OFER AI Privacy Policy 

Effective Date: September 4, 2026 
Last Updated: September 4, 2026 

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OFER AI ("OFER AI," "we," "us," or "our") operates the OFER AI membership and community website (the "Site") and related programs, forums, research initiatives, surveys, and events (collectively, the "Services"). This Privacy Policy explains what personal information we collect, how we use it, when and how we share it, the choices you have, and the rights available to you under U.S. federal and state privacy laws. 

By creating an account, verifying your membership, or otherwise using the Services, you acknowledge the practices described in this Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services. 

 

1. Scope of This Policy 

This Policy applies to personal information we collect from and about: 

• Applicants for OFER AI membership 

• Verified OFER AI members 

• Participants in OFER AI surveys, forums, working groups, and research projects 

• Visitors to our public web properties, and 

• Individuals who contact us by email, form, phone, or SMS 

It does not apply to third-party websites, tools, or platforms that we link to or integrate with (for example, external event registration, social networks, or embedded content). Those services are governed by their own privacy policies. 

 

2. Membership Verification and Why It Is Required 

OFER AI is a verified-member community. Because a substantial part of our mission involves research, education, and public-interest reporting, the integrity of member-generated data depends on knowing that responses come from real, uniquely identifiable individuals rather than automated accounts, duplicate accounts, or unverifiable sources. 

To that end, every member is required to provide the following information during account creation: 

• Mobile telephone number — used to send a one-time verification code and, thereafter, for account security alerts, critical service notices, and, if you opt in, transactional SMS notifications (for example, event reminders and member announcements). We do not send marketing SMS. Message and data rates may apply. You may reply STOP at any time to opt out of non-essential SMS. 

• Email address — used to verify your identity, deliver account and security notices, respond to your inquiries, and, where you opt in, send member communications and program updates. 

• Postal address — used to confirm eligibility, provide legally required notices, prevent duplicate or fraudulent accounts, and, in limited cases, mail materials you have requested. 

If you do not provide and successfully verify this information, we cannot create or maintain a membership account for you. 

 

3. Information We Collect 

3.1 Information You Provide Directly 

• Account and profile data: name, mobile number, email address, postal address, username, password (stored in hashed form), profile details, professional background, and any optional demographic fields you choose to complete. 

• Verification data: verification codes, timestamps, IP address at time of verification, device attributes used for anti-fraud checks, and records of the verification decision. 

• Content you submit: forum posts, comments, messages, uploaded files, survey and form responses, event registrations, and any other content you contribute to the Services. 

• Payment information (if applicable): if OFER AI charges dues or event fees, payments are processed by a PCI-compliant third-party payment processor. We do not store full card numbers on our systems. 

• Correspondence: the content of emails, form submissions, and support tickets you send us. 

3.2 Information Collected Automatically 

• Usage data: pages viewed, features used, referring URLs, session duration, and interactions with content and communications. 

• Device and log data: IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device identifiers, language settings, and time stamps. 

• Cookies and similar technologies: used for authentication, session management, security, preferences, and aggregate analytics. You can control cookies through your browser settings; disabling required cookies may prevent you from logging in or using key features. 

3.3 Information from Third Parties 

• Verification and anti-fraud providers that help confirm the phone number, email, or address you supplied is valid and associated with you. 

• Service providers that support hosting, email delivery, SMS delivery, analytics, and event management. 

• Public sources, where appropriate, to confirm professional affiliations disclosed during application. 

 

4. How We Use Personal Information 

We use personal information to: 

1. Create, verify, secure, and administer your membership account. 

1. Deliver the Services you request, including forums, surveys, events, publications, and member communications. 

1. Send transactional messages (verification codes, security alerts, service notices, and, where you opt in, event and program reminders by email or SMS). 

1. Prevent, detect, and respond to fraud, abuse, spam, duplicate accounts, and violations of our Terms. 

1. Comply with legal obligations, respond to lawful requests, and enforce our agreements. 

1. Improve the Services, including quality, safety, accessibility, and user experience. 

1. Conduct research and produce educational and public-interest reporting, as described in  
   Section 5. 

We do not use your personal information for automated decisions that produce legal or similarly significant effects about you without meaningful human review. 

 

5. Research Use of Member Data 

Research and public-interest analysis are core to OFER AI's mission. Our commitments are: 

• De-identified by default. For general research, analysis, publications, dashboards, and aggregate reporting, we use de-identified member information, form responses, and survey data. De-identification means we remove or obscure direct identifiers (name, email, phone, address, precise account ID) and apply reasonable technical and organizational measures to prevent re-identification. 

• PII excluded unless you opt in. Personally identifiable information ("PII") is excluded from research datasets unless you have expressly opted in to a specific research project that requires identified data. Any such opt-in describes the project, the identified data involved, how long it will be retained, and how you can withdraw. 

• Verified sources only. Because research validity depends on authentic participation, only responses from verified members are included in research datasets. This is why verification of mobile, email, and address is a condition of membership. 

• No sale of PII. We do not sell, rent, or trade PII, and we do not provide PII-linked information to external parties for their own marketing, advertising, or independent research use. 

• External collaborators. Where research is conducted with academic, nonprofit, journalistic, or other external collaborators, they receive only de-identified or aggregated data unless you have separately opted in to a project that shares identified data. 

• Publication. Results are published in aggregate or de-identified form. Individual quotes or examples are used only with your prior permission. 

You may withdraw from future research use of your de-identified data at any time by contacting us at admin@oferai.org. Withdrawal does not require us to retrieve data that has already been irreversibly de-identified, aggregated, or published, but we will exclude your information from datasets used in future studies. 

 

6. How We Share Information 

We share personal information only in the following circumstances: 

• Service providers and processors who host our infrastructure, deliver email and SMS, process payments, provide verification and anti-fraud services, host events, and provide analytics. They are bound by contract to use the information only to provide services to us and to protect it appropriately. 

• Within the member community, only the profile fields you choose to make visible to other members (for example, display name and public bio). Your mobile number, email, and postal address are not visible to other members. 

• Legal, safety, and rights protection, when we believe in good faith that disclosure is required by law, subpoena, court order, or governmental request, or is necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of OFER AI, our members, or the public. 

• Business transitions, such as a merger, acquisition, financing, or transfer of assets, in which case we will require the successor to honor the commitments in this Policy or provide notice and choice to the extent required by law. 

• With your consent, for any purpose disclosed at the time we ask for that consent. 

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share your personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. 

 

7. Your Choices 

• Account information. You can review and update most account information from your member profile, or by contacting us. 

• Email communications. You may unsubscribe from optional email communications using the link in each message. Transactional messages (security, verification, service notices) are required to operate your account. 

• SMS communications. Verification codes and critical account alerts are required for a verified account. Optional transactional SMS (event reminders, member announcements) is opt-in; reply STOP to opt out. 

• Cookies. Manage cookies through your browser or device settings. 

• Research participation. Opt out of future research use of your de-identified data by emailing admin@oferai.org. 

• Account closure. Request deletion of your account as described in Sections 8 and 10. 

 

8. Data Retention 

We retain personal information only as long as needed for the purposes described in this Policy: 

• Account data is retained for the life of your membership and for a reasonable period afterward to handle disputes, comply with legal obligations, and prevent fraud. 

• Verification records are retained as needed to demonstrate that verification occurred and to detect duplicate or fraudulent accounts. 

• Research datasets are retained in de-identified or aggregated form and may be kept indefinitely for longitudinal analysis and reproducibility. Identified datasets tied to specific opt-in research projects are retained only for the period disclosed in that project's consent. 

• Logs and security data are retained for a limited period consistent with security and legal needs. 

When retention ends, we delete, destroy, or irreversibly de-identify the information. 

 

9. Security 

We use administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information, including encryption in transit, access controls, least-privilege permissions, monitoring, and staff training. No method of transmission or storage is perfectly secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security. If we become aware of a security incident affecting your personal information, we will notify you as required by applicable law. 

 

10. Your U.S. State Privacy Rights 

Depending on your state of residence, you may have some or all of the following rights with respect to personal information we hold about you: 

• Right to know / access the categories and specific pieces of personal information we have collected about you. 

• Right to correct inaccurate personal information. 

• Right to delete personal information, subject to legal exceptions. 

• Right to portability, to receive your information in a portable format. 

• Right to opt out of sale, sharing for cross-context behavioral advertising, or certain profiling. As stated above, we do not engage in these activities. 

• Right to limit use of sensitive personal information, where applicable. 

• Right to non-discrimination for exercising your privacy rights. 

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California (CCPA/CPRA), Virginia (VCDPA), Colorado (CPA), Connecticut (CTDPA), Utah (UCPA), Texas (TDPSA), Oregon (OCPA), Montana, and other state laws: the above rights are available where those laws apply. In the last twelve months, we have collected the categories of personal information listed in Section 3 for the purposes described in Section 4. We have not sold personal information and have not shared personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising. 

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How to exercise your rights. Email admin@oferai.org with the subject line "Privacy Request" and describe your request. We will verify your identity using information we already hold (for example, control of your verified email or mobile number). We will respond within the timeframe required by applicable law, generally 45 days. You may designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf; we will require written authorization and identity verification. 

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Appeals. If we decline your request in whole or in part, you may appeal by replying to our response with the word "Appeal." Where required by law (for example, Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, Texas), you may also contact your state attorney general if you disagree with our appeal decision. 

 

11. Children's Privacy 

The Services are intended for adults. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you believe a child has provided us personal information, contact admin@oferai.org and we will delete it. 

 

12. International Users 

The Services are operated from the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, you understand that your information will be transferred to, stored in, and processed in the United States, which may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. 

 

13. Third-Party Links and Integrations 

The Services may contain links to or integrations with third-party sites and services. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties. Please review their privacy policies before providing them any personal information. 

 

14. 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 and, for material changes, provide additional notice (for example, by email or an in-product notice) before the changes take effect. Your continued use of the Services after the effective date constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy. 

 

15. Governing Law 

This Policy is governed by the laws of the State of Georgia, without regard to conflict-of-laws principles, except where a more protective U.S. state privacy law applies to a resident of that state. 

 

16. Contact Us 

For privacy questions, requests, or complaints, contact: 

OFER AI — Privacy 
Email: admin@oferai.org 

Please include enough information for us to locate your account and respond meaningfully to your request.