Privacy Policy
Last Revised: September 10, 2009
Our Commitment To Privacy
What Information We Collect
How We Collect Information
How We Use Information
Our Commitment to Data Security
Children's Privacy
Other Limits on Privacy
How Members Can Access or Update Their Information
How To Contact Us
Our Commitment To Privacy
This privacy policy applies to the Neotropical Migratory Bird Conservation Forum ("Forum") offered by the Eco-Index®, a service of the Rainforest Alliance ("RA", "we" or "us"), to governmental and non-governmental conservation professionals and individuals with an interest in Neotropical migratory bird conservation. This policy applies to the Forum located at http://www.eco-index.org/forums/nmbc_forum.cfm. Please note that it does not apply to the Web site of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which provides funding for the Forum.
Forum content is accessible to the general public. However, in order to post content on the Forum, individuals must create member accounts with usernames and passwords ("Members"). Members must agree to abide by RA's terms and conditions of use found at http://www.eco-index.org/forums/nmbc_terms.cfm and this privacy policy. Use of the Forum by a Member indicates acceptance of the terms and conditions of use and this privacy policy.
RA understands the desire of Members to have their personal information remain private and secure, and is committed to taking all reasonable and appropriate measures to safeguard against unauthorized disclosures of information. This privacy policy explains RA's on-line information practices on this Forum only, and describes what information we collect from Members, how we collect it, how we use it, and what we do to keep information private and secure.
What Information We Collect
Member Registration
Prospective Members can create an account on the Forum's "Create an Account" page at: http://www.eco-index.org/forums/nmbc_account_request.cfm, where they are asked to enter their first name, last name, organization, title, email address and country. Each prospective member is asked to check a box if he/she agrees to have his/her name included in a list of members that is available to the public. In addition, the prospective member is asked if he/she would like to be notified via email when new entries and responses are added to the Forum, and if so, to select topics of interest from a list by checking boxes.
Once approved, each new Member receives a confirmation email with an assigned username and password. Once logged in to the Forum, the Member may then change his/her password by using the "Update Your Account" link. Members can manage and update the information contained in their accounts at any time.
Forum Content
Members may post content on the Forum relating to migratory species conservation which relates to the purpose of the Forum and may be of interest to other Members or the general public. The content may include but is not limited to: media releases, event announcements, project data, links to web sites and other resources, photos, requests for information ("Entries"), or responses to Entries posted by others ("Responses"). On the "Post a New Entry" page, Members also may upload documents to the Eco-Index® server. When posting content, Members are automatically identified by their name and affiliate organization in a footer within the message. RA reserves the right to remove all or portions of any Entries or Responses that do not comply with the Forum's terms and conditions of use or further the purposes of the Forum.
How We Collect Information
Member Registration
Prospective Members enter data on the Forum's "Create an Account" page at: http://www.eco-index.org/forums/nmbc_account_request.cfm.
Forum Content
Members post information on the Forum by first logging in to their Member account. Once logged in, Members can visit the "Post a New Entry" page and select the "Category" from a drop-down menu that pertains to the posting; enter a "Title" for the posting; and enter text into the "Body" of the message, which is a blank text box. Once the Member is finished, the Member selects the "Continue" button to preview the message. The Member then is asked to "post the message" or "make changes." If the Member clicks on the "post the message" link, the Member receives the URL where the posted Entry is available online. By clicking on the "make changes" link, the Member is taken back to the "Post a New Entry" page, where the Member can edit the text previously entered.
Members may also upload documents in .pdf, .xls, .doc format, and graphics in .jpeg and .gif format, to the Eco-Index® server within the "Post a New Entry" page, by clicking on the "uploading graphics" or "uploading documents" links. By clicking on either link, depending on the document to be uploaded, a pop-up window appears that asks Members to "choose file" from their computer. Once the file is chosen, Members select the "upload" button. Once the graphic or document has been uploaded, the Member will receive confirmation that the file has been successfully uploaded, the URL where that document is available online, and instructions on how to provide a link to that file within the body of the message posted on the Forum.
Members also may respond to Entries that already have been posted in the Forum. Existing Entries may be viewed either by clicking on one of the Forum categories, or by clicking on the "Forum Archive" link. By clicking on the title of the Entry, Members may read the content. Members may respond to the Entry by clicking on the "Respond to this Entry" link at the bottom of the message. They are then taken to a modified "Post a New Entry" page that does not feature the ability to select a category or add a title, but allows Members to upload documents or graphics, and post a Response into a text box. Once they are finished, Members select the "Continue" button, where they can preview the Response. They are then asked if they would like to "post the response", or "make changes." If the Member clicks on the "post the response" link, they receive the URL where the Response is available online. By clicking on the "make changes" link, the Member is taken back to the response page, where the Member can edit the text previously entered.
How We Use Information
Member Registration
When an individual creates a Member account, the Member's name is automatically added to the "List of Members" if the Member has consented for RA to do so. Members will automatically receive notification of Entries and Responses posted within certain categories if they have elected to do so by checking the relevant boxes when they create their accounts. Members who post Entries or Responses are identified by name and organization in the Entries or Responses that they post. RA does not share any of the information collected from the "Create an Account" or "Post a New Entry" forms with, or sell Member information to, any outside parties. Members do not get access to the email addresses or other registration information submitted by other Members, other than what is publicly available on the "List of Members."
At any given time, no more than two RA administrators have access to and the ability to review Member information collected through the Forum Member registration form, or posted within Forum Entries and Responses. RA administrators with access to the information collected in the Forum are prohibited from sharing Member information with outside parties, except in accordance with this privacy policy.
A list of Forum Members who have agreed to public listing of their names is available on the Forum web site and is accessible to the general public. The "List of Members" includes the Member's first name, last name and organization.
Forum Content
Forum content is accessible to any member of the general public who visits the Forum. RA administrators receive notification when a new posting has been added to the Forum, and reserve the right to delete postings that do not comply with the Forum's terms and conditions of use or further the purposes of the Forum. RA reserves the right to share Forum postings with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and reproduce entries within communications materials such as email newsletters or presentations about the Forum. Other than displaying Member content on the Forum and as set forth above, RA does not share Forum content posted by Members with, or sell such content to, any outside parties.
Legal Requirement
RA may disclose Member information if we are required to do so by law or we in good faith believe that we are required to do so in order (1) to comply with legal requirements or legal process; (2) to protect and defend our or our Members' rights or property; or (3) to protect the health and safety of our Members or the general public. RA further reserves the right to disclose Member information to the appropriate governmental authorities if we reasonably believe that a Member is participating in fraudulent or illegal activity.
Our Commitment to Data Security
All Forum Member account information, postings, and responses are housed within a Structure Query Language (SQL) database that is password protected and only accessible to the Rainforest Alliance's Web programmers. The Web and database servers involved in the Forum are administered off-site by a third-party company. RA Administrators have access to this information via a custom-designed content management system that is password protected. This ensures that only authorized administrators to have access to the content management systems through which Member's personal information, Entries and Responses can be obtained and/or edited.
Through the procedures and systems described above, which RA has put into place for the Forum, RA has appropriate physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information it collects on-line against unauthorized access. However, because data transmission over the Internet can never be 100% secure, RA cannot completely guarantee the security of the Member data, information, Entries and Responses uploaded, posted or transmitted through the Forum.
Children's Privacy
The Forum is intended for adults. RA does not knowingly collect personal information from children under the age of 13. If RA obtains knowledge that it has personally identifiable information about a child under 13 in retrievable form in its files, RA will delete that information from our existing files.
Other Limits on Privacy
While RA reserves the right to remove all or portions of any Entries or Responses that do not comply with the Forum's terms and conditions of use, RA permits Members to include personal identifiable information about themselves or others in Entries and Responses (including but not limited to email addresses, street addresses or telephone or facsimile numbers), and will not remove such personally identifiable information without a written request. Such information is not subject to this privacy policy and will be made public on the Forum. We recommend that you use caution when including personally identifiable information in content posted to the Forum.
Other Internet sites you visit, including those linked from the Forum Web site or linked from Entries or Responses on the Forum, may have their own privacy policies or no policy at all. Other Web sites might use personal information differently than our policy permits. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of other Web sites. We strongly encourage you to review the privacy policies of any site before providing any personal information.
How Members Can Access or Update Their Information
Members may obtain access to the information submitted during the registration process by entering the password protected area and accessing their Member profile through the "Update Your Account" link. Members may change, at any time, information previously provided to RA through registration as a Member of the Forum. Members are required to provide their passwords before they are granted access to their information or are able to make any changes to their information.
To update information, Members may also contact RA directly by sending an email to eco-index@ra.org.
How To Contact Us
Should Members have any questions or concerns about these privacy policies, please send us an email at eco-index@ra.org.
This privacy policy may be changed from time to time without prior notification. Please review the privacy policy periodically for changes, because continued use of this Forum indicates acceptance of any changes. The date on which this privacy policy was last revised shall be posted at the top.
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