Effective Date: March 2026
Website: https://thebetn.com
The Black Enterprise & Trades Network (BETN) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting your personal information. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website.
By using our website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
1. Who We Are
BETN (Black Enterprise & Trades Network) is a workforce development and community initiative focused on expanding access to skilled trades, entrepreneurship, and housing development opportunities.
Our website address is: WWW.Thebetn.Com
For privacy-related questions you can contact us at:
2. Information We Collect
We may collect the following types of information when you interact with our website.
Personal Information
Information you voluntarily provide including:
- Name
- Email address
- Phone number
- Organization or company name
- Donation details
- Membership registration information
- Program application details
- Event registrations
- Contact form submissions
This information is collected when you:
- register for programs
- become a member
- contact us
- subscribe to newsletters
- donate
- apply for training opportunities
Automatically Collected Information
When you visit the site, certain information may be collected automatically including:
- IP address
- browser type
- device type
- pages visited
- referring website
- date and time of visits
- website usage statistics
This information helps us improve the performance and security of the website.
3. Comments
When visitors leave comments on the site we collect:
- the data shown in the comments form
- the visitor’s IP address
- browser user agent string
This information helps with spam detection.
An anonymized string created from your email address (called a hash) may be provided to the Gravatar service to determine whether you use it.
Gravatar Privacy Policy:
https://automattic.com/privacy/
Once your comment is approved, your profile picture may be visible publicly next to your comment.
4. Media Uploads
If you upload images to the website, you should avoid uploading images that include embedded location data (EXIF GPS).
Visitors may be able to download and extract location data from images posted on the website.
5. Cookies
Our website uses cookies to improve user experience and functionality.
Cookies may be used for:
- remembering login details
- saving comment information
- tracking site performance
- improving website functionality
Examples:
If you leave a comment, you may opt-in to saving your:
- name
- website
These cookies last one year.
Login cookies last two days, or two weeks if “Remember Me” is selected.
You can disable cookies through your browser settings, though some site features may not function properly.
6. Embedded Content From Other Websites
Articles or pages on this site may include embedded content such as:
- YouTube videos
- social media posts
- articles
- external images
Embedded content behaves exactly as if you visited the external website.
These sites may collect data about you, use cookies, and monitor interactions.
7. How We Use Your Information
We use collected information to:
- provide training and program registration
- process donations
- respond to inquiries
- improve website functionality
- communicate about events and opportunities
- manage memberships
- evaluate program participation
- improve workforce development initiatives
We may also use aggregated data to analyze trends and improve services.
8. Who We Share Your Data With
We do not sell your personal information.
Information may be shared with trusted partners only when necessary for operations such as:
- payment processors for donations
- email newsletter platforms
- program administration tools
- website hosting providers
- spam detection services
If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email.
9. Data Retention
We retain personal data only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy.
Examples:
- comments and metadata may be retained indefinitely
- user account information is stored until the account is deleted
- donation records may be retained for legal or accounting purposes
10. Your Data Rights
If you have an account on this website or have submitted personal information, you may request:
- access to the personal data we hold about you
- correction of inaccurate information
- deletion of your personal data
You may request a copy of your stored information.
Requests can be sent to:
Some data may be retained for legal, security, or administrative purposes.
11. Security of Your Information
We implement reasonable security measures to protect your information including:
- secure hosting environments
- SSL encryption
- controlled access to sensitive data
- monitoring against unauthorized access
However, no internet transmission can be guaranteed 100% secure.
12. Third-Party Services
Our website may use third-party services including:
- payment processors
- analytics services
- spam detection services
- social media integrations
These services may collect data in accordance with their own privacy policies.
13. Children’s Privacy
BETN programs may include youth participation in workforce development initiatives. Any data collected from minors will be handled with appropriate consent from guardians where required.
14. Changes to This Privacy Policy
We may update this policy periodically to reflect changes in:
- legal requirements
- website functionality
- organizational practices
Updates will be posted on this page.
15. Contact Information
For privacy questions or requests please contact:
Black Enterprise & Trades Network (BETN)
Website: https://thebetn.com
Email: [email protected]