Privacy Policy

Urban Firearm Society LLC ("Urban Firearm Society," "we," "us," or "our"), based in Boston, Massachusetts, operates www.urbanfirearmsociety.com (the "Website") and the student portal at my.urbanfirearmsociety.com (the "Portal"), and provides firearms training and related educational services (together with the Website and Portal, the "Services").

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard personal information when you use our Services or attend our classes. By using the Services, you agree to this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please do not use the Services.

Information We Collect

Information you provide online

When you register for a class on the Website, we (or our payment processor on our behalf) may collect:

• Full name (first and last name; middle name and suffix if provided)
• Email address
• Phone number
• Optional referral source
• Billing address
• Payment information (processed by Stripe; we do not store full card numbers on our servers)

For students under 18, a parent or legal guardian must complete registration and payment. Minors are not issued Portal accounts.

Student Portal account information

If you create or use a Portal account, we may collect or store:

• Account identifiers (such as email address)
• Authentication data related to email one-time passcodes (OTP)
• Profile information you choose to provide or edit
• Profile pictures you upload
• Community or chat messages and related activity
• Marketing email consent preferences (including consent given in the Portal)

Information collected in person

During class, our instructors or staff may verify identity using a government-issued photo ID. We may collect:

• Identity fields from the ID, including full name (first, middle, last, and suffix where available), date of birth, and address
• Photos of the ID, which may be stored temporarily as described below
• Marketing email consent, when you provide it on an in-person waiver form
• Photo or video consent, when we ask and you agree to class photography or recording

Automatically collected information

When you visit the Website or Portal, we and our service providers may automatically collect device and usage information such as IP address, browser type, pages visited, approximate location derived from IP, referring URLs, and timestamps. This may be collected through cookies and similar technologies, including Google Analytics and Vercel Analytics / Speed Insights.

How We Use Your Information

We use personal information to:

• Process class registrations and payments
• Verify identity and maintain class attendance and training records
• Operate and secure the Website and Portal
• Send transactional emails (such as registration confirmations and post-class thank-you messages)
• Send marketing emails only if you have consented (via in-person waiver or the Portal); you may opt out at any time
• Respond to inquiries and provide support
• Improve our Services and understand how the Website is used
• Comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service and class policies

How We Share Information

We do not sell your personal information, and we do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising. We also do not rent personal information for third-party marketing.

We may share personal information with:

• Service providers that help us operate the Services (for example, payment processing, hosting, databases, email delivery, analytics, and realtime messaging), under appropriate confidentiality and security obligations
• Instructors and authorized staff, as needed to run classes: instructors may access identity information for students in classes they teach; administrators may access student records as needed to operate the business
• Authorities or others when required by law, legal process, or to protect rights, safety, or property
• Parties involved in a business transfer (such as a merger or sale of assets), subject to appropriate confidentiality protections

Third-Party Service Providers

We use third-party companies to provide parts of the Services. These providers process information on our behalf or as independent controllers under their own policies, depending on the service. Current categories include:

• Stripe — payment processing. Stripe collects and processes payment and billing information under its privacy policy: https://stripe.com/privacy.
• Vercel — website/application hosting and performance analytics (Vercel Analytics and Speed Insights).
• Postmark — transactional email delivery (including confirmation and post-class messages).
• Google Analytics— website usage analytics. Google may collect device and usage data through cookies and similar technologies. Review Google's privacy policy at https://policies.google.com/privacy and Google Analytics opt-out options at https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
• Ably — realtime messaging used for Portal chat features. Message content you send may be processed to deliver chat functionality.

Cookies and Similar Technologies

We and our providers use cookies and similar technologies for essential site functions, security, analytics, and performance. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Blocking some cookies may affect how the Website or Portal works. Analytics providers may also offer their own opt-out mechanisms, such as the Google Analytics opt-out linked above.

ID Images and Access Controls

When ID photos are collected, they are stored on an encrypted device used for class operations and are retained for up to 180 days, after which they are discarded. Identity fields needed for registration and training records may be retained as part of your registration record as described in Data Retention.

Access to ID-related information is limited: instructors may access information for students in classes they teach; administrators may access records as needed to operate and support the Services.

Data Retention

• Registration and training records (including identity fields associated with class attendance) are retained indefinitely for business, safety, and legal/compliance purposes.
• ID images are retained for up to 180 days and then discarded.
• Portal accounts remain active until you request deletion/deactivation or we deactivate the account as permitted by our Terms.

If you request deletion of your Portal account, we can delete or deactivate the account information associated with the Portal user profile. We retain registration and class records indefinitely and may retain information as required by law or for legitimate business purposes (for example, payment records, dispute resolution, or safety compliance).

Data Security

We implement technical and organizational measures designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. Payment information is processed by Stripe using industry-standard security practices. ID images, when collected, are stored on encrypted devices with limited staff access. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Your Rights and Choices

Subject to applicable law, you may request access to, correction of, or deletion of personal information we hold about you, and you may opt out of marketing emails. Transactional messages related to your registration or class may still be sent when necessary.

To exercise these rights, contact us at contact@urbanfirearmsociety.com. We may need to verify your identity before fulfilling a request. Some requests may be limited where we must retain information for legal or legitimate business reasons, as described above.

California Residents

If you are a California resident, you may have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA/CPRA), including rights to know, delete, and correct personal information, and to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising.

We do not sell personal information and do not share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising as those terms are commonly defined under California law. To submit a request, email contact@urbanfirearmsociety.com. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your privacy rights.

Children and Minors

Our classes may be available to students age 14 and older. Students under 18 may participate only with a parent or legal guardian who completes registration and payment and provides required consent. We do not provide Portal accounts to minors. We do not knowingly allow minors to create Portal accounts or receive marketing communications directed to them.

If you believe we have collected information from a minor in a manner inconsistent with this Policy, contact us and we will take appropriate steps.

Photography and Recording

We may occasionally photograph or record classes for marketing or educational purposes. We ask for consent before using your likeness in that way. You may decline photo/video consent without affecting your ability to attend class, except where photography is operationally required for identity or safety documentation (which is handled separately from marketing use).

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The updated version will be posted on this page with a revised "Last Updated" date. Your continued use of the Services after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.

Contact Us

Questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices can be sent to contact@urbanfirearmsociety.com.

Related policies: Terms of Service and Class Policies.