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Privacy Policy
Peace Corps Connect Privacy Policy
Effective January 20, 2009
At Peace Corps Connect, we are committed to maintaining your privacy and your trust. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, protect, use and share information about you when you use the Peace Corps Connect website (the “Site”). We hope this information increases your confidence in Peace Corps Connect and enhances your experience on our Site. This Privacy Policy is incorporated into and subject to the Peace Corps Connect Terms of Service. Each time that you use the Site, you signify that you agree to be bound by the Terms of Service and this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy or any revised policy, you must discontinue using the Service, terminate your membership, and exit the Site immediately. This Privacy Policy is subject to all applicable privacy laws, both US and foreign, having sufficient jurisdictional basis. If any provision of this Privacy Policy is determined to be illegal or unenforceable, then such provision will be enforced in such jurisdiction if and only to the maximum extent possible and the other provisions will remain fully effective and enforceable in that or any other jurisdiction.
Read Tips about Privacy and Security on Peace Corps Connect.
I. ABOUT Peace Corps Connect
Peace Corps Connect, a project of the National Peace Corps Association, is a web portal for the Returned and current Peace Corps Volunteer community. Over time, the Peace Corps Connect community will include families of PCVs/RPCVs, prospective volunteers and those interested in the international development activities of Peace Corps Volunteers. Peace Corps Connect members (“Members”) will be able to set up unique personal profiles and, through those profiles, to create an online network of other PCVs/RPCVs or those interested in the Peace Corps. Members can view each others’ profiles, communicate with old contacts and make new ones on the Site, share photos, post blogs or other journal commentary, post project-oriented information and stories and describe their interests. To enrich our Members’ experience, we request and display some personal information to other Members and visitors, which allows our users to identify each other and expand their network of friends. Peace Corps Connect members can change their profile information at any time and can control how other Members and Peace Corps Connect communicates with them.
II. INFORMATION WE COLLECT
User Provided Information. Peace Corps Connect collects personal information from you when you register with our Site, update your profile, interact with other Members, and use various features of our Site. To register with Peace Corps Connect, you must provide your name, country and years of service (if applicable), and email address, and select a screen name. When you submit this information, we will send you a confirmation email that you must respond to in order to complete the registration process. Once you are registered, you will be given the option to add additional personal information about you to your profile. By using the privacy settings on your profile, you can control which Members have access to certain of your personal profile data. Keep in mind, however, that certain basic profile data cannot be hidden and will always be displayed on the Site once they register (see, “When You Register” below.)
We may also collect information regarding your interaction with other users and your use of the Site. From time to time we may ask you to respond to surveys or other requests for information and we collect the information you provide. We may also collect information about you through other methods, including research surveys or information we obtain from third parties, including verification services, data services, as well as public sources. We use this information to continually offer you and other Members the richest experience as Peace Corps Connect Members.
All personally identifiable information (i.e., information that can be used to identify or contact you) that we collect may become part of your Peace Corps Connect Member file and may be used by Peace Corps Connect and the National Peace Corps Association as provided in this Privacy Policy or as disclosed at the time you provide the information or as otherwise agreed by you.
Web Logs. Like most standard Website servers, we process information from all visitors to the Site. This information may include the browser you are using, the internet address from which you linked to our Site, the operating system of your computer, time/date stamp info, the unique IP address of the computer you used to access our Site, and usage and browsing habits. We use this information to help diagnose and troubleshoot server malfunctions, to analyze trends, track user movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information. We may also use individual information we collect through web logs to send you invitations to events or campaigns and other communications.
Cookies. To help make sure you receive information that is relevant to you, our Site uses data “cookies.” These cookies are small data files stored on your computer which identify you as a previous visitor to the Site and help us to personalize your experience when you arrive. Most web browsers are set to accept cookies. You can instruct your browser not to accept cookies. However, if you disable this function, you will not be able to use some of the features on our Site.
Web Beacons. Our Web pages and our e-mail newsletters contain “web beacons.” Web beacons are used as a tool to capture cookies, some of which may identify a user and therefore include personally identifiable information. Using this information, we are able to measure the effectiveness of our advertising and how visitors use our Site. This allows us to learn what pages are most attractive to our visitors, which parts of our Site are the most interesting and what kind of offers our Members like to see. Some of the web beacons that are in place on our Site are used only by Peace Corps Connect, and other web beacons are from our vendors and advertisers who use this data to assist us in analyzing how our Members use the Site. In addition, we have agreements with various affiliate networks that promote Peace Corps Connect on their affiliate websites. These affiliate advertisers may use web beacons in their advertisements to track users who click through from the affiliate website to the Site.
Children. Peace Corps Connect is committed to protecting the privacy of children. This Site is not designed or intended to attract children under the age of 13. Peace Corps Connect does not collect personal information from any person we actually know is under the age of 13.
III. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION
When you Register. When you register with Peace Corps Connect, you create your own profile and privacy settings. Your profile information, as well as your screen name and photo are displayed to people in the networks specified in your privacy settings to allow you to connect with other Peace Corps Connect Members.
Telephone Numbers. If you supply us your telephone number, you may receive telephone contact from us with information regarding any orders you have placed, new products and services, or information on upcoming events. You have the right to opt-out of receiving telephone contact from Peace Corps Connect. To be placed on Peace Corps Connect’s Do Not Call List, please send an email to pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org. Peace Corps Connect does not sell, rent, or otherwise release your telephone number to any third party, nor do we use it for any purpose other than what is stated above.
Postal Addresses. If you supply it to us, Peace Corps Connect collects postal mailing address information from you so that we may fulfill the orders you submit to us and inform you of Peace Corps Connect programs, products, and services in which you may be interested. You have the right to opt-out of receiving postal mailings from Peace Corps Connect. If you do not wish to receive postal mailings from Peace Corps Connect in the future, please send an email to pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org. We selectively make our postal mailing address list available to other carefully screened organizations whose product or service offerings may be of interest to you. You have the right to opt-out of the sharing of your postal address with these third parties. If you do not wish for us to provide your mailing information to other mailers, please send an email to pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org.
Faxes. You have the right to opt-out of receiving contact from Peace Corps Connect via fax. To be placed on Peace Corps Connect’s Do Not Fax List, please send an email to pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org. Peace Corps Connect does not sell, rent, or otherwise release your fax number to any third party, nor do we use it for any purpose other than what is stated above.
Credit Card Information. Peace Corps Connect collects your credit card information when you pay by that method. We use the information only to obtain payment for the Peace Corps Connect programs, products, and services you purchase. Peace Corps Connect does not share your credit card information with any third parties.
Your Real Name. Your real name is never displayed on the Site (unless you use it as your screen name), but your real name will be included in emails that you “send to a friend.” You can choose to allow Members to search for you by using your real name, country/years of service, or most other information you have entered in your profile.
Personal Profiles. Please be aware that certain personal profile information is displayed for all Members and cannot be hidden. Specifically, your screen name, photo, current location and country of service (if applicable) entered on your profile are always displayed on the Site and therefore, are viewable by all users. In addition, because this information is publicly displayed on the Site, it may appear in the results of searches conducted on Internet search engines. By using the search functionality on the Site, Peace Corps Connect Members can find other PCVs/RPCVs or community members with similar interests and challenges. When you find other Members, you can view their personal profiles to find out more about them based on the information they have decided to share on the Site.
Stories and Photos. As a Peace Corps Connect Member, you can share personal content, such as stories and photos. Please be aware that by using any of these features, you may make your personally identifiable information accessible to Members and non-Members, and Peace Corps Connect has no control over how those users may use your personally identifiable information. We have the right, but not the obligation, to monitor any activity and content associated with the public and private forums and interactive areas on our Site. If we believe any activity on the Site may constitute a crime or any content may be evidence of a crime, we may provide information about such activity or content to law enforcement. Please review our Terms of Service for more information regarding your appropriate use of these areas.
Your Email Address. Peace Corps Connect collects email address information from you when you order a Peace Corps Connect product or service, register, publish your name and email address on a public Web site, or provide your email address to us when communicating with one of our service representatives. Peace Corps Connect collects email address information from you so that we may confirm and/or deliver your purchase; communicate with you regarding your registration; and alert you of other Peace Corps Connect programs, products, and services that may be of interest to you. Often times, many of our services or programs are only advertised through email. Any recipient of such email notices may opt out of receiving them at any time. To opt out of receiving emails, please send an email to pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org.
Peace Corps Connect Newsletters and Emails. Peace Corps Connect may send you service-related announcements and emails from time to time. For instance, if a friend sends you a message or someone comments on your photos or journal, you may receive an email alerting you to that fact. We may also use your information to send you e-newsletters, updates and communications about the National Peace Corps Association. We may ask you which newsletters you wish to receive. You may change your newsletter preferences (i) at any time by simply updating your account, which you can do by clicking on the “Edit Profile” button posted throughout the Site, or (ii) by opting-out of receiving future emails as described at the bottom of each communication from Peace Corps Connect.
Third Party Offers. On occasion, we are able to offer you special services from or mailings on behalf of an organization with similar aims. This may be to promote a specific event or activity that we deem of interest to our Members. National Peace Corps Association staff performs these mailings; the Members’ contact information is not provided to such organizations. If you do accept the offer or attend an event, however, you will become a client of the organization that is fulfilling the offer and we will not have control over their use of the personally identifiable information that you provide to them when you accept the offer.
If you would prefer that your address not be released under these circumstances, please indicate this desire in an email to: membership AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org.
Other Third Party Recipients. Peace Corps Connect may provide to third parties non-personal information about you that does not allow you to be identified or contacted and that is combined with the non-personal information of other users. For example, Peace Corps Connect may inform third parties regarding the number of users of the Site and the activities they conduct while on the Site. We may or may not charge third parties for this information. Peace Corps Connect may not impose on such third parties any limitation regarding the use of such information, except that Peace Corps Connect does require third parties to whom we disclose such non-personal information to agree that they will not attempt to make this information personally identifiable by combining it with other databases or otherwise.
Invite a Friend. If you do become a Member, not only can you enjoy all of the benefits of membership, but you can also invite other individuals to join by providing us with their first names and email addresses. Using the information you give us on these potential Members, we will send them an email invitation to join Peace Corps Connect. The only way these individuals can become Members, however, is if they come to our Site and sign up themselves. We do not use this information for other purposes.
Legal Matters: We may, without your consent, access and disclose your information, any communications sent or received by you, and any other information that we may have about you or your account as may be permitted or required by law (including, but not limited to, law, regulation, court order, subpoena, or search warrant), or to prevent or investigate suspected fraud, violations of our Terms of Service, or activity that appears to us to be illegal or may expose us to legal liability. Additionally, we may disclose your information in situations that we believe to be emergencies involving potential threats to the physical safety of any person or property if we believe that your information in any way relates to that threat. In the event that we are legally compelled to disclose your Private Information (as defined below) to a third party, we will notify you unless doing so would violate the law or court order.
IV. PRIVACY SETTINGS
All content and information on the Site will be publicly available and searchable with the exception of certain fields on the profiles. Within profiles, the default setting will be that certain information is public and everything else unless designated is private, per the descriptions below.
a. Public information: Screen name, if a PCV or RPCV, country and year of service, not a PCV/RPCV, country where person lived or is knowledgeable about, current location, interest areas (e.g. health, education, agricultural, environment, malaria, etc .
b. Private information: Any contact information (email, phone, address), photos, videos and real name (all “Private Information”). Again, individuals can change settings to make these public, but default is private. Peace Corps Connect exercises all reasonable internal controls to maintain the confidentiality of Private Information and although Peace Corps Connect makes every reasonable effort to protect your Private Information from loss, misuse, or alteration by third parties, you should be aware that there is always some risk in transmitting information over the Internet or that thieves could find a way to breach Peace Corps Connect’s security systems employed to protect your Private Information. Consequently, Peace Corps Connect neither warrants nor guarantees the security of Private Information.
c. Communication with other Members: Similar to Facebook, anyone (either who has a Member profile or not) can “blindly” contact a Member profile to ask permission to communicate.
Sub-groups that link in to our site can also set their own privacy settings. We will encourage them to make much of their information public. This Privacy Policy does not protect you when you send submissions by email to the Site which contain business information, ideas, concepts or inventions. If you want to keep business information, ideas, concepts or inventions private or proprietary, do not send them in an email as a submission to Peace Corps Connect. We try to answer every email in a timely manner, but are not always able to do so.
You may always contact Peace Corps Connect to (1) delete your Public and Private Information from our systems, (2) update the Public or Private Information you have previously submitted, and (3) change your preferences with respect to contact information or other activities, by emailing Peace Corps Connect at molly@peacecorpsconnect.org. Such changes will not have any effect on other information that the Site maintains.
You should know that it may not be technologically possible to remove each and every record of the Public or Private Information you have provided to Peace Corps Connect from our servers because of the need to back-up our systems to protect information from inadvertent loss. Therefore, a copy of your Public or Private Information may exist in a non-erasable form that will be difficult or impossible to locate. Nevertheless, Peace Corps Connect represents that upon receiving your request, all Public and Private Information stored in the databases we actively use for daily business activities, and other readily searchable media, will be deleted as soon as it may be reasonably done on a nondisruptive basis.
V. IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES, PRACTICES AND
CONTACT INFORMATION
Peace Corps Connect contains links to other sites. Some of the pages on this server may contain links to information created and maintained by other organizations. Please note that the NPCA does not manage and cannot guarantee the appropriate nature of these outside materials. Once you are on these sites, any data that you supply to these partners is beyond our reach and will be the responsibility of each of the linked-to entities and not Peace Corps Connect. These links are provided as a benefit to you and do not necessarily reflect endorsement by the National Peace Corps Association or Peace Corps Connect. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of these Websites or any other sites linked to or referenced on our Site.
Security. Peace Corps Connect has multiple layers of security on its systems. We have implemented software and hardware security, including firewalls, data encryption, and private networks intended to protect your personally identifiable information from unauthorized access. We use firewalls and intrusion-detection devices that are designed to defend against hackers and notify us if any attempts are made to compromise our network. We regularly review additional software upgrades to enhance our security measures. However, despite our efforts, no system can completely guarantee that there will never be unauthorized access to your personally identifiable information, and your use of the Site indicates that you are entirely willing to assume this risk entirely.
A Note About International Users. The Peace Corps Connect Site is hosted in the United States. If you are using the Site from outside the United States, by providing your information to this Site, you are consenting to the transfer of your information to the United States for processing and maintaining in accordance with this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. You are also consenting to the application of United States law in all matters concerning this Site.
Updating Your Personal Information. If you are a Peace Corps Connect Member, you can update your personally identifiable information at any time. To do this, just click on the “Edit Profile” link listed throughout the Site. However, we are unable to update or delete any of your personally identifiable information that has been shared with a third party as permitted in this Privacy Policy.
Changes to the Privacy Policy. We reserve the right in the future to make significant changes to this Privacy Policy affecting your Private Information or changing this Privacy Policy from time to time. If we do so, we will notify you by email of any significant changes concerning our use of your Private Information and provide you the opportunity to opt-out of such significant new uses of your Private Information if it was obtained from you prior to a significant change in this Privacy Policy. We further reserve the right to make non-significant changes to our Privacy Policy that generally will not affect our use of your Private Information. In such cases, we will not notify you of these non-significant changes and invite you to check this posted Privacy Policy for any such non-significant changes. The most recent version of the Privacy Policy will always be posted on the Site, with the “Effective Date” posted at the top of the Policy.
Contacting Us. If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, or the practices of this Site, please visit our Feedback Page.
Or write to us at:
Peace Corps Connect
National Peace Corps Association
1900 L Street, Suite 404
Washington DC 20036-5002
If you have a complaint or a problem you may email us at: pcc AT peacecorpsconnect DOT org, at which time your complaint will be dealt with internally for a response or resolution. We attempt to answer every email in a timely manner but are not always able to do so. If you do not receive adequate resolution of a privacy-related problem, you may write to Peace Corps Connect at the above-indicated address.
