FRCV.org Privacy Statement

This document was last updated September 5th, 2003.

Friends of Rock Creek Valley (FRCV) is committed to protecting your privacy. You can visit most pages on our site without giving us any information about yourself. But sometimes we do need information to provide services that you request, and this privacy statement explains data collection and use in those situations. This privacy statement only applies to FRCV.org; it does not apply to other online or offline FRCV sites, products or services. Please read the complete FRCV.org privacy statement.

Collection of your Personal Information

We will ask you when we need information that personally identifies you (personal information) or allows us to contact you. Generally, this information is requested when you are registering before entering a contest, ordering e-mail newsletters, joining a limited-access premium site, signing up for an event or training, or when purchasing and/or registering FRCV products. Personal information collected by FRCV.org often is limited to e-mail address, language, country or location, but may include other information when needed to provide a service you requested.

For example: If you choose a service or transaction that requires payment, such as making a purchase in the Shop area of the Web site, we will request personal information necessary for billing and/or shipping, such as: name, address, telephone number, and credit card number.

When you buy and install a new product, we may ask you to register your purchase electronically. We keep this registration information on file with any information you've already given us on previous visits to our Web site.

FRCV.org also collects certain information about your computer hardware and software. This information may include: your IP address, browser type, operating system, domain name, access times and referring Web site addresses. This information is used for the operation of the service, to maintain quality of the service, and to provide general statistics regarding use of FRCV.org.

FRCV.org also collects information about which pages our customers visit within FRCV.org. This site visitation data is identified only by a unique ID number, and it is never linked with personal information unless a user consents as described below.

We use your personal information for the following purposes:

• To ensure our site is relevant to your needs.
• To deliver services, such as newsletters, events, training or software, that you request or purchase.
• To help us create and publish content most relevant to you.
• To alert you to product upgrades, special offers, updated information and other new services from FRCV, if you so request.
• To allow you access to limited-entry areas of our site as appropriate.

We will merge site-visitation data with anonymous demographic information for research purposes, and we may use this information in aggregate to provide more relevant content. In some limited-entry sections of FRCV.org, with your approval, we will combine site-visitation data with your personal information in order to provide you with personalized content. If you decline permission, we will not provide you the personalized service and won’t merge your personal information with site-visitation data.

We occasionally hire other companies to provide limited services on our behalf, including packaging, mailing and delivering purchases, answering customer questions about products or services, sending postal mail and processing event registration. We will only provide those companies the information they need to deliver the service, and they are prohibited from using that information for any other purpose.

FRCV may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to the edicts of the law or comply with legal process served on FRCV or the site; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of FRCV and its family of Web sites, or (c) act in urgent circumstances to protect the personal safety of FRCV employees, users of FRCV products or services, or members of the public.

Your information may be stored and processed in the United States or any other country in which FRCV or its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents maintain facilities, and by using this site, you consent to any such transfer of information outside of your country. FRCV abides by the safe harbor framework as set forth by the U.S. Department of Commerce regarding the collection, use, and retention of data from the European Union.

Control of your Personal Information

When you register, or otherwise give us personal information, FRCV.org will not share that information with third parties without your permission, other than for the limited exceptions already listed. It will only be used for the purposes stated above.

Registering also allows you to tell us how or whether you want FRCV.org to communicate with you. After registering, go to the Profile Center and establish your preferences in the Contact Options sections. There, you can decide what information you want to receive and how you want to receive it. Or you can tell us not to contact you by removing check marks from the contact option boxes. If you buy software through Shop.FRCV.org, and do not want to receive such information, do not check the box on the Checkout page (or on other pages where personal information is collected) which says: Yes, I would like to receive other offers through shop.FRCV.org.

FRCV.org never allows other companies to offer our registered customers information about their products and services.

FRCV.org may send out periodic e-mails informing you of technical service or security issues related to a product or service you requested, or confirming you requested a product or service. You will not be able to choose to unsubscribe to these mailings, as they are considered an essential part of the service you have chosen.

Access to your Personal Information

We will provide you with the means to ensure that your personal information is correct and current.

If you register on a FRCV.org or subscribe to a newsletter, you can review and edit your personal information at the Profile Center. You will be asked to enter your user name and password before viewing your personal information.

At the User Settings page you can:

• View and edit personal information you have already given us at FRCV.org.
• Tell us whether you want FRCV.org to send you marketing information.
• Choose whether you want third parties to send you their offers by postal mail.
• Subscribe, or cancel subscriptions, to newsletters about our services and products.

Some services offered on FRCV.org may collect information that is not accessible via the Profile Center. However, in such cases, you can access your personal information by contacting FRCV.org as described at the bottom of this statement, or through alternative means of access described by the service.

Security of your Personal Information

FRCV.org is committed to protecting the security of your personal information. We use a variety of security technologies and procedures to help protect your personal information from unauthorized access, use or disclosure. For example, we store the personal information you provide in computer servers with limited access that are located in controlled facilities.

Protection of Children's Personal Information

FRCV.org is a general audience site and does not knowingly collect any personal information from children. However, when children 13 years of age an younger request a user account at the FRCV.org Web site, they must have a parent initial the sign-up form.

Use of Cookies

When someone visits the site, a cookie is placed on the customer's machine (if the customer accepts cookies) or is read if the customer has visited the site previously. One use of cookies is to assist in the collection of the site visitation statistics described above.

If you choose to not have your browser accept cookies from the FRCV.org Web site, you will be able to view the text on the screens, however you will not experience a personalized visit nor will you be able to subscribe to the service offerings on the site.

Enforcement of this Privacy Statement

If you have questions regarding this statement, you should first contact FRCV.org by e-mail.

Changes to this Statement

FRCV.org will occasionally update this privacy statement. When we do, we will also revise the "last updated" date at the top of the privacy statement. For material changes to this statement, FRCV.org will notify you by placing prominent notice on the Web site.

Contact Information

FRCV welcomes your comments regarding this privacy statement, please contact us by e-mail at webguy@frcv.org.