Privacy Statement

Privacy Policy

Effective Date: October 3, 2018

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. and its affiliates, including but not limited to Project ChildSafe, are committed to the lawful and responsible protection of data.  We take data protection and privacy seriously and are committed to ensuring that our policies, practices, and protocols adhere to the requirements of applicable laws. The National Shooting Sports Foundation, Inc. and its affiliates will be referred to in this Privacy Policy collectively as “NSSF,” “we,” “us,” or “our.”

This Privacy Policy describes how we collect and use information, including personal data or personal information, when you access or use the NSSF website (www.nssf.org) (the “Website”), or other online or offline services or websites that link to or otherwise present this Privacy Policy to you.  We refer to these products and services in this Privacy Policy collectively as the “Services.”

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully and completely. If you do not agree with this Privacy Policy or our practices and policies regarding the use of your information, please do not use or access the Services. By using or accessing the Services, you acknowledge and agree that you have read and understand this Privacy Policy and consent to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy, including the collection and use of personal data or personal information.

This Privacy Policy contains the following sections:

  • Information We Collect
  • How We Use Your Information
  • Lawful Basis for Use of Your Information
  • Cookies and Similar Technologies
  • Online Analytics and Advertising
  • How We Share and Disclose Your Personal Data and Personal Information
  • Retention of Your Information
  • Data Subject Rights and Your Choices
  • Third-Party Links and Features
  • Children Under the Age of 16
  • How We Protect Your Information
  • Your California Privacy Rights
  • Changes to Our Privacy Policy
  • NSSF Contact Information

 

INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect information from you in two ways: (i) we collect information you provide to us; and (ii) we collect information using automated means.

A. Information You Provide to Us
We collect a variety of information that you (or someone authorized on your behalf) provide directly to us. For example, we collect information from you through:

  • The Services you use
  • Requests or questions you submit to us via online forms, email, or otherwise
  • Your participation in sweepstakes, contests, or surveys
  • Uploads or posts to the Services
  • Requests for customer support and technical assistance
  • SHOT Show Registrations
  • Project ChildSafe donations

Information we collect from you may be categorized as personal information or personal data; however, we also collect information that does not constitute personal information or personal data under applicable laws.  Personal information and personal data include data or information whereby you can be personally identified, such as your name, address, email address, telephone number, Internet protocol (IP) address, and other items.

The information we may collect from you includes:

  • Email address
  • First and last name
  • Physical address
  • Billing information, such as credit or debit card number, verification number, expiration date, and banking or routing information
  • Information about purchases or other transactions with us
  • Information about your customer service interactions with us
  • Information provided in your responses to surveys we conduct
  • Information provided when you interact with us on our Website
  • Quotes, photographs, and other information if you choose to serve as a “Case Study” listed on our Website
  • Any other information you choose to directly provide to us in connection with your use of the Services
  • Limited demographic information you voluntarily provide to us for purposes of market research and enhancing your customer experience
  • Cellular telephone number in order to send SMS messages/communications

B. Information We Collect Through Automated Means
When you use our Services, we collect certain information as described in this Section. As discussed further below, we and our service providers (which are third-parties that work on our behalf), may use a variety of technologies, including cookies and similar tools, to assist in collecting this information.

Specifically, when you use our Website, we collect and analyze information such as your IP address, location data, browser types, browser language, operating system, the state or country from which you accessed the Services, software and hardware attributes (including device IDs), referring and exit pages and URLs, platform type, the number of clicks, files you download, domain names, landing pages, pages viewed and the order of those pages, the amount of time spent on particular pages, the date and time you used the Services and upload or post content, error logs, and other similar information. We primarily use this information to maintain the security or functionality of the Website or for statistical purposes. This data is stored only for so long as is necessary to analyze the data or to complete the purpose(s) for which it was collected.

C. Information We Collect from Others
We may receive additional information such as demographic and statistical information from third parties, such as business partners, marketers, researchers, analysts, and other parties that we may attribute to you based on your assignment to certain statistical groups. We use this information to supplement the information that we collect directly from you in order to derive your possible interests and to provide more relevant experiences for you and improve our products, analytics, advertising, and products.

HOW WE USE YOUR PERSONAL DATA AND PERSONAL INFORMATION

We, or our service providers, use your information for various purposes depending on the types of information we have collected from and about you, in order to, for example:

  • Complete a purchase or transaction, or provide the Services you have requested
  • Respond to your request for information and provide you with more effective and efficient customer service
  • Contact you by email, postal mail, or phone regarding NSSF and third-party products, services, surveys, research studies, promotions, special events and other subjects that we think may be of interest to you
  • Help us better understand your interests and needs, improve the Services, including through research and reports, and to test and create new products, features, and services
  • Secure our Services and resolve technical issues being reported
  • Comply with any procedures, laws, and regulations which apply to us where it is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of others
  • Establish, exercise, or defend our legal rights where it is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of others
  • Enhance your customer experience through aggregating limited demographic information provided
  • Timely communicate information via SMS messaging using your cellular telephone number regarding an event that you are attending

Be aware that if you elect not to provide us with certain personal information or personal data, we may be unable to provide you with certain Services. For the purposes discussed in this Privacy Policy, we may combine the information that we collect through the Services with information that we receive from other sources, both online and offline, and use such combined information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
Aggregate/Anonymous Data. We may aggregate and/or anonymize any information or data collected through the Services so that such information or data can no longer be linked to you or your device. We may use such information for any purpose, including without limitation for research and marketing purposes, and may also share such data with any third-parties, including advertisers, promotional partners, and sponsors.

LAWFUL BASIS FOR USE OF YOUR INFORMATION

The legal basis for using your personal information or personal data as set out in this Privacy Policy are as follows:

  • Where use of your personal information or personal data is necessary to perform our obligations under a contract with you
  • Where use of your personal information or personal data is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of others (for example, to provide security for our Website and applications; operate our business and our Services; make and receive payments; comply with legal requirements and defend our legal rights; prevent fraud, and to know the customer to whom we are providing Services)
  • Where we have a reason to process the data in accordance with applicable laws
  • Where we have your consent to engage in a particular processing activity
  • To fulfill our legal obligations

COOKIES AND SIMILAR TECHNOLOGIES

To collect the information or data in the “Information We Automatically Collect” Section above, we and our service providers use Internet server logs, cookies, tracking pixels, and other similar tracking technologies. We use these technologies in order to offer you a more tailored experience in the future, by understanding and remembering your particular browsing preferences.  Cookies are small text files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a site, that enable us to: (i) recognize your computer; (ii) store your preferences and settings; (iii) understand the web pages of the Services you have visited; (iv) enhance your user experience by delivering and measuring the effectiveness of content and advertising tailored to your interests; (v) perform searches and analytics; and (vi) assist with security and administrative functions.
As we adopt additional technologies, we may also gather information through other methods.
Please note that you can change your settings to notify you when a cookie is being set or updated, or to block cookies altogether. Please consult the “Help” section of your browser for more information (e.g., Internet Explorer; Google Chrome; Mozilla Firefox; or Apple Safari). Please note that by blocking, disabling, or managing any or all cookies, you may not have access to certain features or offerings of the Services.

ONLINE ANALYTICS AND ADVERTISING

A. Analytics
We may use third-party web analytics services (such as those of Google Analytics, Facebook Pixel, and others) on our Services to collect and analyze usage information through cookies and similar tools; engage in auditing, research, or reporting; assist with fraud prevention; and provide certain features to you. To prevent Google Analytics from using your information for analytics, you may install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on by clicking here.  If you receive email from us, we may use certain analytics tools, such as clear GIFs to capture data such as when you open our message or click on any links or banners our email contains. This data allows us to gauge the effectiveness of our communications and marketing campaigns.

For more information about Google Analytic cookies, please see Google’s help pages and privacy policy:

Google’s Privacy Policy
Google Analytics Help pages

For more information about Facebook Pixel, please see the link below:

About Facebook Pixel

B. Online Advertising
In using the Services, a third-party may place cookies or other tracking technologies on your computer, mobile phone, or other device to collect information about you. These third-parties (e.g., ad networks and ad servers such as Google, Act-On Software, Facebook, Twitter and others) may use this information to serve relevant content and advertising to you as you use the Internet, and access their own cookies or other tracking technologies on your computer, mobile phone, or other device you use to access the Services.

We neither have access to, nor does this Privacy Policy govern, the use of cookies or other tracking technologies that may be placed on the device you use to access the Services by non-affiliated third-parties. If you are interested in more information about tailored browser advertising and how you can generally control cookies from being put on your computer to deliver tailored advertising, you may visit the Network Advertising Initiative’s Consumer Opt-Out link, the Digital Advertising Alliance’s Consumer Opt-Out link, or Your Online Choices to opt-out of receiving tailored advertising from companies that participate in those programs. To opt out of Google Analytics for display advertising or customize Google display network ads, visit the Google Ads Settings page. We do not control these opt-out links or whether any particular company chooses to participate in these opt-out programs. We are not responsible for any choices you make using these mechanisms or the continued availability or accuracy of these mechanisms.

Please note that if you exercise the choices above, you may still see advertising when you use the Services, but it will not be tailored to you based on your online behavior over time.

C. Notice Concerning Do Not Track
Do Not Track (“DNT”) is a privacy preference that you can set in certain web browsers. We are committed to providing you with meaningful choices about the information collected on our Website or via the Services for third-party purposes, and that is why we provide the variety of opt-out mechanisms listed above. However, we do not currently recognize or respond to browser-initiated DNT signals.

HOW WE SHARE AND DISCLOSE YOUR INFORMATION

NSSF will share your information in the following ways:

  • Affiliates and Subsidiaries. We may share information we collect within NSSF to deliver products and services to you, provide email communications to you from NSSF and its affiliates and subsidiaries, ensure a consistent level of service, and enhance our products, services, and your customer experience.
  • Service Providers. We provide access to or share your information with select third- parties who perform services on our behalf. They have access to perform these services but are prohibited from using your information for other purposes. They provide a variety of services to us, including billing, sales, marketing, product content and features, advertising, analytics, research, customer service, data storage, security, fraud prevention, payment processing, show management, and legal services.
  • Protection of NSSF and Others. By using the Services, you acknowledge and agree that we may access, retain, and disclose the information we collect and maintain about you if required to do so by law or in a good faith belief that such access, retention or disclosure is reasonably necessary to: (a) comply with legal process (e.g. a subpoena or court order); (b) enforce our Terms of Service, this Privacy Policy, or other contracts with you, including investigation of potential violations thereof; (c) respond to claims that any content violates the rights of third-parties; (d) respond to your requests for customer service; and/or (e) protect the rights, property or personal safety of NSSF, its agents and affiliates, its users and/or the public. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organizations for fraud protection, and spam/malware prevention, and similar purposes.
  • Business Transfers. As we continue to develop our business, we may buy, merge, or partner with other companies. In such transactions, including in contemplation of such transactions, user information may be among the transferred assets. If a portion or all of our assets are sold or transferred to a third-party, customer information (including your email address) would likely be one of the transferred business assets. If such a transfer is subject to additional mandatory restrictions under applicable laws, we will comply with such restrictions.
  • Aggregate/Anonymous Information. From time to time, we may share Aggregate/Anonymous Information about use of the Services, such as by publishing a report on usage trends. The sharing of such data is unrestricted.

RETENTION OF YOUR INFORMATION

We keep your personal information and personal data no longer than necessary for the purposes for which it is processed. The length of time we retain information depends on the purposes for which we collected and use it and/or as required to comply with applicable laws and as set forth in our internal retention policies.

DATA SUBJECT RIGHTS AND YOUR CHOICES

You may have certain rights with respect to your personal information and personal data.

A. Your Legal Rights
If you would like further information in relation to your legal rights under applicable law or would like to exercise any of them, please contact us using the information in the “Contact Information” Section below at any time. For example, the EU General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”) provides data subjects (as defined in the GDPR) with the right to request that we:

  • Provide access to and/or a copy of certain personal data we hold about you
  • Prevent the processing of your personal data for direct-marketing purposes
  • Update personal data which is out of date or incorrect
  • Delete certain personal data we are using, processing, or storing
  • Object to the processing of your personal data if such processing is based on legitimate interests
  • Transfer your personal data to a third-party provider of services
  • Withdraw your consent for the processing of your personal data

We will consider and address all requests to the extent required by the laws applicable to you and applicable to NSSF and will provide our response within the time period stated by any such applicable law. Please note, however, that certain information may be exempt from such requests in some circumstances, which may include if we need to continue processing your information for our legitimate interests, to comply with a legal obligation, or to fulfill a contract. We may request you provide us with information necessary to confirm your identity before responding to your request.

In some jurisdictions, such as the European Union, you may have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory authority. We ask that you please attempt to resolve issues with us first, although you have the right to lodge a complaint to a supervisory authority at any time.

B. Marketing Communications
You may instruct us not to use your contact information to contact you by email, postal mail, or phone regarding products, services, promotions and special events that might appeal to your interests by contacting us using the information below. In commercial email messages, you can also opt out by following the instructions located at the bottom of such emails. Please note that, regardless of your request, we may still use and share certain information as permitted by this Privacy Policy or as required by applicable law. For example, you may not opt out of certain operational emails, such as those reflecting our relationship or transactions with you.

C. We May Continue to Process Personal Information or Personal Data
Please be aware that, even if you are eligible to and exercise any of the rights set forth in this Section 8, NSSF may continue to process your personal information or personal data to pursue legitimate interests, to fulfill our contractual duties to you, or to comply with applicable law or legal obligations.

THIRD-PARTY LINKS AND FEATURES

The Services contain links to third-party websites, social media websites, and third-party plug-ins (such as the Facebook “like” button and Twitter “follow” button). We have no influence or control over linked third-party websites and your use of other sites is at your own risk and is subject to their privacy statements and policies. If you choose to use these websites or features, you may disclose your information not just to those third-parties, but also to their users and the public more generally depending on how their services function. We are not responsible for the content or practices of those websites or services. The collection, use, and disclosure of your personal information or personal data will be subject to the privacy policies of the third-party websites or services, and not this Privacy Policy. We urge you to read the privacy and security policies of these third-parties.

CHILDREN UNDER THE AGE OF 16

The Services are intended for general audiences and not for children under the age of 16. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information or personal data from children under the age of 16 without valid consent under applicable law, we will permanently delete the personal information or personal data.  Please be advised that we do not request personal information or personal data from children under the age of 16, do not collect such information, and do not provide such information to third parties.

HOW WE PROTECT YOUR INFORMATION

We have implemented and maintain appropriate technical and organizational security measures, policies and procedures designed to reduce the risk of accidental destruction or loss, or the unauthorized disclosure of or access to such information, which are appropriate for the individual categories of information collected, used and stored. Our technical and organizational security measures are reviewed and revised from time to time to address technological advancements and developments.  NSSF cannot guarantee that your use of the Services will be error-free.  Your use of the Services does, in part, depend upon security measures that are not under our control, e.g., security measures you control related to your device, computer, network, or Internet browser.  Please keep this in mind when providing information through the Services.

YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

California law gives residents of California the right under certain circumstances to request information from us regarding the manner in which we share certain categories of “personal information” (as defined by applicable California law) with third-parties for their direct marketing purposes. NSSF does not share your personal information with third-parties for their own direct marketing purposes.

CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

We reserve the right to amend this Privacy Policy at any time.  For example, we may amend this Privacy Policy to reflect the requirements of applicable law, to conform with our data collection and use practices, the features of our Services, or shifts in technology. We will make the revised Privacy Policy accessible through the Services, so you should review the Privacy Policy periodically. Our Privacy Policy is always available on our Website. You will know if the Privacy Policy has changed since the last time you reviewed it by checking the “Effective Date” included at the beginning of Privacy Policy. If we make a material change to the Policy, we will comply with notice requirements set forth in applicable law, and it will be readily accessible and reviewable within the most current version of the Privacy Policy located on the Website. By continuing to use the Services, you are confirming that you have read and understood the latest version of this Privacy Policy.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions about NSSF’s Privacy Policy or our information practices. You can reach us via email,  berwin@nssf.org or by mail to NSSF, Attn: Benjamin Erwin, 6 Corporate Drive, Suite 650, Shelton, CT 06484.

LAST REVISED: Feb. 16, 2023

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