The Internet Society’s Commitment to Privacy

In keeping with the goals and objectives of the organisation, the Internet Society is committed to the highest degree of respect for the privacy of our members and of visitors to our site.

What Information do we collect?

As is standard practice for most web sites, certain visitor characteristics are reflected in our web server logs (such as, operating system, browser version, and Internet Protocol (IP) address). We make no attempt to link them with the individual visitors to the site.

In the case of online balloting for Internet Society elections, Members are asked to supply numbers corresponding to those on their printed ballots to ensure that only a single vote is registered. The details of the actual votes are maintained only during the election process solely to allow proper verification and audit of the election.

On its web site, the Internet Society gives visitors the option of providing certain personally identifiable information for purposes such as joining the organisation, renewing membership, participating in discussion groups, submitting inquiries and comments, or registering for conferences. This information includes name, postal address, email address, and other pertinent data.

By voluntarily providing us with your Personal Data, you are consenting to our use of it in accordance with this Privacy Statement. Due to the nature of the Internet if you are visiting this site from a country other than the United States, your communications will inevitably result in the transfer of information across international boundaries. By visiting this web site you consent to these transfers. If you provide personal data to this site, you acknowledge and agree that such personal data may be transferred from your current location to the offices and servers of the Internet Society and its affiliates, agents, and service providers located in the United States and in other countries.

What we do with the Information

With regard to non-personally identifiable information, we may periodically analyse our web site logs to assess aggregate usage trends in order to better serve the needs of visitors to the site. Under some circumstances this information may be used for purposes of systems administration or server troubleshooting and security.

We do not sell, rent, or share any personally identifiable information voluntarily supplied by visitors or our membership mailing list. We may occasionally provide such information to third party subcontractors to make specific offerings on our behalf and with our consent, but only on contractual terms that protect, and after measures have been taken to monitor against misuse and unauthorised disclosure of that information. Members may choose to participate in these offerings. More information on the procedure to do so is supplied below.

Membership information is collected and maintained solely in order to provide our members with access to specific benefits accorded to them through membership in the Society.

Any further email addresses, phone numbers, or other contact information submitted by visitors voluntarily in the course of inquiries and comments are used only for purposes of taking action in relation to the nature of the inquiry or comment.

Use of Cookies

“Cookies” are pieces of information that a browser can record after visiting a web site. We use cookies only to store preferences for visitors to the Members-Only section of the site and the interactive forums therein. We do not require visitors to enable cookies — they are provided only as a convenience feature.

This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”).  Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States . Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage.  Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google.

You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website.  By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.

Membership Database

Internet Society Members may receive periodic email or postal mailings from us with information about the Society, upcoming events, or issues related to the Internet. We offer specific opt-in and opt-out options so if you do not wish to receive such mailings, please inform the Internet Society by email, phone, or postal mail directed to the contact information provided above. Members may also adjust these settings or change their information by email to membership@isoc.org, or by contacting the Internet Society by email or phone.

Members have the option to receive mailings of potential interest that are made by third parties on our behalf and only with our approval. These mailings must be requested by checking the applicable box at the time of membership or renewal, or through the manner described in the above paragraph. If this option is not selected, you will not receive these offerings.

Security

While no data transmission over the Internet can be guaranteed to be 100 percent secure, we take measures designed to protect the security of data transmitted to us upon receipt.

Our databases, including the member database, and system administration logs, are restricted only to authorised users. Online transactions of a sensitive nature, such as credit card numbers, are protected by secure browser connections. Our site supports use of secure socket layer (SSL) encryption technology to encrypt your personally identifiable information prior to transmission over the Internet. Users whose browsers do not support SSL encryption are encouraged to contact us by phone or in writing.

Links

This web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that the Internet Society cannot be responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of those sites that collect personally identifiable information. This privacy statement pertains only to this Web site.

Discussion Groups

Please note that this privacy statement does not apply to any posting by you in any of the ISOC discussion groups, discussion threads, chat areas or similar interactive areas of this Web site. Your participation in those discussion areas and anything you post in those areas may be attributed to you and displayed, republished and otherwise disseminated by ISOC, in accordance with the terms of use agreement you agree to abide by in order to participate in those areas.

Compliance

If you have any questions regarding our privacy policy or you feel that this site is not following its stated information policy, please contact the Internet Society by email to isoc@isoc.org or at either of the addresses or phone numbers listed in our Contact Us section. You may also contact us at that address if you have any concerns about the accuracy of, or wish to correct, personally identifiable information we have collected from you.

The Internet Society certifies that it adheres to the Safe Harbor framework and principles, as approved by the European Union (EU).

Consent and Changes to this Policy

Subject to the above provisions, by using our site, you consent to the collection and use of information by us in accordance with this policy. If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes on this page. Any changes to this privacy statement will also be announced on the Internet Society home page.