DemocracyOS (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our users (“you,” “your,” or “user”). This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, store, and share your personal information through our platform, including any associated websites, mobile applications, SMS-based surveys (“Pulse Ballots”), and related services (collectively, the “Services”). By accessing or using the Services, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.
1. Information We Collect
We collect personal information in a few different ways:
1. Information You Provide Directly
• Registration Data: When you “Register to Engage,” we may ask for your name, phone number, email address, demographic information (such as age, gender, or location), and any other relevant details that help us ensure balanced representation.
• Survey & Feedback Data: When you respond to Pulse Ballots or otherwise provide feedback, your responses and any additional comments are collected and stored.
2. Information Collected Automatically
• Device & Usage Data: We may automatically collect information about your device (e.g., mobile phone model, browser type) and how you interact with our Services (e.g., time spent on certain pages). This data is typically collected using cookies and similar technologies on our website or mobile interfaces.
• SMS Interaction Data: We may track if and when you open or respond to our SMS-based Pulse Ballots for technical and analytics purposes.
3. Information from Third Parties
• In limited cases, we may receive information from governmental voter rolls or publicly available records to verify your residency and eligibility. This is always done in compliance with local laws and with the aim of maintaining a fair and representative sample.
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the collected information for the following purposes:
1. Service Delivery & Personalization
• To create and manage your DemocracyOS account.
• To send and manage Pulse Ballots, ensuring each user receives the most relevant ballots.
• To personalize your experience and provide support or troubleshoot issues.
2. Data Analysis & Insights
• To analyze responses in real-time using AI, categorizing and summarizing feedback.
• To generate anonymized reports and insights for civic leaders and communities, showing overall sentiment and trends.
• To improve our methods of stratified sortition and ensure balanced representation.
3. Communication
• To send you SMS notifications and Pulse Ballots.
• To respond to your inquiries, comments, or feedback.
• To provide updates on policy changes, new features, or other relevant information.
4. Security & Compliance
• To protect the integrity of our Services, investigate suspicious activity, and prevent fraudulent use.
• To comply with applicable laws and regulations.
3. How We Share or Disclose Your Information
We recognize the importance of your trust and respect your privacy by limiting the ways we share your personal data:
1. Anonymized and Aggregated Data
• We may share summary statistics, trends, and other aggregated insights with civic leaders, governments, or the public. These reports never contain information that directly identifies you.
2. Service Providers
• We may use third-party service providers (e.g., analytics or cloud hosting companies) to help us operate and improve DemocracyOS. These providers only process data on our behalf and according to our instructions, and they are bound by contractual obligations to protect your information.
3. With Your Explicit Consent
• We will never reveal any personally identifying data to any third party—including government agencies—without your explicit consent, except as described below under “Legal Obligations.”
4. Legal Obligations
• In the rare event we are legally compelled by valid legal process (e.g., court order) to disclose personal information, we will notify you promptly (unless legally prohibited from doing so) and work with you to take any possible steps to challenge or limit the scope of the disclosure. Our stance is to protect your information to the fullest extent permissible by law.
4. Public Mind & Retention of Data
DemocracyOS maintains a “Public Mind,” a collective, ever-evolving repository of anonymized ideas and feedback:
1. Anonymization
• Individual responses are stripped of personally identifying details and combined with others to form aggregated insights.
• Any personally identifiable information (e.g., phone numbers, email addresses) is securely separated from survey responses once processed.
2. Retention Periods
• We keep demographic information as long as your account is active or as needed to provide the Services.
• Pulse Ballot responses are retained indefinitely in anonymized form within the Public Mind to inform both current and future policy discussions.
3. Account Deletion
• You can request to delete your account or information at any time. Upon account deletion, personal identifiers will be removed, and any remaining information will be kept only in anonymized form as part of the Public Mind.
5. Security Measures
We take security very seriously. We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect your data:
• Encryption: We use encryption protocols (e.g., HTTPS, TLS) to protect data in transit.
• Access Controls: Only authorized personnel with a legitimate need have access to your personal data.
• Regular Audits: We perform periodic security assessments and audits of our systems.
6. Children’s Privacy
DemocracyOS is not intended for individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under this age. If you believe a child has provided us with personal data, please contact us so we can take steps to remove that information from our systems.
7. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on where you live, you may have certain legal rights regarding your personal data. These may include:
• Access & Correction: You can request access to, or corrections of, your personal data.
• Deletion: You may request that we delete certain data about you.
• Opt-Out: You can opt out of receiving certain communications.
• Objections: You can object to, or ask us to restrict, the processing of your personal data in some situations.
If you wish to exercise these rights, please contact us at the details below.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technologies, legal requirements, or other factors. When we make material changes, we may notify you by SMS, email, or by posting a prominent notice on our website prior to the change becoming effective. We encourage you to periodically review the latest version of this Policy.
10. Contact Us
If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:
• Email: privacy@democracyos.org
Thank you for trusting DemocracyOS to help your voice be heard. We are committed to protecting your information and providing a transparent, secure, and empowering platform for civic engagement. If you have any concerns or feedback, we encourage you to reach out at any time.