Privacy policy

Introduction. DepressionResource.org, a publication of shrinkMD Publishing, LLC, respects the privacy of the people who visit this site. This policy explains what information we collect, how it's used, how it's shared, how it's protected, and the choices available to readers. This policy is written in plain language. Where the law requires technical language, we add it.

Scope. This policy applies to information collected through depressionresource.org and any subdomain we operate. It doesn't apply to third-party sites linked from depressionresource.org. Those sites have their own policies.

Information we collect automatically

When you visit the site, we and our service providers may automatically collect technical information, including:

• IP address (often truncated for analytics)
• Browser type and version
• Operating system and device type
• Referring website
• Pages viewed and time spent on each
• Date and time of visit
• General geographic region (country or state)

We use this information to operate, secure, and improve the site. We don't use it to identify individual readers.

Information you provide

If you contact us by email, the email address and any information sent in the message are used only to respond to the inquiry. We don't request medical history, symptoms, or personal health information through the site, and we ask that you not send such information by email.

Cookies and similar technologies

We use Google Analytics 4 to measure how the site is used. When you accept analytics on the consent banner, Google Analytics sets one or two first-party cookies in your browser (typically _ga and _ga_G-77KNDWGYP9). If you decline, or if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, no analytics cookies are set and no measurement events are recorded to your device. See the Cookie Policy for the full list, purposes, and durations. You can change your choice at any time using the "Cookie preferences" link in the site footer.

Analytics

We use Google Analytics 4 (property G-77KNDWGYP9) with Google Consent Mode v2 configured to default every storage category to denied. Analytics runs only after you accept on the consent banner. When accepted, Google Analytics records page views, aggregate device and browser information, and clicks on links to other sites in The Shrink Network (recorded as a network_journey_click event with only the destination hostname and a campaign label, never any information about you). We enable IP anonymization on all measurement calls. We do not use Google Signals, we do not enable ads personalization, we do not enable Google Analytics for advertising or remarketing, and we do not link Google Analytics data to any Google Ads account.

If you decline on the banner, or if your browser sends a Global Privacy Control signal, Consent Mode v2 keeps analytics storage denied for the entire session. Google Analytics still receives modeled, aggregate signals with no user or device identifier under that state; these do not set cookies and cannot be traced back to you. See Google's Google Analytics data practices for details.

We do not run advertising tracking. We do not sell information to data brokers. We do not use any third-party analytics beyond Google Analytics.

Children

This site is intended for general audiences. It isn't directed to children under 13 and we don't knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child under 13 has provided us with information, contact [email protected] and we'll delete it.

How we share information

We don't sell personal information. We share information only:

• With service providers (analytics, hosting, security) who process information on our behalf under contractual obligations.
• When required by law, valid legal process, or to protect rights and safety.
• With a successor entity in the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets.

International readers

This site is operated from the United States. If you're reading from outside the United States, information you provide may be processed in the United States. By using the site, you understand and agree to this transfer.

California rights: sale, sharing, and SPI

We don't sell or share personal information as defined under the CCPA/CPRA, including for cross-context behavioral advertising. We don't knowingly collect or use "sensitive personal information" as defined by the CPRA, including health information. Inferences drawn from your visit are limited to aggregate usage analytics.

In the last 12 months we've collected the following CCPA categories: Identifiers (truncated IP), Internet or network activity (pages viewed, referring URL, browser, device), Geolocation (general region only), and Inferences drawn from usage. Sources: directly from your device. Business purposes: site operation, security, analytics, and legal compliance. Disclosed to: analytics and hosting providers acting as service providers under contract.

We honor the Global Privacy Control browser signal as an opt-out of any sale or share. We don't offer any financial incentives in exchange for personal information.

State law list

Depending on where you live, you may have rights under the GDPR, the UK GDPR, the CCPA/CPRA (California), the VCDPA (Virginia), the CPA (Colorado), the CTDPA (Connecticut), the UCPA (Utah), the TDPSA (Texas), the MCDPA (Montana), the OCPA (Oregon), the DPDPA (Delaware), the TIPA (Tennessee), the NHPA (New Hampshire), the NJDPA (New Jersey), the IPA (Iowa), the INCDPA (Indiana), the MOPA (Minnesota), the Washington My Health My Data Act (MHMDA), the Nevada Consumer Health Data Privacy Law, and the Maryland Online Data Privacy Act, among others. Rights vary by state. Contact us to exercise rights in your jurisdiction.

Your rights

These rights may include:

• The right to access information we hold about you.
• The right to correct inaccurate information.
• The right to delete information.
• The right to restrict or object to processing.
• The right to data portability.
• The right to withdraw consent where processing is based on consent.
• The right not to be discriminated against for exercising your rights.

To exercise any of these rights, contact [email protected]. We respond within the time required by law in your jurisdiction.

Right to appeal

If we deny your request, you may appeal by replying to our response within 60 days. We'll respond to appeals within 60 days. If you aren't satisfied with the appeal outcome, you may contact your state attorney general.

Authorized agent

You may designate an authorized agent to submit a request on your behalf. We may verify the agent's authority and your identity before responding.

GDPR lawful basis

For readers in the EU and UK, our lawful basis under GDPR Article 6 depends on what we are processing. Delivering pages, securing the site, and complying with legal obligations rely on legitimate interests. Google Analytics runs only under Article 6(1)(a) consent, obtained through the consent banner. Consent Mode v2 keeps analytics storage denied until that consent is granted. You can withdraw consent at any time using the "Cookie preferences" link in the site footer, with effect for future sessions. We do not rely on any special-category lawful basis because we do not knowingly process health data through this site.

International transfers

Where personal data is transferred from the EEA or UK to the United States, the transfer is supported by the European Commission's Standard Contractual Clauses and the UK International Data Transfer Addendum. The transfer is limited to the technical information needed to deliver pages from our hosting provider.

Do Not Track

We honor the Global Privacy Control (GPC) browser signal as an opt-out of analytics and any sale or share. When your browser sends GPC, we treat it as an implicit decline on the consent banner and do not set analytics cookies. We do not respond to the older Do Not Track header, which the major browsers have deprecated. We do not use the kind of cross-site tracking either signal was designed to limit.

Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards to protect the information we collect. No method of transmission over the internet or method of electronic storage is 100% secure, and we can't guarantee absolute security.

Retention

We keep information only for as long as needed for the purposes described in this policy. Server logs are retained for 14 months. Email correspondence is retained for 36 months unless retained longer for legal reasons. Google Analytics cookies expire on your device according to Google's default schedule (_ga after 2 years, _ga_<property_id> after 2 years); we have configured Google Analytics user-data retention to the shortest supported setting.

Changes to this policy

We update this policy when our practices change. The current version is dated at the bottom of the page. Material changes will be flagged on the site.

Contact

Questions about this policy can be sent to [email protected], or by mail to:

Please don't include medical history, symptoms, or other protected health information in email. Email isn't a secure channel and isn't monitored for clinical purposes.