Autism Chose Me
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AutismChoseMe LLC Privacy Policy

Effective date: November 10, 2026 Last updated: November 10, 2026

1. Who I am and what this policy covers

This Privacy Policy explains how AutismChoseMe LLC ("AutismChoseMe," "I," "me," or "my") collects, uses, shares, and protects personal information. AutismChoseMe is the personal brand of autistic speaker and self-advocate Gillis Williams, based in Eugene, Oregon, USA.

This policy applies when you:

  • Visit https://autismchoseme.com (the "Website")
  • Request a speaking engagement or contact me by form or email
  • Sign up for my newsletter or educational resources
  • Buy AutismChoseMe merchandise through my Etsy shop
  • Interact with me in other ways that link to this policy

For the purposes of the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the UK GDPR, AutismChoseMe LLC is the data controller of the personal information described here. That means I decide why and how it is used.

Contact for all privacy matters: info@autismchoseme.com

I do not publish a mailing address on the Website. If you need a postal address for a legal request, email me and I will provide one.

I am a small, one-person business, so you will deal with me directly on any privacy question.

2. Information I collect

I collect only what I need to respond to you, run my speaking and merchandise business, and keep the Website working.

Information you give me

  • Speaking inquiries: your name, email address, phone number (if you choose to give it), organization or school name, your role, event date, event location, expected audience and age group, format, budget or fee details, and anything else you write in the message.
  • General messages: your name, email address, and the content of your message.
  • Newsletter and resource signups: your name, email address, and, if asked, your role (for example, educator, parent, or organizer) so I can send relevant material.
  • Business and booking records: if we work together on an event, contract details, invoices, payment status, and related correspondence.

Information collected automatically

When you visit the Website, my hosting provider, analytics tools, and cookies may collect technical information. This includes your IP address, browser and device type, operating system, referring website, pages viewed, time spent on pages, and approximate location (city or region) derived from your IP address. See Section 5 for details.

Information from Etsy and other sources

  • Etsy: when you buy from my Etsy shop, Etsy shares the information I need to fulfill your order (see Section 4).
  • Email marketing platform: my email platform tells me whether a newsletter was delivered, opened, or clicked.
  • Public and professional sources: I may look up publicly available contact details for schools, colleges, and organizations to contact event organizers about speaking opportunities.

3. How I use your information and my legal bases

Under the GDPR and UK GDPR, I must have a lawful reason (a "legal basis") for each use of your personal information. Here is each purpose, the information involved, and the basis I rely on.

  • Responding to speaking inquiries, planning events, sending proposals, and delivering presentations. I use your inquiry details, contact details, and our correspondence. Legal basis: steps taken at your request before a contract, and performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b)).
  • Answering general questions and messages. I use your name, email address, and message. Legal basis: my legitimate interest in responding to people who contact me (Art. 6(1)(f)).
  • Sending my newsletter and educational resources. I use your name, email address, role, and email engagement data. Legal basis: your consent (Art. 6(1)(a)), which you can withdraw at any time.
  • Contacting schools and organizations about speaking opportunities. I use publicly available professional contact details. Legal basis: my legitimate interest in promoting my speaking services to relevant organizations (Art. 6(1)(f)).
  • Fulfilling Etsy orders and handling order questions. I use the order details Etsy shares with me. Legal basis: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b)).
  • Measuring and improving the Website. I use analytics and cookie data. Legal basis: your consent where the law requires it (Art. 6(1)(a)); otherwise my legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)).
  • Keeping the Website secure and preventing spam or abuse. I use IP addresses and technical logs. Legal basis: my legitimate interest in security (Art. 6(1)(f)).
  • Keeping tax, accounting, and business records. I use invoices, payment records, and order records. Legal basis: compliance with legal obligations (Art. 6(1)(c)).
  • Protecting my legal rights or responding to lawful requests. I use the relevant records. Legal basis: legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) and legitimate interests (Art. 6(1)(f)).

When I rely on legitimate interests, I have weighed my interests against your rights and freedoms. You can object to this use at any time (see Section 9).

I do not use your information for automated decision-making or profiling that has legal or similarly significant effects on you.

4. Etsy purchases

I sell AutismChoseMe hats, shirts, hoodies, and other merchandise through Etsy. The Website does not process payments or store card details. Links to products take you to Etsy.

When you buy from my shop, Etsy collects your information under its own privacy policy and shares what I need to fulfill your order. This usually includes your name, shipping address, email address, the items you ordered, and any message you send me. I never receive your full payment card details.

I use this information only to make and ship your order, answer questions about it, handle returns or disputes, and keep the records required for tax and accounting. If my merchandise is produced or shipped by a print or fulfillment partner, I share only the details that partner needs to make and deliver your order.

For Etsy's own handling of your data, see the Etsy Privacy Policy. If you want to access, correct, or delete information that Etsy holds, contact Etsy directly. For information I hold about your order, contact me at info@autismchoseme.com.

5. Cookies, analytics, and embedded videos

Cookies are small text files stored on your device. The Website uses them for three purposes.

  • Strictly necessary cookies keep the Website, forms, and security features working. These don't need your consent.
  • Analytics cookies show me how visitors use the Website (for example, through Google Analytics) so I can improve it. Visitors in the EU, EEA, and UK are asked for consent before these are used.
  • Embedded content cookies let YouTube videos play on the Website, and YouTube may set its own cookies. Visitors in the EU, EEA, and UK are asked for consent before these are used.

Your choices. When you first visit from the EU, EEA, or UK, a cookie banner lets you accept or reject non-essential cookies. You can change your choice at any time through the cookie settings link in the Website footer. You can also block or delete cookies in your browser settings, although some features may then stop working.

Google Analytics. Google Analytics collects information such as pages visited, time on site, device type, and approximate location. I use it only in aggregate to understand which pages are useful. You can learn how Google uses this data at How Google uses information from sites that use its services and opt out with the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on.

YouTube videos. I embed recordings of my presentations from YouTube. When you play an embedded video, YouTube (owned by Google) may collect information about you under the Google Privacy Policy.

No advertising cookies. I do not use cookies for targeted advertising, and I do not sell your information. Where required by law, I honor browser-based opt-out signals such as Global Privacy Control.

6. Who I share your information with

I do not sell, rent, or trade your personal information. I do not share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.

I share information only with the service providers that help me run my business, and only as much as they need:

  • Hostinger: website hosting and business email. Its servers may be in the US, the EU, or other regions.
  • HubSpot: contact management, speaking inquiries, and email newsletters. Based in the United States.
  • Google (Analytics and YouTube): website analytics and embedded videos. Based in the United States.
  • Etsy: merchandise sales and order processing. Based in the United States.
  • Payment processors and banks: receiving speaking fees and processing payments. Based in the United States.
  • Accountants and professional advisers: bookkeeping, tax, and legal advice. Based in the United States.

Service providers acting on my behalf may use your information only to provide their services to me, under contract terms that require them to protect it.

I may also share information:

  • With your agreement, for example when you ask me to coordinate with another event organizer or venue
  • To comply with the law, such as a valid court order, subpoena, or tax requirement
  • To protect rights and safety, including mine, my customers', or the public's, and to prevent fraud or abuse
  • In a business transfer, if AutismChoseMe is sold, merged, or reorganized, with the new owner bound by this policy or one at least as protective

7. International data transfers

AutismChoseMe is based in the United States, and most of my service providers store data in the US. If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA), the UK, or Switzerland, your information will be transferred to and processed in the United States, which may have different data protection laws than your country.

When I or my service providers transfer personal information out of the EEA, UK, or Switzerland, the transfer relies on one of these safeguards:

  • The EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, the UK Extension, and the Swiss-U.S. Data Privacy Framework, where the recipient is certified
  • Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission (and the UK Addendum or equivalent), built into my providers' data processing terms
  • Necessity for a contract with you, for example when you ask me to speak at your event or buy from my shop (GDPR Art. 49(1)(b))

You can ask me for more information about these safeguards by emailing info@autismchoseme.com.

8. How long I keep your information

I keep personal information only as long as I need it for the purpose I collected it, or as long as the law requires.

  • Speaking inquiries that don't lead to a booking: up to 3 years after our last contact, so I can follow up about future opportunities, unless you ask me to delete them sooner.
  • Booked event records, contracts, and invoices: 7 years after the event, for tax and accounting purposes.
  • Etsy order information I hold: 7 years after the order, for tax and accounting purposes.
  • Newsletter and resource signups: until you unsubscribe. After that, I keep only your email address on a do-not-email list so I don't contact you again.
  • General messages: up to 2 years after our last contact.
  • Analytics data: 14 months, after which Google Analytics deletes it automatically.

When I no longer need your information, I delete it or make it anonymous.

9. Your privacy rights

If you are in the EEA, UK, or Switzerland

Under the GDPR, UK GDPR, and Swiss data protection law, you have the right to:

  • Access the personal information I hold about you and receive a copy
  • Correct information that is inaccurate or incomplete
  • Delete your information (the "right to be forgotten"), unless I must keep it by law
  • Restrict how I use your information in certain circumstances
  • Data portability: receive information you gave me in a structured, machine-readable format, or have it sent to someone else
  • Object to my use of your information based on legitimate interests, and to direct marketing at any time
  • Withdraw consent at any time, where I rely on consent. This does not affect anything I did before you withdrew it.

You also have the right to complain to a data protection authority. In the EU or EEA, contact the authority in the country where you live or work (list of EU authorities). In the UK, contact the Information Commissioner's Office. I would appreciate the chance to resolve your concern first, so please email me.

If you are in the United States

Depending on your state of residence (including Oregon, California, Colorado, Virginia, and others with consumer privacy laws), you may have the right to:

  • Know what personal information I hold about you and get a copy
  • Correct inaccurate information
  • Delete your information
  • Opt out of the sale of your information, targeted advertising, or certain profiling. I do not do any of these.
  • Appeal my decision if I decline your request

I will not discriminate against you for using any of these rights.

How to use your rights

Email info@autismchoseme.com with the subject line "Privacy Request" and tell me what you would like me to do. I may ask for information to confirm your identity before I act on your request; I will use that information only to verify you.

  • I will respond to GDPR requests within one month, extendable by up to two more months for complex requests, and to U.S. state requests within 45 days, extendable where the law allows. I will tell you if I need more time.
  • You can ask someone to act for you as an authorized agent. I may ask for proof that they have your permission.
  • If I decline your request, I will explain why. U.S. residents can appeal by replying with the subject line "Privacy Appeal." If you are not satisfied with the outcome, you can contact your state Attorney General.
  • Requests are free. I may charge a reasonable fee or decline only if a request is clearly unfounded or excessive, as the law allows.

10. Email newsletter and marketing

I send my newsletter and educational resource emails only to people who sign up for them. The signup form explains what you are signing up for, and checking a box or submitting the form is your consent.

Sending me a speaking inquiry or a general message does not sign you up for my newsletter. I will use your details to reply about your request and any event we discuss.

Schools, colleges, and organizations may occasionally receive a professional email from me about speaking opportunities. Every marketing email includes an unsubscribe link, and you can also email info@autismchoseme.com to stop receiving them. I follow the U.S. CAN-SPAM Act and, where they apply, the GDPR and EU and UK electronic marketing rules.

My email platform records whether my emails are opened and which links are clicked. I use this only to understand what content is helpful.

11. Children's privacy and sensitive information

Children

Everyone is welcome to read this Website, and my presentations reach students of many ages. However, the Website's forms, newsletter, and resource signups are meant for adults, such as educators, event organizers, parents, and other supporters. I do not knowingly collect personal information online from children under 13 in the United States, or from children under 16 in the EEA and UK (or the lower age set by local law), without verifiable consent from a parent or guardian.

If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has sent me personal information, email info@autismchoseme.com and I will delete it.

Health and disability information

Please do not include information about any student's or attendee's diagnosis, disability, health, or school records in a speaking inquiry. I do not need it to plan a presentation. A general description of the audience, such as "middle school students and staff," is enough.

If you choose to tell me about your own autism, disability, or health, for example in a message about my story or resources, I will use it only to read and respond to your message. Under the GDPR, I rely on your explicit consent to do this (Art. 9(2)(a)). You can ask me to delete it at any time.

12. Security

I use reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your information. These include encrypted (HTTPS) connections to the Website, secure passwords and two-factor authentication on my business accounts, and limiting access to the information to me and the providers who need it.

No website, email, or online system is completely secure. If a data breach affects your personal information, I will notify you and the relevant authorities as the law requires.

13. Links to other websites and social media

The Website links to sites I do not control, including Etsy, YouTube, and my social media profiles. Those sites have their own privacy policies, and this policy does not cover them. If you interact with me on social media, the platform's privacy policy applies to that interaction.

14. Changes to this policy

I may update this policy when my business, tools, or the law changes. The "Last updated" date at the top shows when it last changed. If I make a significant change, I will post a notice on the Website and, where appropriate, email newsletter subscribers.

15. Contact me

If you have a question, a concern, or a privacy request, email me at:

AutismChoseMe LLC Eugene, Oregon, United States Email: info@autismchoseme.com