Last updated: August 5, 2026
State Symbols USA ("State Symbols USA," "we," "us," or "our") operates the website located at statesymbolsusa.org (the "Website"). We are committed to protecting the privacy of everyone who visits, including the students, teachers, and families who make up much of our audience. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and share it, and the choices and rights you have.
By using the Website, you agree to the collection and use of information as described in this Privacy Policy.
Information We Collect
Information collected automatically. When you visit the Website, certain information is collected automatically by us and by our service providers, including your IP address, browser type and version, operating system, device type, referring website, pages viewed, links clicked, and the dates and times of your visits. Much of this is collected through cookies and similar technologies (see "Cookies and Tracking Technologies" and "Advertising" below).
Information you provide to us. You can browse the Website without giving us any personal information. If you choose to contact us by email, we collect the information you provide, such as your name, email address, and the contents of your message.
How We Use Information
We use the information we collect to:
- operate, maintain, and improve the Website and its content;
- understand how visitors use the Website so we can make it better (analytics);
- serve and measure advertising that helps keep the Website free;
- respond to your messages, questions, and requests;
- send you our newsletter or other communications you have requested (you can unsubscribe at any time); and
- protect the Website against fraud, abuse, and security threats, and comply with legal obligations.
How We Share Information
We do not sell your personal information for money. We share information only as described here:
- Advertising partners. We work with Mediavine to serve advertising on the Website. Mediavine and its partners may collect and use data as described in the "Advertising" section below. Depending on your state, certain interest-based advertising may be considered a "sale" or "sharing" of personal information under applicable law — see "Your Privacy Rights."
- Analytics providers. We use analytics services to understand Website usage (see "Analytics").
- Service providers. We may share information with vendors who perform services for us (such as hosting, email delivery, and security), who are permitted to use it only to provide those services.
- Legal reasons. We may disclose information if required by law or to protect the rights, safety, or property of State Symbols USA, our users, or others.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
The Website uses cookies and similar technologies (such as pixels, tags, and beacons) to remember your preferences, understand usage, and serve and measure advertising. Cookies may be set by us ("first-party") or by third parties such as our advertising and analytics partners ("third-party").
You can control cookies through your browser settings — most browsers let you block or delete cookies and notify you when new ones are set. Blocking some cookies may affect how the Website works. Where required by law, we present a consent banner (a Consent Management Platform) that lets you accept or decline non-essential cookies and manage your advertising choices. You can reopen those settings at any time using the "Privacy Settings" link in our footer.
Mediavine Programmatic Advertising (Ver 1.1)
The Website works with Mediavine to manage third-party interest-based advertising appearing on the Website. Mediavine serves content and advertisements when you visit the Website, which may use first and third-party cookies. A cookie is a small text file which is sent to your computer or mobile device (referred to in this policy as a “device”) by the web server so that a website can remember some information about your browsing activity on the Website.
First party cookies are created by the website that you are visiting. A third-party cookie is frequently used in behavioral advertising and analytics and is created by a domain other than the website you are visiting. Third-party cookies, tags, pixels, beacons and other similar technologies (collectively, “Tags”) may be placed on the Website to monitor interaction with advertising content and to target and optimize advertising. Each internet browser has functionality so that you can block both first and third-party cookies and clear your browser’s cache. The "help" feature of the menu bar on most browsers will tell you how to stop accepting new cookies, how to receive notification of new cookies, how to disable existing cookies and how to clear your browser’s cache. For more information about cookies and how to disable them, you can consult the information at All About Cookies.
Without cookies you may not be able to take full advantage of the Website content and features. Please note that rejecting cookies does not mean that you will no longer see ads when you visit our Site. In the event you opt-out, you will still see non-personalized advertisements on the Website.
The Website collects the following data using a cookie when serving personalized ads:
- IP Address
- Operating System type
- Operating System version
- Device Type
- Language of the website
- Web browser type
- Email (in hashed form)
Mediavine Partners (companies listed below with whom Mediavine shares data) may also use this data to link to other end user information the partner has independently collected to deliver targeted advertisements. Mediavine Partners may also separately collect data about end users from other sources, such as advertising IDs or pixels, and link that data to data collected from Mediavine publishers in order to provide interest-based advertising across your online experience, including devices, browsers and apps. This data includes usage data, cookie information, device information, information about interactions between users and advertisements and websites, geolocation data, traffic data, and information about a visitor’s referral source to a particular website. Mediavine Partners may also create unique IDs to create audience segments, which are used to provide targeted advertising.
If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices to opt-in or opt-out of this data collection, please visit National Advertising Initiative opt out page. You may also visit Digital Advertising Alliance website and Network Advertising Initiative website to learn more information about interest-based advertising. You may download the AppChoices app at Digital Advertising Alliance’s AppChoices app to opt out in connection with mobile apps, or use the platform controls on your mobile device to opt out.
For specific information about Mediavine Partners, the data each collects and their data collection and privacy policies, please visit Mediavine Partners.
Analytics
We use Google Analytics, a web analytics service, to understand how visitors use the Website. These services use cookies and similar technologies to collect information such as pages visited, time spent, and general (city/region-level) location derived from IP address, and they report Website trends to us. This information helps us improve our content and navigation. You can learn about Google's practices at policies.google.com/technologies/partner-sites and opt out using the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on at tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout.
Children's Privacy
State Symbols USA is an educational resource used by students, teachers, and families, and portions of the Website are directed to a general audience that includes children. We care about children's privacy and aim to handle it responsibly.
We do not require visitors to create an account, and we do not knowingly collect personal information directly from children through registration or forms. Because the Website displays advertising, our advertising partners may use cookies and similar technologies as described above; we work with our advertising partner to apply appropriate settings intended to limit data collection and to serve non-personalized (contextual) advertising on content directed to children, consistent with the U.S. Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA).
If you are a parent or guardian and believe that a child has provided us with personal information, or you have questions about how children's information is handled on the Website, please contact us at contact@statesymbolsusa.org and we will take appropriate steps, including deleting such information where required.
Your Privacy Rights
California residents (CCPA/CPRA). California residents have the right to know what personal information we collect, to request access to or deletion of that information, to correct inaccurate information, and to opt out of the "sale" or "sharing" of personal information. Interest-based advertising on the Website may be considered a "sale" or "share" under California law. You can exercise your opt-out using the "Privacy Settings" link in our footer or by contacting us. We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights.
Other U.S. state residents. Residents of certain other states (such as Virginia, Colorado, Connecticut, and others with comprehensive privacy laws) may have similar rights, including the rights to access, correct, delete, and opt out of targeted advertising. You can exercise these rights using the same methods described above.
How to exercise your rights. To make a request, use the "Privacy Settings" link or contact us at contact@statesymbolsusa.org. We may need to verify your identity before responding.
International Visitors
The Website is operated in the United States and intended primarily for a U.S. audience. If you access the Website from outside the United States, your information will be processed in the United States. Where required, our consent banner provides EU and UK visitors with choices about cookies and advertising consistent with applicable law (including the GDPR and UK GDPR).
Third-Party Links
The Website contains links to other websites and may embed third-party content (such as videos or maps). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those third parties, and we encourage you to review their privacy policies.
Data Security
We take reasonable measures to protect information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access. However, no method of transmission over the Internet or electronic storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Changes to This Policy
We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. When we do, we will revise the "Last updated" date at the top of this page. Significant changes may be indicated more prominently. Your continued use of the Website after changes take effect means you accept the updated policy.
Contact Us
If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or how your information is handled, please contact us at contact@statesymbolsusa.org.