Privacy Policy

At The Becoming, we deeply respect your personal privacy. Given the personal and sensitive nature of birth searches, personal records, and origin discovery, we are committed to being transparent about how information is collected, used, and protected when you visit www.thebecoming.org.

We limit the collection of personal information to what is necessary to fulfill our mission and provide user support.

A. Information You Provide Voluntarily
When you contact us, request translation support, or utilize our administrative toolkits, you may choose to provide personal details, including:

• Contact Details: Name, email address, phone number, and mailing address.

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• Inquiry Information: Details or correspondence you voluntarily share regarding your birth search, document translation needs, or agency navigation.

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B. Information Collected Automatically (Cookies & Analytics)
When you visit our website, certain technical information is collected automatically through standard log files and basic cookies:

• Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our website (e.g., pages visited, time spent on pages, general geographic location, browser type, and device type). Google Analytics collects IP addresses, but we use this data strictly in an aggregated, anonymized format to improve site layout and user experience.

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• Essential Cookies: We use basic cookies necessary for website performance, navigation, and security.

Cookies are small data files stored on your browser or device. We use cookies exclusively to:

• Ensure the website functions properly and securely.

• Measure overall website traffic and usage trends via Google Analytics.

• Remember user preferences during site navigation.

Managing Cookies: You can control, block, or delete cookies through your web browser settings. Disabling cookies will not prevent you from reading our general website content, though certain functional features may be limited.

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To opt out of being tracked by Google Analytics across all websites, you can install the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

We use the information we collect for the following non-profit and administrative purposes:

• To respond to your questions, inquiries, or support requests.

• To provide paperwork tutorials, translation assistance, and advocacy support as requested.

• To analyze website usage patterns and improve our guides, navigation tools, and resource materials.

• To maintain the security and operational integrity of our website.

We do not sell, rent, trade, or monetize your personal information or search inquiries under any circumstances.

We only share information in the following limited situations:

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• Third-Party Service Providers: We may share anonymized usage data with service providers (such as Google Analytics or website hosting platforms) that assist us in operating our website. These providers are bound by strict confidentiality obligations.

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• Legal Compliance: We may disclose information if required to do so by law, court order, or governmental regulation, or if necessary to protect the rights, safety, or security of The Becoming, our users, or the public.

We recognize that records, correspondence, and search details shared with us are deeply personal. Any documents, forms, or narrative information submitted to The Becoming for translation assistance or guidance are kept strictly confidential and accessed only by authorized organization team members who require it to assist you.

We implement reasonable administrative, technical, and physical measures to protect your personal information against unauthorized access, loss, alteration, or disclosure. However, no transmission over the internet or electronic storage system is 100% secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Our website contains links to external, third-party sites (e.g., government agency portals, official registry forms, or social media pages). This Privacy Policy applies solely to www.thebecoming.org. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of external websites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party platforms you visit.

Our website and resources are intended for adult adoptees, advocates, and community members. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided personal data, we will take steps to remove such information promptly.

We reserve the right to update or amend this Privacy Policy at any time. Any updates will be posted directly to this page with an updated "Effective Date." Your continued use of www.thebecoming.org after updates are posted indicates your acceptance of the revised policy.

If you have any questions, concerns, or privacy requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us at:

Mailing Address:

The Becoming

Attention: Ashley Terrell, President

215 W Pershing Road

Suite 403, PMB 1058

Kansas City, MO 64108

United States