Words of Veterans takes privacy of your personal information seriously. This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes the use, disclosure, processing and storage of your personal information.

All capitalized terms used in this Policy and not otherwise defined in this Policy are defined in Words of Veterans’ Terms. The Legal Provisions contained within the Terms apply to this Policy as if included here. This Policy applies to www.wordsofverterans.com, www.alexsebby.com and other affiliated websites under the control of Words of Veterans (each a “website”).

Contact Us

If you have a question or request that pertains to this Policy or your personal information, please contact Words of Veterans at:

Alex Sebby LLC
PO Box 49
Quantico, VA 22134
(571) 494 5106
alex@wordsofveterans.com

Consent

By accessing or using the websites or our platform accessible from the websites, you agree to this Policy, and are accepting the practices described in the Policy. You consent to the application of this Policy to the collection, storage, use, and disclosure of all of the information provided by or about you to Words of Veterans, when visiting the website or using our platform. Your continued use of the website or platform after we make changes to the Policy is deemed to be acceptance of those changes, so please check the Policy periodically for updates.

Children Under the Age of 13

The platform is intended only for adults aged 18 or older. Words of Veterans does not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you are under 13, do not use the platform. By using the platform, you represent and warrant you are (i) 18 years or older, (ii) a member or former member of the U.S. military, and (iii) not providing any controlled or classified data.

Information We Collect

We collect personal information that you disclose to us depending on how you interact with Words of Veterans. For example,

• Words of Veterans collects personal information such as your name, phone number, email address, physical address, and any information voluntarily provided to Words of Veterans when you create an account or contact Words of Veterans through email or chat services.
• Words of Veterans may also collect other personal information regarding your interaction with the platform, including usage information, the items you browse, your device’s internet protocol address, and your geographic location.
• Words of Veterans allows you the opportunity to use generative AI to help complete your story. If you do not opt out, information in your story can be used to train the AI system.

Payments are made via third party payment processors. Words of Veterans does not collect or process financial information.

How We Collect Your Information

Words of Veterans may collect your personal information when you create an account or when you manually provide your personal information, or choose to add your email contacts, when using the platform. For example, we may collect your personal information when you:

• Purchase our services.
• Sign up for an account.
• Print Your Book.
• Choose to use Words of Veterans’ AI Enhancement and/or Share Your Story services.
• Contact customer service.
• Submit an email, chat, or other electronic message to us.
• Post, like, follow, or otherwise interact with us on any social media account, including but not limited to, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Reddit, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, or YouTube all of which are included within the definition of platform.
• Sign up for a Words of Veterans’ newsletter and promotional communications.

There are also instances where we automatically receive and collect non-personal information from you. The most common sources of this information include the following:

Information Automatically Collected

Some information, such as your Internet Protocol (IP) and/or browser and device characteristics is automatically provided when you use the platform. This information does not generally reveal your specific identity (like name or contact information), however, sometimes it can be combined with other information that does identify you. This automatically collected information typically includes the name of the domain and host from which you access the Internet; the IP address of the device and the browser you are using; the date and time you access the platform; the Internet address of the website from which you linked directly to the platform; and the pages you visit. The information Words of Veterans receives depends on the settings on your web browser. Please check your browser to determine what information your browser sends or how to change your settings. This information is generally used to maintain the security and operations of the Words of Veterans platform. It is useful for analytics and reporting.

Cookies and Tracking Tools

Words of Veterans and its Third-Party Vendors use tracking technologies, including, but not limited to, “cookies” to collect information and support certain features of the platform. This is done so we can personalize and enhance your browsing experience. Cookies are small files placed in your browser to collect information about your activities on the platform. We may use cookies and similar technologies to:

• Collect information about the way you use the platform, including the pages you visit, the links you use, and how long you stay on each page.
• Support the features and functionality of the platform. For example, remembering information you provided so you do not have to re-type it.
• Personalize your experience when you use the platform.
• Improve Words of Veterans’ marketing of its other services, including through using targeted advertising.

Browsers typically are set to create cookies automatically. Although you are not required to accept cookies when you visit the website, you may be unable to use all of the functionality of the website if you set your browser to reject cookies.

Third Party Analytics

Words of Veterans may work with Third-Party Vendors including, but not limited to, analytics software vendors, to help us better understand how you use the platform. These Third-Party Vendors may place cookies in your browser to collect information, such as how you were referred to the platform, how you navigate the platform, and what traffic is driven by certain marketing methods. This information will help us to better serve you and provide you with more personalized information and service offerings.

If you want to limit or disable analytics cookies, you can choose to have your browser notify you when cookies are being written to your computer or when cookies are accessed, or you can disable cookies entirely.

How We Use Your Information

We use your personal information to provide you with effective customer service and to administer our business which includes reporting to nonprofit partners who provide grants for vouchers. Generally, we use information collected to:

• Create and manage user accounts.
• Provide you with a personalized, low hassle experience.
• Deliver additional information on all the services offered by Words of Veterans.
• Contact you with information and notices related to your use of the platform.
• Improve our marketing and promotional efforts.
• Connect you with opportunities to donate to those serving veterans.
• To allow you to share your story (“User Generated Content” defined below) with others whose email addresses you provide as described in this Policy or the Terms.
• To allow you to post your story as described in this Policy or the Terms.
• To provide information about you and your use of the platform to the nonprofit partner who provided the grant that funded your voucher.
• For debugging, security, or fraud prevention purposes.
• To provide assistance and support as needed.
• For any other purpose identified in this Policy.

We may ask you to provide us with information regarding your personal interests and experience to customize our products and services for you.

OpenAI and ChatGPT

OpenAI is a research and development company, headquartered in San Francisco, California, that develops and releases artificial intelligence (“AI”) models, including ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a generative AI chat tool built using OpenAI’s proprietary language models. ChatGPT is designed to engage in conversations with users. It can create responses based on patterns from existing data sets.

Words of Veterans offers you the option to use ChatGPT to assist with writing your story. If you elect to use ChatGPT, you will be asked to provide payment to for ChatGPT tokens. These tokens are like fees processing your requests and allow access to the applicable programming interface (“API”) used by ChatGPT. Your use of ChatGPT will be governed by OpenAI’s privacy policy and terms of use, which you should review before using ChatGPT. ChatGPT is a new technology and legal issues surrounding its use continue to evolve. For instance, there are questions regarding whether you will own ChatGPT assisted responses and about the privacy and security of information you input to ChatGPT. OpenAI’s terms of use explain that information input to ChatGPT will be stored and used to build the predictive models.

You have no obligation to purchase or use ChatGPT in connection with your story. Use of this technology is not required for successful use of the Words of Veterans platform.

Payment and Donation Processing

We utilize the third-party payment platforms, Stripe and PayPal, to conduct all financial transactions associated with our services. We do not use, observe or store your credit card or bank details. Your financial information is collected via secure means by Stripe or PayPal, and we rely on Stripe and PayPal to securely handle such transactions on our behalf. The privacy and use of your financial information provided to Stripe or PayPal is governed by each vendor’s own privacy policy.

How We Share Your Information

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties. However, we may use third party service providers to monitor and analyze your use of our services. Further, we may share your personal information with unaffiliated third parties as follows:

With Third-Party Vendors

We may share information with Third-Party Vendors who act for us, including but not limited to third-party hosting and communication service providers and analytics providers such as Google Analytics and Meta Pixel. Further, Words of Veterans may use Third-Party Vendors to design and operate the platform, or to send out a Words of Veterans newsletter or promotional communications. These Third-Party Vendors may need information about you to perform their functions. We may also share information with Third-Party Vendors who aggregate and analyze data on our behalf.

With Other Users of this Website

You will be able to submit User-Generated Content on or through the platform. User-Generated Content or “UGC” refers to any content you create and post using the platform. You may choose to keep your UGC private. However, if you choose to share your UGC publicly, any personal information contained in UGC can be read, collected, or used by others. We may use UGC you submit for advertising campaigns or other promotions. If you choose to share publicly on or forward information to selected email addresses through the platform, you should have no expectation of privacy with respect to UGC you submit.

With Grant Providers

If you use a voucher funded by a grant, we may track your use of the platform and share this platform usage, and/or other personally identifiable information about you, with the grant provider. For instances, we may provide grant providers: your voucher number, when your book shipped, your email and/or mailing address, and your name (if provided by you).

With Third-Party Social Media Platforms

Words of Veterans may provide functionality on its platform allowing you to automatically post information about actions you take on the platform to third-party social media platforms included within the definition of platform, such as LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. If you choose to take advantage of this functionality, others may be able to see the actions you have taken. If you choose to link your profile on this platform with an account on a third-party social media platform, we may share personal information with that third-party platform.

As Required by Law and to Protect Words of Veterans’ Rights and the Rights of Others

We may disclose your personal information when we have a good faith belief that disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law, a court order, or a subpoena. Words of Veterans also may disclose your personal information to enforce or apply the terms of any of our Policies or Terms or to protect the rights, property, or safety of Words of Veterans, our employees, or any user of our website, platform or services.

As Part of a Business Transfer

Your personal information may be shared or transferred in connection with, or during negotiation, of a business transfer, if, for example, Words of Veterans transfers the ownership or operation of our platform to another organization, or if Words of Veterans merges with another organization.

How We Protect Your Information

We care about protecting your information and we seek to implement commercially reasonable practices to help safeguard your personal information and to prevent unauthorized access and disclosure. We use industry-standard technology and security measures in the transmission of certain sensitive personal information, designed to prevent unauthorized persons from gaining access to your personal information. Additionally, you have the ability to opt into two factor verification to better prevent unauthorized access to your information. You can select this option from the Your Profile section of the Words of Veterans website.

You should also help protect your information by protecting your login and password information, limiting access to your devices and signing out of your account. Please be aware that no transmission or storage of information via the Internet is completely secure. Although we do our best to secure your personal information, WE CANNOT AND DO NOT GUARANTEE THE SECURITY OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION TRANSMITTED ON OUR PLATFORM.

Retention of Personal Information

We retain the personal information collected on the platform as long as necessary to (i) provide the services and information you request and (ii) maintain the reports requested by nonprofit partners or as permitted by applicable law.

California Privacy Rights and Other U.S. State Notifications

Under California Civil Code Section § 1798.83 known as the “Shine the Light” law, if you are a California resident you have the right to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for our direct marketing purposes once a year without charge. If you are a California resident and would like to make such a request, please send an email to alex@wordsofveterans.com with the subject line “California Privacy Rights Request.”

California residents may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (“CCPA”), as amended by the California Privacy Rights Act, to request certain information about Words of Veterans collection and use of personal information over the past 12 months, including:

• Categories of personal information we have collected about you.
• Categories of sources from which personal information was collected.
• The purpose business or commercial purpose for collecting or selling your personal information.
• The categories of third parties with whom we have shared/enabled you to share your personal information.
• The specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you.

Depending on the type of personal information we collect and how it is used, you may have the following rights:

• to correct inaccurate personal information.
• to request that we delete the personal information we have collected about you
• to opt out of the sale of your personal information
• to opt out of sharing your personal information for behavioral advertising reasons.

You may authorize an agent to exercise these rights by providing him or her written permission to exercise rights on your behalf (an “Authorized Agent.”) To exercise your rights, you or your Authorized Agent must send Words of Veterans a request which provides sufficient information for us to verify that you are the person about whom we collected personal information, and provides a specific request for us to evaluate and respond.

Words of Veterans will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights under the CCPA. We will not deny you services or provide different services based on the exercise of your rights. However, the level of personal information provided to Words of Veterans may impact the price or level of services that we are able to provide.

The California Online Privacy Protection Act (“CalOPPA”) requires this Policy to address how Words of Veterans responds to any “Do-Not-Track (DNT) Signals.” Because of the changing state of technology, we do not guarantee we will or can honor DNT signals.

If any other U.S. State requires us to provide, upon your request, certain information to you now or in the future, please send us an email at alex@wordsofveterans.com with any such request.

Questions About Your Information

If you have questions or concerns about this Policy, or to review, correct, or update your personal information, please contact Words of Veterans by sending an email to alex@wordsofveterans.com with the subject line “Privacy Rights.”

This Privacy Policy May Change

We reserve the right to update or modify this Policy at any time and without prior notice, by posting the revised version of the Policy on our website. The date the Policy was last revised is identified at the top of this page.

Information Transfer Outside the United States

Words of Veterans is owned and operated by Alex Sebby LLC, a United States limited liability company headquartered in Virginia.

We may, however, transfer your information to Third-Party Vendors and other third parties located outside of the United States or your country of residence. Data privacy laws vary from country to country and may not be equivalent to, or as protective as, the laws in your home country. By accepting cookies and providing us with your information, you acknowledge any such transfer, storage, or use.