Privacy Policy

Overview

Designed, Inc. (“Designed,” “we,” or “us”) operates designed.org. This policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, and the choices you have. By using the website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

We have never, and will never, sell your personal data. We are a non-profit, not an advertising business. We collect only what we need to run the platform and support our community, and we share it only in the narrow circumstances described below.

Information we collect

To provide and improve the service, we may ask you for, or automatically record, certain information:

• Account information you give us when you sign up or edit your profile — such as your name, email address, and any profile details, links, or images you choose to add.
• Content you create on the platform, including portfolio work, comments, messages, and mentorship activity.
• Usage and device data collected automatically, such as your IP address, browser type and version, the pages you visit, and the time and date of your visits (see “Log files” and “Cookies” below).

How we use your information

We use the information we collect to:

• provide, operate, and maintain the platform;
• create and manage your account and your profile;
• connect you with mentors, mentees, and other members of the community;
• communicate with you about your account, updates, and support requests;
• understand how the platform is used so we can improve it; and
• detect, prevent, and address technical issues, abuse, and violations of our terms.

Log files

Like most services, we use log files. These record visitors when they use the site and may include IP addresses, browser type, internet service provider, date and time stamps, referring and exit pages, and the number of clicks. This information is not linked to anything personally identifiable; we use it to analyze trends, administer the site, and gather broad demographic information.

Cookies

We use cookies to keep you signed in, remember your preferences, and understand how the site is used. You can instruct your browser to refuse cookies or to tell you when one is being sent; if you do, some parts of the platform may not function properly.

Service providers

We rely on a small number of trusted third parties to run the platform — for example, cloud hosting, authentication, and email delivery. These providers process data only on our behalf and only to perform the tasks we assign them, and they are obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose. We do not share your data with advertising networks or data brokers.

Your rights under the CCPA

If you are a California resident, you have the right to request that we disclose the categories and specific pieces of personal data we hold about you; request that we delete the personal data we hold about you; and request that we correct inaccurate personal data. We do not sell personal data, so there is nothing to opt out of. To exercise any of these rights, submit a request through our help center, or email community@designed.org if you would rather write to us directly. We have one month to respond.

Your rights under the GDPR

If you are in the European Economic Area, you are entitled to the following. We want you to be fully aware of all of your data protection rights:

• The right to access — request copies of your personal data.
• The right to rectification — request that we correct information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.
• The right to erasure — request that we erase your personal data, under certain conditions. You can also delete your account yourself at any time.
• The right to restrict processing — request that we restrict the processing of your data, under certain conditions.
• The right to object to processing — object to our processing of your data, under certain conditions.
• The right to data portability — request that we transfer the data we have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.

If you make a request, we have one month to respond. To exercise any of these rights, submit a request through our help center, or email community@designed.org if you would rather write to us directly.

Minors

Designed’s current membership platform is for adults aged 18 and over. It is not directed to anyone under 18, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from anyone under 18. If we learn that an account belongs to someone under 18, we close it and remove the personal information attached to it.

If you believe someone under 18 has provided us with personal information, contact us at community@designed.org and we will promptly remove it from our records.

Our Age Suitability page describes what is on the platform, how members can contact each other, and how we handle age, for parents, guardians and educators.

Changes to this policy

We may update this policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the “last updated” date at the top of this page. We encourage you to review it periodically.

Contact us

If you have any questions about this policy or how we handle your data, submit a request through our help center.