Privacy Statement

Last Updated: January 2026

Our Commitment

Democracy Spark serves grassroots organizations doing democracy defense work. That work requires discretion. This privacy statement explains what information we collect, how we protect it, and why you can trust us with your communications.

What We Collect

When you contact us:

• Your email address

• Your organization’s name and mission (if you choose to share it)

• Information about your project needs

• Any content you share for collaboration

When you contribute to support Democracy Spark on Substack:

• Payment information processed through Substack’s secure payment provider (Stripe)

• The contribution amount and date

(All Democracy Spark subscriptions are free. Contributions are voluntary support to help this work continue.)

When you visit our website:

• Basic technical information (browser type, device, pages visited)

• This is standard website analytics that helps us improve the site

What We DON’T Collect

We don’t use tracking cookies. We don’t sell your information. We don’t share your data with advertisers or third parties for marketing purposes. Period.

How We Use Your Information

To serve you: We use your contact information to collaborate on writing projects and deliver completed work.

To process voluntary contributions: If you choose to support Democracy Spark financially through Substack, Stripe handles those transactions securely.

To improve our service: We review website analytics to understand how people use the site.

That’s it. We’re not building marketing profiles. We’re not tracking your behavior across the internet. We’re providing a service.

How We Protect Your Information

True ghostwriting means true confidentiality. What you share with us about your organization, your work, and your projects stays confidential. We don’t disclose client relationships without explicit permission.

Security measures:

• Secure encrypted email communication (democracyspark@pm.me)

• Secure payment processing through industry-standard providers

• Limited data retention - we only keep what’s necessary for service delivery

• No unnecessary data sharing with third parties

Your Rights

You have the right to:

• Request what information we have about you

• Request correction or deletion of your information

• Withdraw consent for us to use your information

• Opt out of future communications

Just email us at democracyspark@pm.me and we’ll respond within 7 business days.

Third-Party Services

We use trusted service providers for:

• Newsletter platform: Substack hosts our free newsletter. If readers choose to contribute financially to support this work, Stripe processes those voluntary contributions.

• Email service: ProtonMail provides encrypted email communication for client work

• Website hosting: [Host name] provides secure hosting for democracyspark.org

Client work payments: When you work with Democracy Spark on writing projects, payment arrangements are handled directly between you and us, separate from the Substack platform.

These services have their own privacy policies. We chose providers who respect privacy and security.

Data Retention

We keep project-related information only as long as necessary to deliver your work and provide any follow-up support you need. After that, we securely delete or anonymize it.

Financial records are retained for tax and accounting purposes as required by law (typically 7 years).

Changes to This Statement

If we make significant changes to this privacy statement, we’ll update the date at the top and notify you through our website and newsletter.

Children’s Privacy

Democracy Spark is not directed at individuals under 18. We don’t knowingly collect information from minors.

Contact Us

Questions about privacy? Concerns about your data? Want to exercise your rights?

Email: democracyspark@pm.me

We’ll respond within 7 business days.

Legal Basis

Democracy Spark operates as Bigger Than Me Democracy Project LLC. This privacy statement applies to democracyspark.org and all Democracy Spark services.

For organizations outside the United States: We comply with applicable international privacy regulations. Contact us if you have specific questions about how your local privacy laws apply to our service.

The Bottom Line

Democracy defense work requires trust. We take your privacy seriously because your work matters and deserves protection. We collect minimal information, protect what we have, and never use your data for anything beyond serving your organization’s needs.

If you have questions or concerns, we’re always available at democracyspark@pm.me.