PTSD.com is operated by PTSD.com, LLC. This policy covers our educational website, screening tools, page-sharing features, and information you choose to send us. It explains what stays on your device and what may be processed when you visit.
1. Free access and our privacy commitments
PTSD.com is entirely free. We do not sell products, services, subscriptions, advertising, paid placement, or leads. We do not collect payment-card information or require a purchase to read resources, complete screenings, or view results. We do not sell personal information or share it for cross-context behavioral advertising.
2. Screening answers and results stay in your browser
Your selected screenings, age confirmation, answers, and calculated results are processed in the current page’s memory on your device. Our screening code does not transmit them to PTSD.com, a healthcare provider, MentalHealth.com, Rehab.ai, or an AI service. It does not put them in cookies, local storage, session storage, or the page address. There is no server-side screening record for us to retrieve.
You can use “Clear all answers” or “Clear selections” to reset the active screening. Refreshing the page starts a new screening. Browser back/forward restoration or session recovery can sometimes restore a previous page, so use the clear control before leaving a shared device. Clearing the screening does not erase your browser history, screenshots, printouts, or files you saved.
Printing or saving a summary creates a copy under your control. Your browser, operating system, printer, cloud backup, or anyone you share it with may retain that copy. Review it before sharing and keep it somewhere private.
3. Information associated with a visit
Delivering a webpage requires network requests. Hosting and security providers may receive your IP address, requested page address, browser and device details, time of access, and diagnostic or security information. These records can reveal that you visited a trauma-related page, even though they do not include answers from our screening code. Visiting the site is therefore not completely anonymous.
PTSD.com does not require an account, accept payments, maintain patient records, or collect screening submissions. Any hosting-platform sign-in or access restriction is separate from the screening and follows that platform’s own practices.
4. Cookies, browser storage, and measurement
We use Google Analytics and Plausible Analytics to understand website usage. Their scripts may receive page addresses, referral information, browser and device details, and interaction information. Google Analytics may use cookies or similar identifiers. Plausible describes its service as cookieless. Our screening code does not include answers or calculated results in analytics events. A page visit can still reveal an interest in trauma-related information. See Google’s privacy policy and Plausible’s data policy for their practices. You can manage cookies through your browser and use Google’s Analytics opt-out browser add-on where supported. Our screening itself does not use browser storage. Pip, our optional sharing companion, uses a session-storage flag to remember that its entrance animation has already played in that tab. That flag contains no screening answers or results and is not sent to us by the feature. Clearing site storage removes it; blocking storage leaves the companion available without the entrance animation.
Hosting or security systems may use their own access or security cookies. Browser settings let you manage cookies, site storage, and history, although blocking platform technologies may affect access. We do not use the absence of a Global Privacy Control or Do Not Track signal as permission to sell information or track you for advertising.
5. Sharing and external websites
Pip shares a public page link and general accompanying text, not your screening answers or score. Its generated link omits URL queries and fragments. Copying a link uses your clipboard; choosing Messages, WhatsApp, email, or your device’s share menu passes the prepared content to the app you choose. Anything you add yourself is governed by your choices and that service’s practices.
Links to MentalHealth.com, Rehab.ai, treatment providers, and other resources take you to separate services. A destination may receive your IP address and other ordinary connection information when you visit. External web links include an attribution parameter, utm_source=ptsd.com, that identifies PTSD.com as the source of the visit. It does not contain your screening answers, scores, or a visitor identifier. The destination’s own privacy policy applies. An external link does not authorize PTSD.com to send your private screening results to that service.
6. Correspondence and sensitive information
If you email us at [email protected], we receive the details you supply, such as your name, return address, message, and attachments. We use them to understand and respond to your request, correct problems, and keep necessary records. Please provide only what is needed. Do not send medical records, identifying trauma accounts, passwords, or screening responses to report a technical or accessibility issue.
Trauma-related browsing and correspondence may reveal sensitive health interests. We do not use that information to build advertising audiences, sell referrals, or make eligibility decisions about employment, insurance, or care. The browser-only screening is not a clinical record held by PTSD.com.
7. When information may be disclosed
Operational information and correspondence may be handled by providers that help host, secure, or support the website and our communications. We may disclose information at your specific direction, in response to a lawful obligation, or when reasonably necessary to address misuse, protect safety, or establish or defend legal rights. Private messages are not automatically published.
If the organization or website changes ownership, information we actually hold may be transferred subject to applicable law and the commitments in this policy. A transfer does not itself authorize selling personal information or using it for behavioral advertising. We cannot transfer screening answers that we never received.
8. Retention and safeguards
We do not maintain a database of screening responses. For information we do receive, retention depends on the reason for collection, whether a request remains open, security needs, and applicable recordkeeping or legal requirements. Hosting-platform records follow the relevant provider’s retention arrangements. You may contact us to ask about retention or request deletion of information we hold, subject to applicable legal requirements.
We seek to limit access and collection to what is needed, but no website, device, email system, or network can guarantee absolute security. Your device settings and handling of saved summaries also affect your privacy.
9. Your choices and privacy rights
Depending on your location and applicable law, you may request confirmation of processing, access, correction, deletion, a portable copy of information, restriction of or objection to processing, or withdrawal of consent where processing relies on consent. You may also have rights concerning sensitive health data, an appeal of a request decision, or a complaint to a privacy regulator. These rights apply to information actually held and may have lawful exceptions.
A request should identify what you want us to do without including unnecessary health details. An authorized representative may act for you where permitted. We may need proportionate verification of identity or authority. We will respond within the time required by applicable law and explain any lawful limitation or denial. To appeal a decision where that right applies, email [email protected] with “Privacy appeal” in the subject line. Exercising your rights does not require purchasing anything and will not result in unlawful discrimination. We cannot access, export, or delete screening answers that never reached us.
10. Children and international use
Our screening tools are intended for adults aged 18 and older. They are not designed to collect children’s information. We do not knowingly solicit personal information from children under 13. If you believe a child has sent us personal information, email us at [email protected] so it can be reviewed and addressed.
Website infrastructure and communications providers may process operational information in the United States or other countries. Privacy laws vary. This policy does not remove protections that apply where you live.
11. Updates and contact
We will revise the date when this policy changes and give further notice or obtain consent where required. Material changes to the information we collect or how we use it will be reflected in this policy.
For privacy questions or requests concerning your personal information, contact PTSD.com, LLC at [email protected].
Related pages: Terms of use and Accessibility.