Privacy Policy

Last updated: July 27, 2026

United Martial Arts Group LLC, a Georgia limited liability company operating the Global Martial Arts Council membership program (“GMAC,” “United Martial Arts Group,” “we,” “us,” or “our”), respects your privacy.

This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, retain, disclose, and protect personal information when you:

visit www.memberships.gmacglobal.org;
create or use a GMAC membership account;
purchase or renew a membership;
apply for a credential, recognition, certification, or directory listing;
communicate with us;
participate in a GMAC program or event; or
use another website, application, or service that links to this Privacy Policy.

Collectively, these are the “Services.”

This Privacy Policy applies to personal information handled by United Martial Arts Group in connection with the Services. It does not apply to independently operated martial-arts schools, instructors, event promoters, payment providers, or other third parties that process information for their own purposes.

1. Who Is Responsible for Your Information?

United Martial Arts Group LLC operates the Global Martial Arts Council membership program, provides GMAC memberships, and collects membership fees.

For purposes of applicable privacy laws, United Martial Arts Group LLC is the business or controller responsible for the personal information described in this Privacy Policy, except where another entity is expressly identified as independently responsible.

Our contact information appears in Section 17.

2. Personal Information We Collect

The information we collect depends on how you interact with the Services.

A. Account and Identity Information

We may collect:

full name;
username and account identifier;
date of birth or confirmation of age;
profile photograph;
account password in protected form;
mailing address;
email address;
telephone number; and
identity-verification information.

B. Membership and Professional Information

We may collect:

membership type and status;
membership number;
martial-arts style or discipline;
school, academy, club, or organizational affiliation;
rank, title, qualifications, and experience;
instructor, official, promoter, or school information;
certificates, credentials, training records, and supporting documentation;
biography and profile information;
membership application responses;
directory-listing selections;
disciplinary, complaint, or eligibility information; and
communications relating to membership administration.

C. Payment and Transaction Information

We may collect:

membership plan;
price and billing frequency;
transaction date and amount;
payment status;
billing address;
partial payment-card details, such as card type and last four digits;
payment-processor tokens;
renewal and cancellation information;
refund and chargeback information; and
transaction receipts and records.

Payments are processed through Stripe.

We generally do not receive or store complete payment-card numbers or card security codes. Payment providers process that information under their own privacy policies and security practices.

D. Website and Device Information

When you use the Services, we and our service providers may automatically collect:

Internet Protocol address;
browser type and version;
device type and operating system;
device identifiers;
referring and exit pages;
pages viewed and features used;
dates and times of access;
approximate location derived from an IP address;
cookie and similar-technology identifiers;
website performance and error information; and
interactions with emails and online content.

E. Communications and Support Information

We may collect information contained in:

emails and contact forms;
customer-support requests;
membership inquiries;
complaints and disciplinary submissions;
survey responses;
event or program communications; and
other correspondence with us.

Please do not submit sensitive information that we have not specifically requested.

F. Event and Program Information

If you register for or participate in an event or program, we may collect:

registration details;
attendance records;
emergency contact information;
age or division information;
results, awards, or recognitions;
photographs, video, or recordings, subject to applicable notices and permissions; and
accommodation or accessibility requests.

Health information, emergency information, and information concerning minors should be collected only when reasonably necessary and with appropriate notice and safeguards.

G. Information About Minors

A parent or legal guardian may provide information about a minor in connection with a family membership, youth membership, event, recognition, or other authorized activity.

Such information may include:

the minor’s name;
age or date of birth;
parent or guardian contact information;
martial-arts school, rank, or participation information; and
information reasonably necessary to administer the requested activity.

Our general-audience membership website is not intended to permit children under 13 to create accounts, purchase memberships, or submit personal information independently.

H. Publicly Available and Third-Party Information

We may receive information from:

martial-arts schools, instructors, and organizations;
event operators;
payment providers;
fraud-prevention and security providers;
publicly available websites, directories, or records;
social-media services when you interact with our pages; and
persons who submit referrals, complaints, verification information, or membership materials.

When someone provides information about another person, the submitting person represents that they are authorized to provide it.

3. How We Use Personal Information

We may use personal information to:

Provide and Administer the Services

create and manage accounts;
process membership applications;
provide and renew memberships;
verify eligibility, rank, affiliation, or qualifications;
issue membership cards, certificates, badges, and credentials;
maintain member or school directory listings;
administer programs, events, benefits, and recognitions;
process payments, renewals, cancellations, and refunds; and
provide member support.

Communicate With You

send account and membership confirmations;
provide receipts;
send renewal and price-change notices;
respond to questions and support requests;
communicate about applications, credentials, complaints, or disciplinary matters;
send administrative and security notices; and
send marketing communications where permitted by law.

Protect the Services and Community

authenticate users;
maintain website and account security;
detect and prevent fraud, abuse, unauthorized access, and payment disputes;
investigate suspected violations of our Terms of Service;
address safety, safeguarding, and misconduct concerns;
enforce membership and credential requirements; and
protect our rights and the rights of members and others.

Operate and Improve Our Organization

understand how the Services are used;
troubleshoot errors;
improve website performance and user experience;
develop or evaluate membership benefits;
conduct internal reporting, planning, and analysis;
maintain business and financial records; and
train personnel responsible for membership support.

Comply With Legal Obligations

comply with tax, accounting, consumer-protection, privacy, and other laws;
respond to lawful requests and legal process;
establish, exercise, or defend legal claims;
maintain records required by law; and
cooperate with government and law-enforcement authorities when legally required.

We will not use personal information for a materially different purpose without providing any additional notice or consent required by law.

4. Legal Bases for Processing

Where the law requires us to identify a legal basis, we process personal information on one or more of the following grounds:

Contract: Processing is necessary to enter into or perform our membership agreement with you.
Legitimate interests: Processing is reasonably necessary to operate, secure, administer, and improve the Services, provided those interests are not overridden by your rights.
Consent: You have given consent for a particular use, such as certain marketing, optional cookies, public profile information, or photographs.
Legal obligation: Processing is necessary to comply with applicable law.
Legal claims and safety: Processing is necessary to protect legal rights or, where applicable, a person’s vital interests.

When processing is based on consent, you may withdraw that consent at any time. Withdrawal does not affect processing that occurred before withdrawal.

5. How We Disclose Personal Information

We may disclose personal information to the following categories of recipients.

A. Service Providers

We may use companies that provide:

website hosting;
cloud storage;
membership-management software;
payment processing;
email delivery;
customer support;
analytics;
cybersecurity and fraud prevention;
document generation;
event registration;
accounting; and
legal or professional services.

These providers may access personal information only as reasonably necessary to perform services for us or as otherwise permitted by law and their agreements with us.

Current material providers include:

Payment processing: Stripe
Website or membership hosting: Dreamhost
Email communications: Dreamhost
Website analytics: None

B. Public Directory Users

If you request or enable a public directory listing, selected information may be available to anyone, including through search engines.

Public information may include:

name;
membership or credential status;
photograph;
biography;
school or organization;
martial-arts style, rank, or title;
city, state, and country;
business contact information; and
website or social-media links.

You should not include a home address, private telephone number, personal email address, minor’s information, or other sensitive information in a public profile.

You may request correction or removal of a public listing by contacting us. Search engines and third parties may retain cached or independently copied information after we remove it from our Services.

C. Other Members and Program Participants

We may disclose limited information to other members or participants when reasonably necessary to administer a program, verify membership, coordinate an event, or provide a requested benefit.

D. Professional Advisers

We may disclose information to attorneys, accountants, auditors, insurers, and other professional advisers when reasonably necessary for their services.

E. Legal and Safety Disclosures

We may disclose information when we reasonably believe disclosure is necessary to:

comply with law, a subpoena, court order, or other legal process;
respond to a lawful government request;
investigate fraud, abuse, misconduct, or a security incident;
protect the rights, property, or safety of United Martial Arts Group, members, students, participants, or others;
enforce our Terms of Service; or
establish, exercise, or defend legal claims.

F. Business Transactions

If United Martial Arts Group is involved in a merger, financing, reorganization, acquisition, sale of assets, bankruptcy, or similar transaction, personal information may be disclosed to advisers and transaction participants, subject to appropriate confidentiality protections.

G. At Your Direction

We may disclose information when you direct us to do so or provide informed consent.

6. Sale and Sharing of Personal Information

United Martial Arts Group does not sell personal information for money.

We do not sell personal information, share personal information for cross-context behavioral advertising, or process personal information for targeted advertising as those terms are defined by applicable U.S. state privacy laws.

We do not knowingly sell or share the personal information of children under 16.

7. Cookies and Similar Technologies

We and our service providers may use cookies, pixels, software development kits, local storage, and similar technologies.

These technologies may be used for:

Essential functions: Authentication, account security, shopping-cart functions, payment processing, and user preferences.
Performance and analytics: Measuring traffic, identifying errors, and understanding how visitors use the Services.
Functional features: Remembering selections and improving convenience.
Advertising: Measuring campaigns or presenting advertising, if applicable.

You can manage cookies through your browser.

Disabling essential cookies may prevent parts of the Services from working.

Where required by law, we will request consent before placing nonessential cookies. Rejecting optional cookies should be as accessible as accepting them.

Global Privacy Control

Where required by applicable law, we will treat a recognized Global Privacy Control signal as a request to opt out of sale, sharing, or targeted advertising for the browser or device sending the signal.

Other “Do Not Track” signals are not necessarily standardized, and our response may depend on applicable law and available technology.

8. Marketing Communications

We may use your contact information to send news, membership information, event announcements, and promotional communications where permitted by law.

You may unsubscribe by:

using the unsubscribe link in a marketing email;
changing available account preferences; or
contacting us at info@gmacglobal.org.

Unsubscribing from marketing does not prevent us from sending transactional or administrative communications concerning your account, payments, membership, security, or legal notices.

We do not authorize third parties to use our membership list for their independent marketing unless we provide appropriate notice and obtain any required consent.

9. Data Retention

We retain personal information only for as long as reasonably necessary for the purposes described in this Privacy Policy, including to provide memberships, maintain records, resolve disputes, enforce agreements, and comply with legal obligations.

Payment and transaction records: Generally for at least the period required by tax, accounting, payment, and legal requirements.
Marketing records: Until you unsubscribe, plus a limited suppression record to honor the request.
Complaints and disciplinary records: For as long as reasonably necessary to protect members, administer credentials, document decisions, or address legal claims.
Event photographs and publications: For the useful life of the publication or until consent is withdrawn where consent is the applicable basis and removal is reasonably practicable.

When information is no longer required, we may delete it, de-identify it, or securely isolate it until deletion is practicable.

Backup copies may remain for a limited period before being overwritten.

10. Information Security

We use reasonable administrative, technical, and physical safeguards designed to protect personal information against unauthorized access, loss, misuse, alteration, or disclosure.

These safeguards may include:

access restrictions;
password protections;
encrypted transmission;
security monitoring;
service-provider review;
backups; and
personnel confidentiality requirements.

No website, transmission, or storage system can be guaranteed completely secure. You are responsible for protecting your account credentials and notifying us promptly of suspected unauthorized access.

11. Children’s Privacy

The general membership Services are intended for adults and are not directed to children under 13.

Children under 13 may not independently create an account, purchase a membership, or submit personal information through the Services.

A parent or legal guardian may provide limited information about a child when reasonably necessary for an authorized membership, recognition, event, or program. If a GMAC service is directed to children under 13 or knowingly collects their personal information online, we will provide any separate notice and obtain verifiable parental consent required by the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act.

If you believe a child under 13 submitted personal information without appropriate parental authorization, contact us at info@gmacglobal.org. We will investigate and take appropriate action.

We encourage parents and guardians to supervise minors’ online activities and avoid publishing sensitive information about minors in public directories.

12. Your Privacy Rights

Depending on where you live and applicable law, you may have the right to:

know whether we process your personal information;
access personal information we maintain about you;
receive information about how we collect, use, and disclose it;
correct inaccurate information;
request deletion;
obtain a portable copy;
restrict or object to certain processing;
withdraw consent;
opt out of targeted advertising, sale, or sharing;
opt out of certain profiling or automated decisions;
appeal the denial of a privacy request; and
receive equal service without unlawful discrimination for exercising a privacy right.

These rights are subject to legal limitations and exceptions. For example, we may retain information needed to complete a transaction, maintain security, comply with law, protect legal rights, or preserve the integrity of membership and disciplinary records.

Submitting a Request

Submit a request through:

Email: info@gmacglobal.org

Please identify the right you wish to exercise and provide enough information for us to locate your records.

We may need to verify your identity before completing a request. Verification information will be used only to process and document the request.

An authorized agent may submit a request where permitted by law. We may require proof of the agent’s authority and direct verification from the person concerned.

We will respond within the time required by applicable law. If we deny a request, we will explain the basis when required and provide appeal instructions where applicable.

To appeal a denied request, contact info@gmacglobal.org with the subject “Privacy Request Appeal.”

13. Additional U.S. State Privacy Disclosures

This section applies only to residents whose personal information is protected by a comprehensive U.S. state privacy law and only when United Martial Arts Group is subject to that law.

During the preceding 12 months, we may have collected the categories of personal information described in Section 2 from:

you;
your parent, guardian, school, or organization;
service providers;
event or program operators;
public sources; and
other persons who communicate with us.

We may use these categories for the purposes described in Section 3 and disclose them to the recipient categories described in Section 5.

Depending on the information submitted, statutory categories may include:

identifiers;
customer-record information;
protected classification information;
commercial information;
Internet or electronic-network activity;
approximate geolocation information;
audio, electronic, visual, or similar information;
professional or employment-related information;
education-related information;
sensitive personal information; and
inferences derived from other information.

We do not use sensitive personal information to infer characteristics about individuals except as permitted or disclosed under applicable law.

We will not discriminate against you for exercising a legally protected privacy right.

Our disclosures concerning sale, sharing, targeted advertising, and opt-out signals appear in Section 6.

14. EEA, United Kingdom, and Switzerland

If applicable European data-protection law governs our processing, United Martial Arts Group LLC acts as the controller of the personal data described in this Privacy Policy.

The purposes and legal bases for processing are described in Sections 3 and 4.

You may have rights to:

access your personal data;
correct inaccurate or incomplete data;
request deletion;
restrict processing;
object to processing based on legitimate interests;
receive portable data;
withdraw consent;
object to direct marketing; and
lodge a complaint with a competent data-protection authority.

You may contact your local supervisory authority. European Union authority information is available through the European Data Protection Board. United Kingdom residents may contact the Information Commissioner’s Office.

International Transfers

United Martial Arts Group is located in the United States. If you access the Services from outside the United States, your information may be transferred to and processed in the United States and other countries where our providers operate.

Those countries may have privacy laws different from those in your jurisdiction.

Where required, we will use an approved transfer mechanism, such as contractual protections, an adequacy decision, or another lawful safeguard.

Representative

If European or United Kingdom law requires us to appoint a local representative, the representative’s information will be published here:

15. Third-Party Websites and Services

The Services may contain links to independently operated websites and services.

This Privacy Policy does not govern a third party’s information practices. Review the third party’s privacy policy before providing personal information.

Payment providers, event operators, social-media platforms, and independently operated martial-arts schools may act as separate businesses or controllers for information they collect for their own purposes.

16. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy to reflect changes in our Services, practices, technology, or legal obligations.

We will post the updated policy and revise the “Last Updated” date. If a change materially affects how we use previously collected personal information, we will provide any additional notice or obtain any consent required by law.

Prior versions may be requested by contacting us.

17. Contact Us

Questions, privacy requests, or complaints may be directed to:

United Martial Arts Group LLC
Operating the Global Martial Arts Council
Attn: Privacy

Privacy email: info@gmacglobal.org
General support: info@gmacglobal.org