Privacy Policy

1. Introduction

The World Advertising Council ("WAC," "we," "us," or "our") is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website advertisingcouncil.world, use our services, or interact with our organization.

By accessing or using our services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our policies and practices, please do not use our services.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal Information

We may collect personal information that you voluntarily provide to us when you:

• Register for membership or create an account
• Request an advertising audit or consultation
• Apply for agency accreditation
• Apply to start a WAC chapter
• Subscribe to our newsletter or communications
• Contact us through our website or email
• Participate in surveys, events, or training programs

This information may include:

• Name and contact information (email address, phone number, mailing address)
• Company or organization name
• Professional title and background
• Payment and billing information
• City, region, and country
• Any other information you choose to provide

2.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information about your device and browsing behavior, including:

• IP address and location data
• Browser type and version
• Operating system
• Pages visited and time spent on pages
• Referring website addresses
• Device identifiers
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see our Cookie Policy)

3. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for various purposes, including:

• To provide, maintain, and improve our services
• To process membership applications and manage accounts
• To conduct advertising audits and provide consultations
• To match businesses with suitable agencies
• To verify agency credentials and manage accreditation
• To process payments and manage subscriptions
• To send administrative information, updates, and communications
• To respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• To send marketing communications (with your consent)
• To organize events, training programs, and conferences
• To analyze usage patterns and improve user experience
• To detect, prevent, and address technical issues and fraud
• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms

4. Information Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

4.1 Service Providers

We may share information with third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf, such as payment processing, hosting, analytics, email delivery, and customer support.

4.2 Agency Matching

With your consent, we may share relevant information with verified agencies as part of our agency matching program to facilitate partnerships.

4.3 Public Directory

If you are a member or accredited agency, certain information (such as company name, location, and contact details) may be displayed in our public directory.

4.4 Legal Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law, court order, or government regulation, or if we believe disclosure is necessary to protect our rights, property, or safety, or that of others.

4.5 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of that transaction.

5. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

We use industry-standard encryption, secure servers, and access controls to safeguard your data. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any account credentials.

6. Your Rights and Choices

Depending on your location, you may have certain rights regarding your personal information, including:

• Access: Request access to your personal information
• Correction: Request correction of inaccurate or incomplete information
• Deletion: Request deletion of your personal information
• Portability: Request transfer of your data to another service
• Objection: Object to processing of your personal information
• Withdrawal: Withdraw consent where processing is based on consent
• Opt-out: Unsubscribe from marketing communications

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@advertisingcouncil.world.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law. When we no longer need your information, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

8. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your country of residence. These countries may have data protection laws that differ from those in your country. We take appropriate safeguards to ensure your information receives adequate protection.

9. Children's Privacy

Our services are not intended for individuals under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the "Last Updated" date. You are advised to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.

11. Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us: