Privacy Policy
1. Introduction
Letters from Dilley ("we," "us," or "our") operates the website located at www.lettersfromdilley.org (the "Site"). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, with whom we share it, and what choices you have. By using the Site, you agree to the practices described in this Policy.
This Site is an advocacy and awareness platform dedicated to sharing letters written by children held at the ICE family detention facility in Dilley, Texas, and to facilitating civic engagement actions such as sending postcards to members of Congress.
2. Information We Collect
a. Information You Provide Directly
When you submit a postcard to Congress or complete any other form on the Site, we may collect:
• Your name
• Your email address
• Your mailing address or ZIP code (to identify your congressional representative)
• Any message or comment you submit as part of an advocacy action
You are not required to provide this information to browse the Site. It is collected only when you choose to take an action.
b. Information Collected Automatically
When you visit the Site, certain information is collected automatically through cookies and similar tracking technologies, including:
• Your IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type and version
• Device type and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
• Referring URL (the page that linked you to our Site)
• Date and time of your visit
This information is collected through tools described in Section 4 below, including Google Tag Manager and embedded third-party services.
c. Information from Third-Party Embeds
The Site embeds tools from third-party platforms, including Action Network (for advocacy actions) and Sosha (for social sharing). When you interact with these embedded tools, those platforms may independently collect information subject to their own privacy policies. Please review those policies directly.
3. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect to:
• Deliver advocacy actions you initiate, including transmitting postcards or letters to your elected representatives
• Communicate with you about the campaign if you have opted in to receive updates
• Analyze Site traffic and usage to improve the user experience
• Understand the reach and effectiveness of our advocacy campaigns
• Comply with applicable legal obligations
• Detect and prevent fraudulent or abusive activity on the Site
We do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties for their own marketing purposes.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
The Site uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to operate and analyze site performance. A cookie is a small text file placed on your device by a website.
a. Google Tag Manager and Google Analytics
The Site uses Google Tag Manager (GTM) to manage and deploy tracking scripts, including Google Analytics. Google Analytics collects anonymized data about how visitors use the Site. This data is processed by Google and subject to Google's Privacy Policy (policies.google.com/privacy). Google may use this data to personalize ads across its own network. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-Out Browser Add-on available at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
b. Squarespace
The Site is hosted on Squarespace. Squarespace may independently collect certain technical data to provide hosting services and ensure security. See Squarespace's Privacy Policy at squarespace.com/privacy for details.
c. Action Network
Postcard and advocacy form submissions are processed through Action Network, a nonprofit advocacy platform. When you submit a form, your information is transmitted to and stored by Action Network. Action Network's Privacy Policy is available at actionnetwork.org/privacy.
d. Sosha
The social sharing toolkit on the Site is provided by Sosha (sosha.ai). Sosha may collect interaction data when you use the sharing tools. Refer to Sosha's privacy policy for details on their data practices.
e. Managing Cookies
Most browsers allow you to refuse or delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of certain features on the Site. For more information on managing cookies, visit allaboutcookies.org.
5. How We Share Your Information
We may share your information in the following limited circumstances:
Service Providers
We work with third-party platforms (including Action Network, Sosha, Google, and Squarespace) that process data on our behalf to operate the Site and its features. These providers are bound by their own privacy policies and applicable data processing agreements.
Elected Officials
If you submit a postcard or letter to Congress, the content of that submission and your identifying information (name, address) will be transmitted to your elected representative(s) as the intended recipients of that communication.
Legal Requirements
We may disclose your information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental authority, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of Letters from Dilley, its users, or the public.
Organizational Transfers
In the event of a merger, reorganization, or transfer of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction, subject to the same privacy protections described here.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Policy, unless a longer retention period is required by law. Advocacy action data submitted through Action Network is subject to Action Network's retention practices. You may request deletion of your data at any time (see Section 8).
7. Children's Privacy
The Site is intended for adults and persons aged 13 and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. While this Site features content about children — specifically, letters written by children detained at the Dilley facility — that content is shared solely for advocacy and awareness purposes. The children who wrote those letters are not users of this Site, and we do not collect any information from or about them through this platform.
If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under 13, we will take prompt steps to delete it. If you believe we may have collected such information, please contact us using the information in Section 10.
8. Your Rights and Choices
Depending on your location, you may have the following rights regarding your personal information:
Access
You may request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction
You may request that we correct inaccurate or incomplete information.
Deletion
You may request that we delete your personal information, subject to any legal obligations that require us to retain it.
Opt-Out of Communications
If you have signed up to receive email updates, you may unsubscribe at any time using the unsubscribe link in any email we send.
Data Portability
Where applicable, you may request a copy of your data in a machine-readable format.
Withdraw Consent
Where we process your data based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing.
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information in Section 10. We will respond within a reasonable timeframe. Note that some requests may be limited where we have a legitimate legal basis to retain or process the data.
9. Security
We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use, or disclosure. The Site is hosted on Squarespace, which maintains industry-standard security infrastructure including SSL/TLS encryption for data in transit.
However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is completely secure. We cannot guarantee absolute security and encourage you to exercise caution when submitting personal information online.
10. Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your rights, or want to report a concern, please contact us at:
Letters from Dilley
Website: www.lettersfromdilley.org
Email: [INSERT CONTACT EMAIL]
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or applicable law. When we do, we will update the "Last Updated" date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review this Policy periodically. Continued use of the Site after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated Policy.
12. Governing Law
This Privacy Policy is governed by the laws of the United States and, where applicable, the laws of the State of Texas. Users located in the European Economic Area, United Kingdom, or California may have additional rights under the GDPR, UK GDPR, or California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) respectively. If you are located in one of these jurisdictions and have questions about your specific rights, please contact us.