1. What information of yours does ACTEonline collect?
Our goal is to become your destination for career and technical education by providing information, services and product offerings that are most relevant to you in the most convenient way. To achieve this goal, ACTEonline collects information about site visitors.
Information collected online is usually defined as being either anonymous or personally identifiable.
Anonymous information refers to data that cannot be tied back to a specific individual. ACTE collects some information each time a visitor comes to the ACTE website, so we can improve the overall quality of the visitor's online experience. For example, ACTE collects the visitor's IP address, browser, and platform type (e.g., a Netscape browser on a Windows platform). Gathering this data helps us to learn what browsers we need to support. Other anonymous information helps us determine what sections of ACTEonline are most popular and how many visitors come to our site. You do not have to register with ACTEonline before we can collect this anonymous information.
Personally identifiable information refers to data that tells us specifically who you are (e.g., your name and Zip Code). You are only required to provide such information if you want to take advantage of optional products and services provided through our website.
ACTE collects such personally identifiable information from two categories of visitors to our site:
Some services of ACTEonline, such as discussion boards and e-mail newsletters, are made available to those who choose not to join ACTE. But to take advantage of these services, ACTE requires these visitors to provide a limited amount of personally identifiable information, including name and e-mail address.
ACTE collects personal information in the following ways from different parts of its website:
When you join ACTE or renew your ACTE membership through our website, you are sharing personally identifiable information, including your name and mailing address, with us. ACTE members are given an ACTE membership number, and this member ID and password enables members to take advantage of restricted content and features on ACTEonline.
You may be asked for personal information when registering online for specific services such as the Annual Convention, to receive an e-mail newsletter, to participate in a listserv, or to subscribe to a publication.
The number and variety of useful services on ACTEonline that may require collection of personally identifiable information will continue to grow in the future.
2. What are "cookies" and how does ACTE use them?
A cookie is a small text file containing a unique identification number that is transferred from a website to the hard drive of your computer. This unique number identifies your web browser -- but not you -- to ACTE computers whenever you visit ACTEonline. A cookie will not provide personally identifiable information about you, such as your name and address. The use of cookies is now an industry standard, and cookies are currently used on most major websites. Most web browsers are initially set up to accept cookies. If you prefer, you can reset your browser to notify you when you have received a cookie. You can also set your browser to refuse to accept cookies altogether. While ACTE does not require you to use cookies, keep in mind that certain services will not function properly if you set your browser to refuse all cookies.
To help serve you better, ACTE generally uses cookies to:
On ACTEonline, cookies primarily allow us to identify ACTE members and "registered" nonmembers who are returning to the site, so you will not have to re-enter a user ID and password the next time you visit. As ACTEonline is upgraded, cookies will also let us remember your web browser so we can provide benefits such as site personalization.
3. What organization collects the information and who has access to it?
Data collected through ACTE's website is generally collected and maintained solely by ACTE. More specifically:
When you provide personally identifiable information on ACTEonline to register for a service, buy a product, or take advantage of a promotion, that information is collected and maintained solely by ACTE, unless specifically stated otherwise at the point of collection. ACTE will inform you at the point of collection if your personal data is being shared with another organization. If you do not want to share your information with that company, you can choose not to use that service.
If you join ACTE or renew your membership through our website, you provide personally identifiable information on the membership application. ACTE sells mailing lists (names and mailing addresses) of members to selected third-parties. You may opt out of mail list sales when you complete your online application or anytime during your membership, as described in Item 6 below. ACTE does not sell member e-mail addresses to third-parties.
We disclose to third-party sponsors/advertisers aggregate statistics (i.e., impressions and click-throughs on a company's advertisement). Also, we may share aggregate website statistics with the media or other third parties. No personally identifiable information is ever disclosed to these sponsors/advertisers or other third parties as part of this process - only information in an aggregate form.
Be aware that ACTE's sponsors, advertisers and third-party content providers have links on our site that take you to other websites. For example, when you click on an ad displayed on ACTEonline, you are linked to another site. Please note also that links to other websites are provided throughout ACTEonline for users' information and convenience. ACTE hopes that all third parties involved adhere to our policies regarding the privacy of our users. However, ACTE's online privacy policy does not cover third-party data collection practices, and ACTEonline does not assume any responsibility for any actions of third parties.
4. How does ACTE use the information it collects?
ACTE collects information to provide you with the services you request and to improve our website.
For example, if you join ACTE or renew your ACTE membership through our website, we use the personally identifiable information you provide in the membership application to send you ACTE publications, including e-mail, information about member benefits and special offers, and other information that ACTE believes is relevant and useful to its members.
As mentioned above, ACTE uses the aggregate, anonymous data collected to let our sponsors and advertisers know how many times their ad may have been seen. ACTE also uses this aggregate, anonymous data to perform statistical analyses of the collective characteristics and behavior of our site visitors; to measure user interests regarding specific areas of the ACTEonline; and to analyze how and where best to use our resources. Without such data, we would not know which parts of ACTEonline are the most popular, and we would not be able to change and update the content and services appropriately.
ACTE may be required by law enforcement or judicial authorities to provide information on individual users to the appropriate governmental authorities. In matters involving a danger to personal or public safety, ACTE may voluntarily provide information to appropriate governmental authorities.
5. How can ACTE members modify their personal information on ACTEonline?
The ACTE website currently has no means by which ACTE members can fully change or modify information previously provided. Only limited changes can be made in the context of specific services and benefits, such as changing your e-mail address for an e-mail newsletter. Other changes and modifications can be submitted postal mail, e-mail, telephone or fax.
- E-mail: acte@acteonline.org
- Telephone: 703-683-3111 or 800-826-9972
- Fax: 703-683-7424
- Postal address: ACTE, 1410 King Street , Alexandria , Virginia , 22314 , ATTN: Membership Department
6. What is the opt-out policy for ACTEonline?
ACTE provides members the opportunity to opt-out of receiving communications from us and our partners. If you no longer wish to receive specific communications or services, please contact us using the means described above.
In the case of opting out of ACTE discussion lists and e-mail newsletters, automatic opt-out instructions may be included within each e-mail.
7. What kinds of security procedures are in place to protect against the loss, misuse or alteration of your information?
ACTEonline has security measures, such as firewalls, in place to attempt to protect against the loss, misuse and alteration of your user data under our control. ACTE has implemented strict rules for employees who have access either to the databases that store user information or to the servers that host our services. While we cannot guarantee that loss, misuse or alteration to data will not occur, we take many precautions to prevent such unfortunate occurrences. Any other particularly sensitive information, such as your credit card number, collected for a commerce transaction is encrypted prior to transmission.
You are ultimately responsible for the security of your ACTE member ID number and password. You may not share your ACTE member ID number and password with colleagues or friends so they can access content or features on ACTEonline that are restricted to ACTE members only. You should log out of your browser at the end of each computer session to ensure that others cannot access your personal information and correspondence, especially if you share a computer with someone else or are using a computer in a public place like a library or Internet cafe.
8. How does ACTEonline comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA)?
This site makes bulletin boards and discussion lists available to its members. Any information that is disclosed in these areas becomes public information, and you should exercise caution when deciding to disclose your personal information. Although users may post messages that will appear on the message boards anonymously, ACTE does retain a record of who posts all notes.
"Never talk to strangers!" While ACTEonline does not include material directed to children, it's a good rule of thumb to teach children that they should not reveal their names or other personal information to anyone they encounter on the Internet. They should also be instructed not to fill out any forms or register at any website without your knowledge and consent.
9. What you can do to better protect yourself on the Internet
Know the risks. The opportunity to network in an online community (chat room, forum, message board, etc.) is one of the best things about the Internet, but you should always be careful about disclosing personal information such as an actual name, member name, e-mail address, and so on. This information may be collected and used by others within the online community to send unsolicited e-mail messages outside ACTEonline. Some of the messages you receive may be useful to you, but some may not.
Search the Web for as much information as you can about how to protect your privacy. Look for a privacy policy on the websites you visit. A good place to start is TRUSTe http://www.truste.com - an independent, non-profit organization with a mission to build trust and confidence in the Internet. The Federal Trade Commission http://www.ftc.gov/privacy has a website with useful information on being a savvy Internet user along with other privacy initiatives. Additional privacy resources can be found by clicking on any of the following links:
Questions? contact ACTE Communications.
