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SMS/MMS Mobile Texting Privacy Policy

(Effective April 4, 2022; Last update April 21, 2023)

Advocates (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) governs how we treat the Personal Information that we collect and receive from you in connection with your use of the SMS and MMS Mobile Text Message Service (the “Service”), which we make available to you through a third-party service provider. This Policy is incorporated into the SMS/MMS Mobile Texting Terms of Service (below, following this Policy).

 

By using the Service, you agree to the terms of this Policy. Advocates reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to modify or change this Policy at any time with or without prior notice to you. The date of the last update will be posted at the top of this Policy for your convenience. This Policy, and any changes, are effective as soon as posted. Your continued use of the Service following the posting of any changes to the Policy constitutes your full acceptance of those changes.

 

“Personal Information” is information that individually identifies you, such as your mobile phone number, as well as the Personal Information that you choose to include in messages you send through the Service.

 

How Advocates Uses Personal Information About You

We use Personal Information to (a) provide you with the Service, (b) provide you with valuable information and resources, (c) send you event invitations, (d) ask you to support Advocates, and (e) if necessary, contact you with important announcements or messages.

 

Each message that you send to us through the Service is stored on our servers. We retain these messages on our servers. Advocates utilizes severs and services owned by third parties.

 

Disclosure of Your Personal Information

We will not rent or sell your Personal Information to other companies or individuals unless we have your consent. We may use or disclose such information in any of the following limited circumstances:

  • We have your consent.
  • We need to enforce our Terms of Service.
  • We provide such information to trusted businesses or persons for the sole purpose of processing Personal Information on our behalf. When this is done, it is subject to agreements that oblige those parties to process such information only on our instructions and in compliance with this Policy and appropriate confidentiality and security measures. If the third party fails to comply with our terms, Advocates is not accountable in any way for any liability or reimbursement.
  • We provide such information to third parties who have entered into non-disclosure agreements with us.
  • We provide such information to a company controlled by, or under common control with, Advocates for any purpose permitted by this Policy.
  • We respond to subpoenas, court orders, or legal process, or to establish or exercise our legal rights, or the legal rights of others, or defend against legal claims.
  • We believe it is necessary to share Personal Information to investigate, prevent, or take action regarding illegal activities, suspected fraud, situations involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person, violations of Advocates Terms of Service, or as otherwise required by law.
  • We transfer Personal Information about you if Advocates is, or its assets are, acquired by or merged with another company.

 

Advocates Commitment to Data Security

Advocates takes precautions to ensure the security of your Personal Information, including ensuring that our third-party service providers protect the security of your Personal Information. However, we cannot guarantee that hackers or unauthorized personnel will not gain access to your Personal Information despite our best efforts. You should note that in using the Service, your information will travel through third party infrastructures which are not under our control (such as a third-party SMS/MMS delivery platform or your mobile carrier network). We cannot protect, nor does this Policy apply to, any information that you transmit to other users. You should never transmit personal or identifying information to other users.

 

Links

SMS/MMS Mobile Messages may contain links to other sites on the Internet that are owned and operated by third parties. Advocates is not responsible for the collection or use of your information at any third party sites.

 

Privacy of Children

The Service is not intended for children under 13, and Advocates does not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13. Children 13 or older should not submit any Personal Information without the permission of their parents or guardians. By using the Service, you are representing that you are at least 18, or that you are at least 13 years old and have your parents’ or legal guardians’ permission to use the Service.

 

Opting In

A mobile user might opt-in by:

  • Entering a phone number online
  • Sending a message containing an advertised keyword, or
  • Filling out a paper form that includes their phone number

 

Opting Out

Advocates third-party service provider gives you the ability to opt out of the Service for any reason and any time. You can opt out by texting “STOP” to (833) 923-1419.

 

 

SMS/MMS Mobile Texting Terms of Service

(Effective April 4, 2022; Last update April 21, 2023)

 

Use of the Advocates SMS and MMS Mobile Text Message Service (the “Service”) is subject to the following Terms of Service. These terms constitute a legal agreement (the “Agreement”). Please read them carefully.

 

  1. Advocates will allow several different opportunities, such as a entering a phone number online or sending a keyword to a number, to opt-in to SMS/MMS services.
  2. You can cancel the Service at any time. Just text "STOP" to (833) 923-1419. After you send the SMS message "STOP" to us, we will send you an SMS message to confirm that you have been unsubscribed. After this, you will no longer receive SMS messages from us. If you want to join again, just sign up as you did the first time, and we will start sending SMS/MMS messages to you again.
  3. As always, message and data rates may apply for any messages sent to you from us and to us from you, and Advocates is not liable for the cost of any such messages. You will receive recurring messages. If you have any questions about your text plan or data plan, it is best to contact your wireless provider.
  4. You understand that anyone with access to your mobile phone may be able to view the messages you receive when using the Service, and you agree that Advocates will not be liable to you if this occurs.
  5. You understand that you are not required to consent to the Service to receive any other services from Advocates.
  6. By agreeing to these Terms of Service and providing us with your mobile phone number when you opt-in to the Service, you authorize Advocates to contact you by text message at your mobile phone number using an automatic telephone dialing system or device, or any other computer assisted technology as applicable.

 

Questions or Concerns?

If you have any questions or comments about Advocates SMS/MMS Mobile Texting Privacy Policy, Service, or Agreement, please contact us:

 

Main Office

Advocates

1881 Worcester Road

Framingham, MA 01701

(508) 628-6300

Info@Advocates.org

 

Chief Compliance Officer

Advocates

1881 Worcester Road

Framingham, MA 01701

(877) 296-5432

cco@Advocates.org