Privacy Policy

Last Updated: May 4, 2025

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1. INTRODUCTION

The Northwest Screenwriters Guild ("we," "our," or "us") respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy describes how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website at www.nwsg.org (the "Website") or use our services.

Please read this Privacy Policy carefully. By accessing or using the Website, you acknowledge that you have read, understood, and agree to be bound by this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our Website.

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2. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect information from and about users of our Website in several ways:

2.1 Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect your name, email address, username, password, and professional information such as your writing experience and interests.

• Profile Information: Information you choose to add to your profile, such as your biography, profile picture, location, website links, social media handles, and portfolio information.

• Content Submissions: Screenplays, treatments, synopses, outlines, and other creative materials you upload or submit to the Website.

• Communication Information: Information you provide when you contact us directly, participate in our forums, discussion boards, or feedback sessions, including comments, messages, and posts.

• Payment Information: If you purchase a membership, we collect payment information, which may include credit card details, billing address, and other financial information necessary to process your payment. Note that payment processing is handled by our third-party payment processors, and we do not store complete credit card information on our servers.

2.2 Information We Collect Automatically

When you visit the Website, we may automatically collect certain information, including:

• Usage Data: Details of your visits to our Website, including traffic data, location data, logs, and other communication data, and the resources that you access and use on the Website.

• Device Information: Information about your computer or mobile device, including its operating system, browser type, IP address, device identifiers, and mobile network information.

• Cookies and Similar Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to collect information about your browsing activities and to distinguish you from other users of our Website. For more information about our use of these technologies, please see our Cookie Policy section below.

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3. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We may use the information we collect about you for various purposes, including to:

• Create and manage your account.

• Provide, maintain, and improve our Website and services.

• Process and complete transactions.

• Send you administrative messages, technical notices, updates, security alerts, and support messages.

• Respond to your comments, questions, and requests.

• Facilitate community features, such as forums, feedback sessions, and networking opportunities.

• Communicate with you about products, services, offers, promotions, and events, and provide other news or information about us and our partners.

• Monitor and analyze trends, usage, and activities in connection with our Website.

• Detect, investigate, and prevent fraudulent transactions and other illegal activities and protect the rights and property of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild and others.

• Personalize your experience by presenting tailored content, features, and advertisements.

• Improve our Website, including by testing new features and functionality.

• Carry out any other purpose described to you at the time the information was collected.

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4. HOW WE SHARE YOUR INFORMATION

We may disclose information that we collect or that you provide as described in this Privacy Policy:

4.1 With Third Parties

• Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party vendors, service providers, contractors, or agents who perform functions on our behalf, such as hosting, data analysis, payment processing, email delivery, and customer service.

• Professional Partners: With your consent, we may share limited information with industry professionals, agents, producers, or other partners who may be interested in your work.

4.2 Other Disclosures

We may also disclose your personal information:

• To comply with any court order, law, or legal process, including to respond to any government or regulatory request.

• To enforce or apply our Terms and Conditions and other agreements.

• If we believe disclosure is necessary or appropriate to protect the rights, property, or safety of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild, our members, or others.

• To a buyer or other successor in the event of a merger, divestiture, restructuring, reorganization, dissolution, or other sale or transfer of some or all of the Northwest Screenwriters Guild's assets.

• For any other purpose disclosed by us when you provide the information or with your consent.

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5. PROTECTION OF CREATIVE CONTENT

5.1 Content Confidentiality

We understand the sensitivity and value of the creative content you share on our Website. While we implement reasonable security measures to protect your content from unauthorized access, we recommend that members take additional steps to protect their intellectual property, such as registering their work with the appropriate copyright office or Writers Guild before sharing it on our platform.

5.2 Access Controls

We maintain technical and organizational measures to limit access to your creative content to those members or staff who have a legitimate need to access it, such as designated feedback partners, contest judges, potential clients, or authorized administrators.

5.3 Content Retention

Your creative content will remain on our platform for as long as you maintain an active account unless you specifically request its removal. Upon account termination, we will delete or anonymize your creative content within a reasonable timeframe, except where retention is necessary for legitimate business purposes or legal obligations.

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6. YOUR CHOICES ABOUT YOUR INFORMATION

6.1 Account Information

You may update, correct, or delete your account information at any time by logging into your account settings. If you wish to delete your account, please contact us at admin@nwsg.org.

6.2 Communications Preferences

You can opt out of receiving promotional emails from us by following the instructions in those emails. If you opt out, we may still send you non-promotional emails, such as those about your account or our ongoing business relations.

6.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Most web browsers are set to accept cookies by default. If you prefer, you can usually choose to set your browser to remove or reject browser cookies. Please note that if you choose to remove or reject cookies, this could affect the availability and functionality of our Website.

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7. DATA SECURITY

We have implemented reasonable security measures designed to protect your information from accidental loss and from unauthorized access, use, alteration, and disclosure. However, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although we do our best to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of your personal information transmitted to our Website. Any transmission of personal information is at your own risk.

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8. COOKIE POLICY

8.1 What Are Cookies

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. Cookies are widely used by website owners to make their websites work, or to work more efficiently, as well as to provide reporting information.

8.2 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the Website to function properly and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in, or filling in forms.

• Analytical/Performance Cookies: These cookies allow us to recognize and count the number of visitors and to see how visitors move around our Website when they are using it. This helps us to improve the way our Website works.

• Functionality Cookies: These cookies enable the Website to provide enhanced functionality and personalization. They may be set by us or by third-party providers whose services we have added to our pages.

• Targeting Cookies: These cookies may be set through our Website by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant advertisements on other sites.

8.3 Managing Cookies

You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access cookies. If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of the Website may become inaccessible or not function properly.

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9. CHILDREN'S PRIVACY

Our Website is not intended for children under 18 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 18. If you are under 18, do not use or provide any information on this Website or on or through any of its features. If we learn we have collected or received personal information from a child under 18 without verification of parental consent, we will delete that information. If you believe we might have any information from or about a child under 18, please contact us at admin@nwsg.org.

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10. 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 in your jurisdiction. If you are located outside the United States and choose to provide information to us, please note that we transfer the information to the United States and process it there.

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11. CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS

If you are a California resident, California law may provide you with additional rights regarding our use of your personal information. To learn more about your California privacy rights, please review our California Privacy Notice below.

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12. DO NOT TRACK SIGNALS

Some web browsers have a "Do Not Track" feature that lets you tell websites that you do not want to have your online activities tracked. Currently, our systems do not recognize browser "Do Not Track" requests. If we adopt a policy to respond to such signals in the future, we will describe our practices here.

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13. GDPR COMPLIANCE FOR EUROPEAN USERS

If you are a resident of the European Economic Area (EEA), you have certain data protection rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This section applies specifically to our users in the EEA.

13.1 Legal Basis for Processing Personal Data

We will only process your personal data when we have a legal basis to do so. Legal bases include:

• Consent: Where you have given us explicit consent to process your personal data for a specific purpose.

• Contractual Obligation: Where processing is necessary for the performance of a contract we have with you (e.g., to provide you with our services when you become a member).

• Legal Obligation: Where processing is necessary for us to comply with a legal obligation.

• Legitimate Interests: Where processing is necessary for our legitimate interests or the legitimate interests of a third party, provided these interests are not overridden by your rights and freedoms.

13.2 Your Data Protection Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights:

• Right to Access: You have the right to request copies of your personal data.

• Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that we correct any information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.

• Right to Erasure: You have the right to request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions.

• Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

• Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to our processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.

• Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that we transfer the data we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.

• Right to Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process your personal data, you have the right to withdraw this consent at any time.

13.3 Data Transfers Outside the EEA

We may transfer your personal data to countries outside the EEA, including to the United States where our primary servers are located. When we transfer personal data outside the EEA, we will ensure that:

• The transfer is to a country recognized by the European Commission as providing adequate protection for personal data; or

• The transfer is subject to appropriate safeguards, such as Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission; or

• A derogation or exception applies under GDPR.

 

14. CHANGES TO OUR PRIVACY POLICY

We may update our Privacy Policy from time to time. If we make material changes to how we treat our users' personal information, we will notify you through a notice on the Website home page or by email. The date the Privacy Policy was last revised is identified at the top of the page. You are responsible for ensuring we have an up-to-date active and deliverable email address for you, and for periodically visiting our Website and this Privacy Policy to check for any changes.

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15. CONTACT INFORMATION

To ask questions or comment about this Privacy Policy and our privacy practices, contact us at:
admin@nwsg.org.

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CALIFORNIA PRIVACY NOTICE

This California Privacy Notice supplements the information contained in our Privacy Policy and applies solely to all visitors, users, and others who reside in the State of California.

Information We Collect and Categories of Sources

We collect information that identifies, relates to, describes, references, is capable of being associated with, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with a particular consumer or device ("personal information"). In particular, we have collected the following categories of personal information from our consumers within the last twelve (12) months:

• Identifiers: Such as name, email address, IP address, account name, or other similar identifiers.

• Personal information categories: Such as name, address, financial information, payment information.

• Commercial information: Such as membership purchases, obtaining, or considering.

• Internet or other network activity: Such as browsing history, search history, and information on a consumer's interaction with a website.

• Professional or employment-related information: Such as writing experience and professional affiliations.

• Inferences drawn from other personal information: Such as profile reflecting a person's preferences, characteristics, and writing interests.

Use of Personal Information

We may use or disclose the personal information we collect for one or more of the business purposes described in our Privacy Policy.

Your Rights and Choices

The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides California residents with specific rights regarding their personal information. This section describes your CCPA rights and explains how to exercise those rights.

Access to Specific Information and Data Portability Rights

You have the right to request that we disclose certain information to you about our collection and use of your personal information over the past 12 months. Once we receive and verify your request, we will disclose to you:

• The categories of personal information we collected about you.

• The categories of sources for the personal information we collected about you.

• Our business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling that personal information.

• The categories of third parties with whom we share that personal information.

• The specific pieces of personal information we collected about you.

Deletion Request Rights

You have the right to request that we delete any of your personal information that we collected from you and retained, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and verify your request, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your personal information from our records, unless an exception applies.

Exercising Access, Data Portability, and Deletion Rights

To exercise the access, data portability, and deletion rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to admin@nwsg.org

Only you, or a person registered with the California Secretary of State that you authorize to act on your behalf, may make a verifiable consumer request related to your personal information.

Response Timing and Format

We endeavor to respond to a verifiable consumer request within forty-five (45) days of its receipt. If we require more time, we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing.

Non-Discrimination

We will not discriminate against you for exercising any of your CCPA rights. Unless permitted by the CCPA, we will not:

• Deny you goods or services.

• Charge you different prices or rates for goods or services.

• Provide you a different level or quality of goods or services.

• Suggest that you may receive a different price or rate for goods or services or a different level or quality of goods or services.

However, we may offer you certain financial incentives permitted by the CCPA that can result in different prices, rates, or quality levels. Any CCPA-permitted financial incentive we offer will reasonably relate to your personal information's value and contain written terms that describe the program's material aspects.

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