the services or information you request;
• to identify and authenticate users for signing up for and logging in to the Websites;
• to populate our petition ‘hand-ins’ (submitting signatories’ first name, last initial and countries to the recipients/targets of our petitions);
• to stay in contact with you, let you know of new opportunities to take part in the fight against modern slavery, and provide you with updates and information;
• to better understand our users, their interests, and their preferences, in order to provide more targeted communications;
• to develop, deliver, and improve our services, user experience and other offerings;
• to measure the effectiveness of our content and campaigns;
• to monitor performance of the Websites;
• to monitor and moderate online community interactions on the Websites (for example, public comments and community inquiries);
• to authorize and process transactions for donations;
• to track donation histories and peer-to-peer fundraising activity to improve relationship management with our donors; and
• for internal auditing purposes.

We also collect information in an aggregated form that does not, on its own, permit direct association with any specific individual. We may collect, use, transfer, and disclose aggregated or otherwise non-personal information for any purpose.

Use of Google Analytics, Adwords and Remarketing

The Websites may use Google Analytics and similar web analytics services. Google Analytics is used to track unregistered users on the Websites, to record multiple visits by unregistered users to the Websites, and to record all the pages that unregistered users visit at the Websites. If and when an unregistered user registers with the Websites, all of his or her previous visits and activity on the Websites will be associated with his or her registered user profile. Google Analytics tracks registered users’ visits to the Websites whenever they return.

The Websites will not (and will not allow any third party to) use Google Analytics to track, collect, or upload any data that personally identifies an individual (such as a name, address, or billing information), or other data that can reasonably be linked to such information by Google.

The Websites may use all features of Google Analytics for display advertisers including obtaining specific visitor cookie data, such as the source, medium, and keyword used to visit the Websites. Google Analytics does not store any visitor-specific data, and the Websites will not use specific data regarding users in any way related to Google Analytics, Google Adwords, and Remarketing.

The Websites may use remarketing with Google Adwords and analytics to display content-specific advertisements to users who previously visited the Websites when those users go to other websites that have Google Display Network implemented.

The Websites and other third-party vendors, including Google, 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 users’ past visits to the Websites.

The Websites will not facilitate the merging of personally identifiable information with non-personally identifiable information that is collected through any Google advertising product or feature unless you specifically and affirmatively provide us with your consent to that merger of personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information.

You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising and customize Google Display Network ads using Google’s Ads Settings.

You can also opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising, to prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics, by going to the Google Analytics opt-out page. You can obtain additional information on Google Analytics’ collection and processing of data, including how to opt out, here.

WHEN MIGHT WE GIVE ANYONE ELSE ACCESS TO YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?

Freedom United will not disclose your personal information to any third parties except:

• to vendors who provide services for us and/or on our behalf, including, without limitation, our contractors, website and data hosting providers, email or SMS providers, technology service providers, payment processors, customer service providers, survey providers, advertising partners, campaign partners and other persons who perform services for us – in which case, Freedom United uses reasonable steps to ensure such third parties keep your personal information confidential and do not use or disclose your personal information for any purpose other than the purpose of providing those services to us;
• to our professional advisers, accountants, insurers, lawyers and auditors on a confidential basis;
• if Freedom United or its assets are or may be acquired by a third party, the information may be provided to that third party and its advisors;
• in exceptional circumstances, Freedom United may be required or permitted by law to disclose personal information, for example where such disclosure is necessary to meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or other legal obligation; detect, investigate and help prevent security, fraud or technical issues; and/or protect the rights, property or safety of Freedom United, our employees or other users of the Websites.; or
• otherwise with your consent.

Freedom United does not sell your personal information.

For our campaigns to be effective, it is important that our members and supporters make a public stand in the fight against slavery. So if you participate in specific campaign actions such as adding your name to a petition, uploading a video to our site or writing a letter to a news media organization, your information may be available publicly on our website. Personal information that may be made available on our website includes your comments, along with your first name, last initial, and your country of residence.

You can use third-party social networking services such Facebook and Google+ to share information about your experience on our Websites. These social networking services may be able to collect information about you, including your activity on our Websites. Your interactions with those social networking services are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing the relevant service. We therefore have no responsibility or liability for the content and activities of social networking services. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our Site and welcome any feedback about these sites.

DONATIONS OR PURCHASES

Any financial information is sent via a secure server and encrypted for your protection. Freedom United does not see, store, or retain debit or credit card numbers. Debit and credit card information is submitted directly to Stripe.com, a trusted payment processor that processes your financial transactions.

HOW DOES FREEDOM UNITED KEEP YOUR INFORMATION SECURE?

Freedom United is committed to keeping your information secure. We endeavor to take all reasonable steps to keep secure any information that we hold about you, and to keep this information accurate and up to date. Your information is stored on secure servers that are protected in controlled facilities. Other than the sharing of information outlined in this Privacy Policy, personally identifiable information is not accessible by the public, and we require our employees and data processors to respect the confidentiality of any personal information. Any personally identifiable information on user profiles is private.

USE OF OUR WEBSITE EMAIL TOOL

In some campaigns, we offer a function in which members can write a message to their head of state, a company CEO, a news organization or other decision makers. These messages are sent in your name, with your contact information such as your email address as the return address. Please review the content of these messages carefully because as they are sent from your email address and not from Freedom United, you are responsible for the content of these messages and you acknowledge in no event will Freedom United be liable to you or any third party for any direct, indirect, incidental, lost profits, remote, cover, exemplary, consequential, special, or punitive damages, regardless of the foreseeability of such damages resulting from the content of any such messages.

HOW CAN YOU STOP RECEIVING EMAIL FROM FREEDOM UNITED?

You can manage all your email subscriptions here including unsubscribing from all emails. You can also email us at [email protected], write to or call us at the contact information below. We will act quickly to implement but please allow up to five business days for us to remove your email address from our system.

If you would like to verify, update or change the contact information we have received from you, please contact us.

Freedom United
7320 Abron Drive
Durham NC 27713
USA
+1 984 500 3725

CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

We do not direct our websites or services to children (usually considered to be under the age of 13, depending on the country where you reside). We also do not intentionally collect personal information from children through our websites or applications. If you are the parent or guardian of a child and you believe that we have inadvertently received personal information about that child, please contact us as described in the Contact Us section of this Privacy Policy and we will take reasonable steps to remove the information from our records.

GAINING ACCESS TO, UPDATING, DELETING YOUR INFORMATION OR WITHDRAWING CONSENT

If at any time you want to request, update, correct or remove personal information, you are welcome to submit a request by using this contact form. We may ask you to verify your identity before we can act on your request. If you are aware of changes or inaccuracies in your personal information, you should inform us of such changes so that our records may be updated or corrected.

We may reject requests that are unreasonably repetitive, require disproportionate technical effort (for example, developing a new system or fundamentally changing an existing practice), risk the privacy of others, or would be extremely impractical (for instance, requests concerning information residing on backup systems).

Where we can provide information access and correction, we will do so, except where it would require a disproportionate effort. We aim to maintain our services in a manner that protects information from accidental or malicious destruction. Because of this, after you delete information from our services, we may not immediately delete residual copies from our active servers and may not remove information from our backup systems.

Where consent is required for our use of your personal information as described herein, you have the right to withdraw or decline your consent and cease your use of the Websites. If you decide to withdraw your consent, such withdrawal will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before such withdrawal.

California Privacy Rights

California Civil Code Sec. 1798.100, et seq. (also known as the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018) (“CCPA”) provides certain rights to California residents regarding their personal information. A California resident has the right to request that we disclose certain information, including: (1) the categories of personal information we have collected about that California resident, (2) the categories of sources from which the personal information is collected, (3) the business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling the personal information, (4) the categories of third parties with whom Freedom United shares personal information, and (5) the specific pieces of personal information we have collected about the resident. A California resident has the right to request that we delete his/her personal information. Finally, a California resident has the right not to be discriminated against for exercising his/her privacy rights under the CCPA. You can request such personal information and change your personal information by emailing us at [email protected].

Pursuant to California Civil Code Section 1789.3, California users are entitled to the following consumer rights notice: California residents may reach the Compliant Assistance Unit of the Division of Consumer Services for the California Department of Consumer Affairs by mail at 1625 North Market Blvd., Sacramento, CA 95834, or by telephone at (916) 445-1254 or (800) 952-5210.

LINKS TO OTHER WEBSITES

The Freedom United website contains links to other websites. These third-party websites have separate and independent privacy policies. The privacy policies and applicable terms of use of the third-party websites will govern your interaction with such third-party websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy of linked sites, as Freedom United is not responsible or liable for the practices, content, and/or privacy policies of those third-party websites. Nonetheless, we seek to protect the integrity of our Websites and welcome any feedback about these third-party websites.

DATA RETENTION

We will retain your personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes set out above, considering criteria such as applicable rules on statute of limitations, legal requirements and the duration of your use of the Websites and receipt of our services.

INTERNATIONAL USERS

USERS FROM THE EUROPEAN UNION

This section of the Privacy Policy applies only if you use the Websites or services covered by this Privacy Policy from a country that is a Member State of the European Union and supplements the information in this Privacy Policy.

Freedom United is the data controller for processing of information defined as personal data under applicable data protection law (“Personal Data”).

• Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data: We process Personal Data for the purposes set out in this Privacy Policy, as described above. Our legal basis to process personal data includes processing that is: necessary for the performance of the contract between you and Freedom United (for example, to provide you with the services you request and to identify and authenticate you so you may use the Websites); necessary to comply with legal requirements (for example, to comply with applicable accounting rules and to make mandatory disclosures to law enforcement); necessary for our legitimate interests (for example, to manage our relationship with you and to improve the Websites and our services); and based on your consent (for example, to communicate with you about our campaigns and services), which may subsequently be withdrawn at any time (by filling out the form here) without affecting the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.

In some instances, you may be required to provide us with Personal Data for processing as described above, in order for us to be able to provide you all of our services, and for you to use all the features of the Websites.

• Your Rights: In addition to the rights to access, amend or delete your Personal Data as set out above, you may be entitled, in accordance with applicable law, to object to or request the restriction of processing of your Personal Data, and to request portability of your own Personal Data. Requests should be submitted by completing the form here.

If you consider that our processing of your Personal Data infringes applicable law, you may lodge a complaint with a competent supervisory authority, which may be the authority in your Member State of residence or work.

FUTURE REVISIONS

Freedom United’s website and activities will continue to grow and change as we add new ways to make your voice heard in the fight against slavery. Because of this, from time to time, our Privacy Policy will be reviewed and revised. You should check this page occasionally to ensure you are familiar with those changes. If the changes made to the Privacy Policy are material, we may either post a notice on the website prior to the effective date of the change, or, in some cases, will provide notice of the changes by email. Whenever we change our Privacy Policy we will post an updated version on our website, including the last date of revision.

This Privacy Policy was last revised on 5 August 2026.

CONTACT US

If you have any questions about how we handle your personal information and protect your privacy, please feel free to contact us here or call us at +1 984 500 3725. You may also mail requests to:

Freedom United
7320 Abron Drive
Durham NC 27713
USA