Privacy Policy

Introduction

Autism Today ("we," "our," or "us") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website or use our services. Please read this privacy policy carefully. If you do not agree with the terms of this privacy policy, please do not access the site.

We reserve the right to make changes to this Privacy Policy at any time and for any reason. We will alert you about any changes by updating the "Last Updated" date of this Privacy Policy. You are encouraged to periodically review this Privacy Policy to stay informed of updates.

Information We Collect

Personal Information You Provide

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for an account or membership
• Create or update your professional profile
• List your services or organization in our directory
• Subscribe to our newsletters or email communications
• Contact us via email or contact forms
• Participate in surveys, contests, or promotional activities
• Post content in community forums or discussion boards
• Make purchases or payments through our platform

Types of Personal Information

The personal information we collect may include:

• Name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Professional credentials and qualifications
• Business or organization details
• Areas of expertise and services offered
• Profile photographs and biographical information
• Payment and billing information
• Username and password
• Communication preferences
• Demographic information

Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we may automatically collect certain information about your device and usage, including:

• IP address and approximate location
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Device information
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Search queries on our site
• Date and time of visits

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, maintain, and improve our services
• Process transactions and send transaction notifications
• Manage your account and provide customer support
• Send administrative information and updates about our services
• Respond to your comments, questions, and requests
• Send marketing and promotional communications (with your consent)
• Connect families with autism service providers
• Improve our website functionality and user experience
• Monitor and analyze usage patterns and trends
• Detect, prevent, and address technical issues
• Protect against fraudulent or illegal activity
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service

How We Share Your Information

We may share your information in the following situations:

Public Directory Listings

If you create a professional or organizational profile, the information you choose to make public will be visible in our directory to help families find appropriate services.

Service Providers

We may share your information with third-party service providers that perform services on our behalf, such as:

• Payment processing
• Email delivery
• Web hosting
• Data analytics
• Customer support
• Marketing services

Legal Requirements

We may disclose your information if required to do so by law or in response to valid requests by public authorities, including:

• Court orders or legal process
• Government or regulatory requests
• To protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property
• To protect the public or other users

Business Transfers

If we are involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction. We will provide notice before your personal information is transferred and becomes subject to a different privacy policy.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These measures include:

• Encryption of sensitive data in transit and at rest
• Secure servers and data centers
• Regular security assessments and updates
• Limited access to personal information on a need-to-know basis
• Employee training on data protection
• Secure password requirements
• Regular backups and disaster recovery procedures

While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure. Therefore, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our website and hold certain information. Cookies are files with small amount of data which may include an anonymous unique identifier.

Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: Required for the website to function properly
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website
• Functionality Cookies: Remember your preferences and settings
• Marketing Cookies: Used to deliver relevant advertisements (with consent)

You can instruct your browser to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, if you do not accept cookies, you may not be able to use some portions of our website.

Your Rights and Choices

You have certain rights regarding your personal information:

Access and Portability

You can request access to the personal information we hold about you and receive a copy in a portable format.

Correction

You can update or correct your personal information through your account settings or by contacting us.

Deletion

You can request that we delete your personal information, subject to certain legal exceptions.

Opt-Out

You can opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us by:

• Following the unsubscribe link in our emails
• Updating your communication preferences in your account
• Contacting us directly

Do Not Track

Some browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature that lets you tell websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. We currently do not respond to browser "Do Not Track" signals.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and you are aware that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us so that we can take necessary actions.

While our directory includes resources for children with autism, all accounts and interactions must be managed by adults. Parents and guardians are responsible for monitoring their children's use of our services.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to:

• Provide our services to you
• Comply with legal obligations
• Resolve disputes and enforce agreements
• Maintain business records for analysis and/or audit purposes

When we no longer need to retain your personal information, we will securely delete or anonymize it in accordance with our data retention policies and applicable laws.

International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and maintained on computers located outside of your state, province, country, or other governmental jurisdiction where the data protection laws may differ from those of your jurisdiction. If you are located outside the United States and choose to provide information to us, please note that we transfer the data to the United States and process it there.

California Privacy Rights

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), including:

• The right to know what personal information we collect, use, disclose, and sell
• The right to request deletion of your personal information
• The right to opt-out of the sale of personal information (Note: We do not sell personal information)
• The right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights

To exercise these rights, please contact us using the information provided below. We will respond to your request within 45 days.

European Privacy Rights (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), you have additional rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including:

• The right to access your personal data
• The right to rectification of inaccurate data
• The right to erasure ("right to be forgotten")
• The right to restrict processing
• The right to data portability
• The right to object to processing
• The right to withdraw consent at any time
• The right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority

We process personal data based on legitimate interests, contract fulfillment, legal obligations, and your consent. You may exercise your rights by contacting us.

Third-Party Links and Services

Our website may contain links to third-party websites, services, or resources that are not operated by us. These links are provided for your convenience and information only. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them.

We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by our website.

Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by:

• Posting the new Privacy Policy on this page
• Updating the "Last Updated" date at the top of this Privacy Policy
• Sending an email notification for significant changes (if you have an account)

You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes. Changes to this Privacy Policy are effective when they are posted on this page.

Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

Consent

By using our website and services, you consent to our Privacy Policy and agree to its terms. If you do not agree to this policy, please do not use our services. Your continued use of the website following the posting of changes to this policy will be deemed your acceptance of those changes.