Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

CapitolPulse.ai ("Capitol Pulse," "we," "us," or "our") is a civic engagement platform operated by My Media Matters. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and protect your personal information when you use our website, applications, and services (collectively, the "Service").

By creating an account or using the Service, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Service.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information You Provide

• Account Information: Name, email address, and password (managed by our authentication provider).
• Address Information: Street address, city, state, and ZIP code, which we use to determine your legislative districts and match you with your elected representatives.
• Priority Topics: The legislative issue areas you select (e.g., Healthcare, Transportation, Education) to personalize your bill feed.
• Feedback and Engagement Data: Your support or opposition positions on legislation, saved bills, organizations you follow, and other civic engagement activity.
• Payment Information: If you subscribe to a paid plan, payment details are collected and processed directly by Stripe, Inc. We do not store your credit card or bank account details on our servers.

2.2 Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: Pages visited, features used, timestamps, and general interaction patterns.
• Device and Browser Information: Browser type, operating system, device type, and IP address.
• Cookies: We use essential cookies to maintain your session and preferences. We do not use advertising or tracking cookies.

2.3 Information Derived from Your Data

• Legislative District Assignments: Based on your address, we determine your U.S. Congressional district, state legislative district, and county using geocoding services.
• Bill Relevance Scoring: We use artificial intelligence to match legislation to your selected priority topics and generate plain-language summaries.

SMS/Text Messaging Services

CapitolPulse.ai offers SMS text messaging services for urgent legislative alerts. By opting in to receive SMS messages:

• Opt-In: You consent to receive automated text messages related to legislative updates, bill alerts, and service notifications at the phone number you provide.
• Message Frequency: Message frequency varies based on legislative activity and your notification preferences. During active legislative sessions, you may receive multiple messages per week.
• Message and Data Rates: Standard message and data rates may apply depending on your mobile carrier and plan.
• Opt-Out: You may opt out of SMS messages at any time by replying STOP to any message or by updating your notification preferences in your account settings. After opting out, you will receive a confirmation message.
• Help: For help with SMS services, reply HELP to any message or contact us at [email protected].

We do not share your phone number with third parties for marketing purposes. Your phone number is used solely for the purpose of delivering CapitolPulse.ai notifications and service-related communications.

Supported Carriers: SMS services are available on major U.S. carriers including AT&T, Verizon, T-Mobile, Sprint, and most regional carriers. Carrier fees may apply.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide, operate, and maintain our platform and services
• Send legislative alerts, updates, and notifications via email and SMS
• Process transactions and manage subscriptions
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Verify your address for constituent status (when requested)
• Analyze usage patterns to improve our platform
• Detect and prevent fraud or unauthorized access
• Comply with legal obligations

Address Verification

We offer optional address verification to confirm your status as a verified constituent. When you submit your address:

• We use third-party geocoding services (such as Geocodio) to verify your address
• We may store your legislative district information (congressional, state, county)
• Your verified status is displayed alongside feedback you submit
• We do not share your address with organizations or third parties without your consent

4. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell your personal information. We share information only in the following circumstances:

4.1 Third-Party Service Providers

4.2 Organizations and Feedback

• Your feedback is stored in your Capitol Pulse account and visible to you.
• If you submit feedback through an organization's dashboard, that organization may see your name, email, and feedback.
• We do not automatically transmit your feedback to any government entity or legislator unless we explicitly notify you and obtain consent.

4.3 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.

4.4 Business Transfers

If My Media Matters is involved in a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred. We will notify you of any such change.

Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. This includes encryption of data in transit and at rest, regular security assessments, and access controls.

However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes described in this policy. When you delete your account, we will delete or anonymize your personal information within 30 days, except where we are required to retain it for legal, regulatory, or security purposes.

7. Your Rights and Choices

• Access and Export: Access your data through Settings. Request a copy by contacting us.
• Correction: Update your name, email, address, and priorities through Settings.
• Deletion: Request account deletion by contacting us. We process requests within 30 days.
• Notification Preferences: Opt out of non-essential emails and SMS through Settings.

California Residents (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have additional rights under the CCPA, including the right to know what personal information we collect, the right to request deletion, and the right to opt out of the sale of personal information. We do not sell personal information. To exercise your CCPA rights, contact us at the email address below.

8. Children's Privacy

The Service is not directed to individuals under the age of 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that we have collected such information, we will delete it promptly.

9. Address Verification

When you verify your address, we use Geocodio to confirm it is a valid address within a legislative district.

10. Artificial Intelligence

We use AI (provided by OpenAI) to generate bill summaries, score relevance to your topics, analyze regulations, and assist with FOIA guidance.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of material changes by posting the updated policy with a new "Last Updated" date and, where appropriate, by email. Your continued use of the Service after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

12. Contact Us

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy, wish to exercise your data rights, or have a privacy concern, please contact us:

This Privacy Policy is provided as an interim document and is not a substitute for legal advice.