Privacy Policy

Effective Date: May 25, 2018

The National Mall Underground (“NMU”, “we” or “us”) recognizes the importance of protecting the information it collects from users in the operation of its Web site, nationalmallunderground.org (“National Mall Underground’s web site”) as well as other activities. As such, the NMU takes reasonable steps to maintain the security, integrity and privacy of this information.

TYPES OF INFORMATION WE COLLECT

The information we gather falls into two categories: (1) information voluntarily supplied by visitors to the site when they sign up to receive our email newsletters, post comments in any of the public posting areas on our site, respond to user surveys, participate in interactive activities such as polls, quizzes or view more information about a story, and the like; and (2) anonymous tracking information that is automatically gathered as visitors navigate through our site and review our email newsletters and other email messages.  This information may be collected directly by us or it may be collected by third-party partners or service providers on our behalf.

Information You Voluntarily Supply to Us

We may collect and store information that you voluntarily supply to us while on our site.  This may include personally identifying information if you choose to provide it.  In accessing and using the National Mall Underground’s Web site, you may have the opportunity to voluntarily submit some or all of the following types of information:

  • Contact information, such as your name, telephone number, postal mailing address and email address;
  • Demographic information, such as gender, country (and, where applicable, your postal code);
  • Communications preferences, such as which email messages you would like to receive from us;
  • Information posted in public posting areas and other interactive areas of our site.

You are not required to provide information about yourself to visit our site.  However, if you wish to receive any of our newsletters, you will be required to provide us the email address to which you want us to send the newsletters as well as your name.

Information That Is Collected Automatically

We also may collect and store, and permit our service providers to collect and store, information that does not identify you personally that is generated automatically as you navigate through the site.  For example, we and our service providers may collect limited information about the configuration of your computer or other device through which you visit our site, including the type of browser software you use, the operating system you’re running, the resolution of your computer monitor, the Web site that referred you, the type of mobile device you’re using to access our site (for example, iPad, iPhone, BlackBerry, Android device, tablet, etc.), and your IP address.  (Your IP address is a numerical address that is used by computers connected to the Internet to identify your computer so that data – such as the Web pages you want to view – can be transmitted to you.  We also use IP address information for systems administration and troubleshooting purposes.)  We use this information to make our site as useful as we can for as many users as possible.

Cookies and Pixel Tags

We may use “cookies,” a standard feature found in browser software, to enhance your experience on the site.  Cookies are small files that your Web browser places on your hard drive for record-keeping purposes.  We also may use pixel tags (sometimes referred to as “clear GIFs” or “Web beacons”) to collect non-personally identifying information about how our visitors use our site.  By showing how and when visitors and registered users use the site, cookies and pixel tags help us deliver more relevant content to users, identify how many unique users visit our site and various pages within our site, and anonymously track user interests, trends and patterns.  For example, we may use these technologies to collect aggregate information about the time visitors spend on each page of our site, the number of visits made to each page or section of our site, and the content that visitors select and copy using the standard copy and paste tool provided in standard Web browsers.  Providers of web analytics services may use cookies and pixel tags to gather this sort of information on our behalf.

Providers of email transmission services use pixel tags to record whether an email is opened and whether you click on any of the links in the email, as described below under the heading “Data Collected in Connection with Emails.”

The help function on most Web browsers contains information on how to set your browser to notify you before accepting a cookie or to disable cookies entirely.  However, if you don’t accept cookies, you won’t be able to take advantage of various features on our site that are available to other visitors.

HOW WE USE COLLECTED INFORMATION

Generally

We use the information we collect from you while you are using the site in a variety of ways, including, for example, to provide you with services and communications that you have requested, to send you email updates, newsletters, and other communications which you have elected to receive, to deliver our site content to you, to measure site traffic, to measure user interests and traffic patterns, and to improve the site and the services and features offered via the site.

The National Mall Underground will endeavor to adhere and follows generally accepted industry standards for acceptable content and to protect against unauthorized access to, destruction or disclosure of data. Any data that may be stored on our servers is treated as confidential and is not made available to the public or any third party. While we strive to protect your personal data at all times, we cannot guarantee its absolute security and shall not be liable for any breach of security by an outside party.

Your Email Address

In addition, we may use your email address to contact you for customer service purposes, to inform you of important changes or additions to our site or the services offered over our site, to send you administrative notices and other information about our site, and to tell you about other products or services offered by the National Mall Underground, or other companies, that we think may be of interest to you.  If you subscribe to any of our newsletters, we’ll use your email address to send the newsletters to you.  Although we hope you’ll find these communications informative and useful, if you don’t, you can always unsubscribe to either type of message by following the simple instructions included in each email.

NOTE: Email addresses will never be sold, bartered, or provided to any third party for any reason.

Data Collected in Connection with Emails

Email newsletters you elect to receive from us are transmitted through Mailchimp from The Rocket Science Group LLC. Mailchimp uses pixel tag technology to determine whether an email has been opened. In addition, when you click on any link in an email newsletter or marketing message you have elected to receive, Mailchimp recognizes that fact. This information is used in the aggregate to measure the rate at which emails are opened and various links are clicked, to measure user interests and traffic patterns, and to improve the content of the email newsletters and the services and features offered through the email newsletter and marketing messages.

Because some of this information is linked to individual email addresses, it is personally identifiable. You can view Mailchimp’s privacy policy at https://mailchimp.com/legal/privacy/.

GDPR COMPLIANCE

The General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”), which takes effect on May 25, 2018, is a new version of the existing data protection laws defined and enforced by the European Union. The GDPR imposes new rules regarding the processing of personal data of data subjects’ located in the EU. The Coalition is fully committed to comply with GDPR prior to its effective date.

We may engage secure third-party companies to store or process your personal data in the United States or in other countries. If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (“EEA”) we will take appropriate measures to ensure that your personal data receives an adequate level of data protection upon its transfer outside of the EEA. If you are a resident of a jurisdiction where transfer of your personal data requires your consent, then your consent to this Privacy Policy includes your express consent for such transfer of your data.

If at any point you wish to access your personal information to (1) change your preferences, (2) review the accuracy, (3) correct, supplement or modify your information, you may either send an e-mail to jfeldman@nationalmallcoalition.org, or a written request to:

National Mall Coalition, Attn: Privacy Policy/ Data Protection Officer, P.O. Box 4709, Rockville, Md. 20849

PROTECTING THE PRIVACY OF CHILDREN

Children should always get permission from their parents before sending any information about themselves (such as their names, email addresses, and phone numbers) over the Internet, to us or to anyone else.  Our Web site is not directed at children under the age of 13 and we won’t knowingly allow anyone under the age of 13 to provide us any personal information.  If you’re under 13, please don’t provide any information about yourself on this Web site.

CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

The Web is an evolving medium.  If we need to change this Privacy Policy in the future, we will post the revised Privacy Policy on our site and update the “Effective Date,” above, to reflect the date of the changes.  By continuing to use this Web site after we post such changes, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy, as modified.