Privacy Policy
Download the state medical-board statistics extract cited on this page: state-board-statistics.csv (Public Citizen HRG 2021-2023 · FSMB · CC BY 4.0).
Information We Collect
PlainDiscipline is a read-only data portal. We do not require account creation or collect personal information directly. We use analytics tools (Google Analytics 4, Umami) to understand aggregate site traffic, page views, referral sources, and device types. These tools may set cookies.
Local watchlist (browser storage)
If you use “Save to my watchlist” on a state, specialty or exclusion-category page, your saved list is stored only in your browser’s local storage under the key plaindiscipline:saved. We do not receive, store or sync that list on our servers. You can clear it anytime by removing items on the My watchlist page or by clearing site data in your browser settings.
Cookies & Third-Party Services
We use Google AdSense to display advertisements, which uses cookies to serve relevant ads. We use analytics services to improve the site. You can opt out of personalized advertising via Google Ads Settings.
Data We Display
All physician discipline data displayed on PlainDiscipline is aggregate, state-level, public information sourced from government agencies and non-profit research organizations. We do not display individual physician records.
Contact
Privacy questions: hello@plaindiscipline.com
Our Approach to Your Data
We collect only what is necessary to operate PlainDiscipline and understand, in aggregate, how the site is used. We do not sell visitor data, do not share it with data brokers, and do not build advertising profiles of individual visitors outside the boundaries set by our advertising partners (Google AdSense). Cookies used by the site are listed in the main privacy policy above; each is labeled with its purpose and retention window.
Public Records and Personal Data
The records surfaced on PlainDiscipline are drawn from public government datasets. These records are public by design, they exist to let citizens and regulators verify credentials, enforcement actions, safety outcomes, and other matters of accountability. We do not republish data that is not already publicly available, and we honor removal requests for records that are factually incorrect or that have been officially expunged at the source. Removal is a data-quality action, not a privacy right over lawful public records.
Your Rights
If you are a California, EU, UK, or other resident whose jurisdiction grants data-subject rights, you may request access, correction, or deletion of any personal data we hold about you (which is generally only a hashed IP address and a short server-access log). Contact requests are handled by our editorial process at the email on the contact page. We do not charge for requests, we do not require you to create an account to exercise a right, and we do not retaliate against anyone who submits a request.
Advertising, Measurement, and Your Consent
PlainDiscipline displays contextual advertising through Google AdSense, which may set its own cookies for measurement and frequency capping. We deploy Google's Consent Mode v2, so if you decline cookies via a consent banner or privacy-first browser, Google limits its measurement to anonymous, aggregate signals. We also use a first-party privacy-preserving analytics tool (Umami) that does not track individuals across sites. If you prefer zero measurement, enable a tracker-blocker or browse privately, we will not work harder to profile you.
Advertising & Third-Party Cookies
This website displays advertising served by Google AdSense, a service provided by Google LLC. Google AdSense uses cookies and similar technologies to:
- Serve ads based on your prior visits to this website and other sites on the internet
- Measure ad performance and the effectiveness of advertising campaigns
- Detect and prevent invalid traffic, fraud, and abuse
Third-party vendors, including Google, may use cookies (including Google's DoubleClick cookie) to serve ads based on your past visits to this website. You can opt out of personalized advertising by visiting Google Ads Settings. You can also opt out of third-party vendor cookies at aboutads.info. For a full list of Google's ad technology providers, visit Google's ad technology providers page.
Additional industry opt-out tools:
- Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out
- Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out
- European Interactive Digital Advertising Alliance (EDAA) opt-out (EEA visitors)
Cookies We Use
We and our advertising partners may set the following categories of cookies:
- Strictly necessary cookies - required for the site to function (session management, security)
- Analytics cookies - anonymized traffic measurement (Google Analytics, Umami) used to improve content
- Advertising cookies - set by Google AdSense and partner ad networks to display relevant ads
- Functional cookies - remember your preferences (dark mode, language)
You can control cookies through your browser settings or, for EEA/UK/CH visitors, via the consent banner displayed on first visit.
Data Retention & Your Rights
We retain analytics data per platform policies (Google Analytics: 14 months; Umami: 24 months). Advertising cookies follow Google AdSense's standard retention policy.
If you are in the European Economic Area, the United Kingdom, or California, you have the right to:
- Access the personal data we hold about you
- Request correction or deletion
- Object to processing for direct marketing
- Lodge a complaint with your supervisory authority
To exercise these rights, please use the contact methods listed on our Contact page.
Who Publishes This
PlainDiscipline is operated by Kiznis Studio, an independent data-engineering studio (solo-operated). Questions, corrections, and accountability inquiries can be sent to hello@plaindiscipline.com.