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Privacy Policy for Glucose Guardians Inc.

Your privacy is paramount to Glucose Guardians Inc. This policy explains our information practices and the choices you can make regarding the collection and use of your information, ensuring the protection of your privacy.

Collection and Use of Personal Information

What is Personal Data?

Personal Data (also referred to as Personal Information) means any information related to a natural person who can be identified, directly or indirectly, by reference to an identifier such as a name, an identification/account number, location data, an online identifier, or to one or more factors specific to the physical, physiological, genetic, mental, economic, cultural, or social identity of that person.

Personal Information We Collect

We collect various types of information when you interact with Glucose Guardians Inc. (our "Website" or "Services"). There are five primary categories of information you might provide to us or that we might collect:

  1. Contact Information: Information you knowingly choose to disclose.
  2. Registration Information: Details provided when you register for an event or program.
  3. Donation Information: Billing and contact details when you make a donation.
  4. Demographic Information: Data about you that helps us tailor our services.
  5. Technical Information: Data collected automatically as you interact with our Website.

Specific Types of Information Collected

  • Contact Information: In certain areas of our Website, we request personal details such as your name, address, email, and telephone number.
  • Registration Information: When you sign up for our educational workshops, support groups, or advocacy initiatives, we may request personal information like your name, address, email, and telephone number.
  • Donation Information: When you donate, we request your credit card number, contact information, and other billing details.
  • Demographic Information: We may collect demographic information such as your age, gender, geographic location, type of diabetes affiliation (if any), interests related to diabetes care, and preferences. Sometimes, we may collect a combination of information types. Examples include pages where you can donate, register for a program, or sign up for a newsletter.
  • Technical Information: We also gather certain information about your use of our Website, such as which areas you visit and which services you access. This includes information about your computer hardware and software, such as your IP address, browser type, domain names, access times, and referring website addresses. Some of this information is collected through the use of cookies (described below).

Use of Personal Information

The information collected by Glucose Guardians Inc. is used for:

  • Providing you with the content, support, and services you request.
  • Operating and improving our Website and services.
  • Delivering a positive user experience.
  • Informing you of other programs or services available from Glucose Guardians Inc.
  • Contacting you about your opinion of current or potential new services.
  • Sending you email, postal mail, or other communications regarding updates from Glucose Guardians, such as newsletters, diabetes information, event and programmatic information, and additional resources.
  • For EU-based visitors and subscribers, we process your Personal Data based on your consent, as necessary for the performance of a contract (e.g., to provide requested content), and for the legitimate purpose of authenticating subscribers and optimizing website performance.

If we intend to process your Personal Data for a purpose other than that for which it was collected, we will provide you with information on that new purpose and any other relevant details, including the option to opt-out. Our mission is to empower individuals affected by diabetes, which we achieve by providing appropriate information and support. We do not provide your name, address, or email to outside parties, except as described in this policy.

Retention of Personal Information

We retain all personal information we gather about visitors and subscribers for as long as necessary to fulfill our commitments to you and to meet legal obligations. We indefinitely retain certain anonymized data for the legitimate purpose of performing website analytics and ensuring efficient, practical, and relevant use of our Website for all visitors. If there is no legal basis or other requirement for keeping your data, and after there has been no activity from you for seventy-two (72) months, your data that is no longer required will be securely purged.

Sharing & Protecting Your Data

Sharing of Personal Data

We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. We only share or disclose your personal information as set forth below:

  • With technical service providers (e.g., web hosting, IT security) for the legitimate purpose of hosting our web servers and ensuring information security.
  • With consultants and vendors for the legitimate purpose of providing website support, marketing assistance, and program delivery.
  • With credit card processors for the sole purpose of processing credit card transactions securely when you donate.
  • We may share aggregated, anonymous information about visitors to our Website with partners or other third parties to help them understand our audience and site usage, but this information will not include any personal identifying details.
  • We will disclose personal information if legally required to do so, if requested by a governmental entity, or if we believe in good faith that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to legal requirements or comply with legal process, (b) protect the rights or property of Glucose Guardians Inc., (c) prevent a crime or protect national security, or (d) protect the personal safety of users or the public.
  • In the event Glucose Guardians Inc. becomes the subject of a bankruptcy proceeding, merger, consolidation, or acquisition, your information may be sold, licensed, or otherwise disposed of as legally required or as part of the transaction, with appropriate safeguards.

Protecting Personal Information

We are deeply committed to protecting your privacy and data. When you donate, register for an event, or access your account information, we use a secure server. This secure server software, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL), encrypts all information you input before it is sent to us. All transactional data we collect is protected against unauthorized access through the use of digital certificates. We implement reasonable technical, administrative, and physical controls to secure the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of personal information.

Payment Processing

All credit card transactions occur in a secure area of our site to protect you from any loss, misuse, or alteration of information collected. Your credit card information is protected through the use of encryption of web content using Transport Layer Security (TLS).

Your Rights & Choices

Your Rights Under the GDPR (for EU-based individuals)

If you are based in the EU, you have specific rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) regarding your Personal Data:

  • Right to Access: Request access to the Personal Data we store about you.
  • Right to Rectification: Request us to amend (rectify) inaccurate or incomplete data.
  • Right to Restriction: Request us to restrict our processing of your Personal Data.
  • Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request the erasure of your data.
  • Right to Data Portability: Receive a copy of your data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have provided consent for processing, you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time, without affecting the lawfulness of processing before your consent was withdrawn.
  • Right to Lodge a Complaint: Lodge a complaint with your local data protection supervisory authority (e.g., the Information Commissioner’s Office in the UK) if you believe we have not complied with GDPR requirements.

To invoke any GDPR right, please contact us at privacy@glucoseguardiansinc.org with "GDPR Request" in the subject line. Include a detailed description of your request and appropriate contact information. We may need to contact you for further information and will notify you if your request has been granted, declined, or if exemptions apply.

Information You Post in Public Areas

If you post any personal information in public areas of our Website (e.g., community forums, comment sections, social media integrations), the information disclosed may be visible to and collected and used by other users over whom we have no control. Glucose Guardians Inc. is not responsible for the use made by third parties of information you post or otherwise make available in public areas of our Website. If you remove information you have made public, copies may remain viewable in cached and archived pages, or if others have copied or saved that information.

Social Media Disclaimer

Thank you for engaging with Glucose Guardians Inc. on social media. We encourage a welcoming and inclusive environment. Please treat everyone with kindness and respect. We do not tolerate posts that include discrimination, vulgarity, defamatory or false statements, personal attacks, inappropriate language, off-topic, or objectionable material. Content inconsistent with these guidelines may be removed, and you may be blocked from posting. Content posted on our social channels, even by a supporter, does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Glucose Guardians Inc.

Opt-In and Opt-Out

Our registration forms and other sections where we collect your information provide you with relevant opt-in and opt-out choices regarding promotional activities and other communications. To access your information, determine your preferences, and manage your online preferences, please contact us directly using the methods provided in the "How to Correct or Update Information" section.

  • Email Communication: Donors, participants, and individuals who have requested specific information (e.g., e-newsletters) may opt in or opt out of informational emails. You can usually manage these preferences by following the unsubscribe instructions at the bottom of any email message from Glucose Guardians. Where permitted by law, individuals who do not wish to receive emails may cancel such services by following the unsubscribe instructions.

Links to Other Sites

Our Website may provide links to other websites or resources. You acknowledge and agree that Glucose Guardians Inc. has no control over such external sites and resources, is not responsible for their availability, and does not endorse and is not responsible or liable for any materials, advertising, products, or other content on or available from such sites or resources, or those sites’ data collection or privacy policies. You further acknowledge and agree that Glucose Guardians Inc. shall not be responsible or liable, directly or indirectly, for any damage or loss caused or alleged to be caused by or in connection with use of or reliance on any such materials or goods available on or through any such site or resource or those sites' data collection or privacy policies.

Monitoring of Information and Cookies

We monitor website traffic patterns and usage to help us develop and improve the design and layout of the Glucose Guardians Website. We may also use the information we collect to occasionally notify you about important changes to the Website, new services or features, and special offers or information we think you will find valuable. If you would prefer not to receive this information, please contact us.

We collect standard information, by way of a cookie, to help us evaluate how our sites are being used. A cookie is a small, uniquely identifiable text file stored on your machine. Cookies collect information used for statistical purposes and do not identify you personally. Our site may use cookies to deliver information specific to your interests or to maintain your session. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can change your browser settings to prevent that. Even without accepting cookies, you can still use most of the features on our Website.

We may use analytics services (e.g., Google Analytics) to analyze traffic to this website. These services typically collect aggregate data and do not maintain individual profiles for visitors or collect data that might identify individual visitors.

Our Commitment to Children's Privacy

Protecting the privacy of children is especially important. We are committed to complying with all applicable laws and regulations regarding children's privacy online, including the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). Our Website is not directed at children under the age of 13, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected personal information from a child under 13 without verifiable parental consent, we will take steps to remove that information from our servers.

Contact & Updates

How to Correct or Update Information

To change or modify information previously provided, please contact us via:

Where to Address Your Questions or Complaints

If you have any concerns about how your data is processed, you can contact:

Changes to Privacy Statement

If we change our Privacy Statement for the Glucose Guardians Website, we will post those changes here, along with the "Last Reviewed" and "Last Edited" dates, so you will always know what information we gather, how we might use that information, and to whom we will disclose it. We welcome your comments concerning this Privacy Statement. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to promptly determine and remedy any issues.

Legal Requests

Glucose Guardians Inc. reserves the right to share your information to respond to duly authorized information requests of governmental authorities or where required by law.

California Privacy Rights (for California Residents)

Under California Civil Code Section 1798.83 (also known as the "Shine the Light" law), if you are a California resident and your business relationship with Glucose Guardians Inc. is primarily for personal, family, or household purposes, you may request certain data regarding our disclosure, if any, of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please send an email to privacy@glucoseguardiansinc.org with "Request for California Privacy Information" in the subject line. You may make such a request up to once per calendar year. If applicable, we will provide you, by email, a list of the categories of personal information disclosed to third parties for their direct marketing purposes during the immediately preceding calendar year, along with the third parties’ names and addresses. Please note that not all personal information sharing is covered by the "Shine the Light" law's requirements.

Acceptance of These Terms

Your use of the Glucose Guardians Website shall indicate your understanding and acceptance of the terms of this Privacy Statement. If you do not agree with all the terms herein, you should not use the Glucose Guardians Website or services.

Tell Us What You Think

Glucose Guardians Inc. welcomes your questions and comments about this Privacy Statement, about our practices, and your dealings with this Website. Please send an email to privacy@glucoseguardiansinc.org or write to: Glucose Guardians Inc., ATTN: Data Protection Officer, IL, USA.

Last Reviewed: July 12, 2025.

Last Edited: July 12, 2025.