Privacy Policy

The Million Year Society (“we,” “us,” or “our”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have regarding your information when you visit our website, join as a member, or make a donation.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information — including your email address — to third parties for any purpose. Your data exists solely to support your relationship with our mission.

1. Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:

Information you provide directly — your name, email address, mailing address, and payment details when you sign up as a member, make a donation, or contact us
Membership information — account details, membership tier (free or supporting), signup date, and any preferences or interests you choose to share with us
Transaction data — records of supporting membership fees, donations, and any related correspondence
Email engagement data — open rates, click activity, and unsubscribe actions related to our email communications, collected through our email service provider
Automatically collected data — IP address, browser type, pages visited, and other standard web analytics data collected through cookies and similar technologies
We do not collect sensitive personal information such as Social Security numbers, government IDs, or full financial account numbers beyond what is needed to process payments securely.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

Create and manage your membership account
Process and acknowledge donations and supporting membership fees, and issue tax receipts
Send newsletters, program updates, event announcements, and mission-related communications
Personalize communications based on your membership tier or expressed interests
Respond to your questions or requests
Improve our website and understand how visitors and members engage with it
Comply with legal obligations and prevent fraud

3. Email Communications and Opt-Out

By signing up for free membership or our mailing list, you consent to receive email communications from us. Every marketing or newsletter email we send includes an unsubscribe link. You may also opt out at any time by contacting us directly. We will process all opt-out requests promptly and in compliance with the CAN-SPAM Act.

Please note that even after opting out of marketing emails, we may still send you transactional messages related to your membership account, payment receipts, or legally required notices.

4. Payment Processing

All supporting membership fees and donations are handled by secure, PCI-compliant third-party payment processors. We do not store your full credit card or bank account numbers on our servers. Payment processors operate under their own privacy policies, and we encourage you to review them.

5. Sharing Your Information

We may share your information only in the following limited circumstances:

Service providers — trusted vendors who help us operate our website, manage memberships, process payments, or deliver email communications, bound by confidentiality obligations
Legal requirements — when required by law, court order, or government authority
Protection of rights — when necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of The Million Year Society, our members, or the public

6. Cookies and Tracking

Our website uses cookies and similar tracking technologies to improve your experience, maintain your session if you are logged in, and analyze site traffic. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Disabling cookies may affect some site functionality, including the ability to stay logged in to your member account.

We may use third-party analytics services such as Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our site. These services collect data in aggregate and anonymized form.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as your membership is active and as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. If you close your account or request deletion, we will remove your data within a reasonable time, except where retention is required by law. Donation and payment records are typically retained for a minimum of seven years for tax and audit purposes. Email addresses on our mailing list are retained until you unsubscribe or request removal.

8. Your Rights and Choices

You have the right to:

Access the personal information we hold about you
Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
Opt out of marketing and newsletter emails at any time
Request deletion of your account and associated data, subject to our legal record-keeping obligations
Withdraw consent for data processing where consent is the legal basis
To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the information below.

9. Children’s Privacy

Our website and membership program are not directed at children under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has provided us with personal information, please contact us and we will promptly delete it.

10. Security

We take reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. However, no method of transmission over the internet is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

11. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically. Changes will be posted on this page with a revised “Last updated” date. For material changes, we will notify active members by email. Continued use of the site or your membership account after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact

If you have questions, concerns, or requests related to your privacy, please contact us using the form on the Contact page.