This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) discloses the practices of The Genetic Disease Foundation, owner of the geneticdiseasefoundation.org and knowyourgenes.org websites (“Sites”), concerning personal information we obtain about you. By using these Sites or any of The Genetic Disease Foundation’s other websites, or by using other services of The Genetic Disease Foundation (collectively the “Services”), you are accepting the practices described in this Policy.
This Policy notifies you of: (a) what personal information of yours is collected when you access these websites and/or use the Services; (b) how the information is collected; (c) how the information is used and shared; (d) our efforts to maintain the security of Sensitive Information; and (e) other details concerning your personal information and our policies.
This Policy does not apply to the practices of companies or organizations that The Genetic Disease Foundation does not own or control, or to people that we do not employ or manage. Information contained in this Policy may be changed or updated without notice at any time.
Information Collection and Use
Information collected is stored in a single, secure database, accessible only by The Genetic Disease Foundation. The Genetic Disease Foundation collects information from our members (“Members”) or from other persons, who use, attempt to use, or access the Site or any other of The Genetic Disease Foundation’s Services (“Users”):
Information that may be gathered online
This Site may collect three types of information from users who visit the Sites: (1) information gathered by analyzing page views and user navigation patterns and (2) information that users provide directly when they use any of our Services. We use page view and navigation information to ensure that Users and Members can find information on our web sites as quickly as possible. Certain other services may also require collecting personal information and/or registration. These services include, but are not limited to, subscribing to any of our newsletters. If you choose not to register and provide personal information, you may not have access to those areas or products that require registration information.
Methods we Use for Gathering Information: Usage Tracking
The Genetic Disease Foundation analyzes user traffic patterns throughout the Sites. We do not attempt to identify individual visitors to our web sites, but we may collect data on general types of users based on domain name or browser type. This information is obtained directly from the User’s web browser identification information.
Our Services
When a User registers for certain services, the User may be asked to provide certain information, including, but not limited to, name and email address. Once you register with us, you are not anonymous to us.
Cookies
A cookie is a short line of text that is created by a web site and stored in a file on your computer. Cookies are used to store information about your preferences and activity during and after your visit to a web site. Cookies are also used widely in electronic commerce programs to keep track of which items a user has selected for purchase. Cookies cannot gather any information from your computer other than which you provide directly or that which is provided routinely by your browser software. Any user has the right and ability to refuse or delete cookies. However, such refusal or deletion may prevent the user from properly using the Site’s cookie-dependent features.
Use of Information
Information we collect is generally used for the following purposes:
- To build features that will make the services available on our Site easier to use. This includes faster search requests, better member support and timely notice of new services and special offers.
- To improve our marketing and promotional efforts, to analyze Site usage, improve our content and product offerings, and customize our Site’s content, layout, and services. These uses improve our Services and better tailor them to meet your needs.
- To resolve disputes, troubleshoot problems and enforce our Terms and Conditions of Use. At times, we may look across multiple members or users to identify problems or resolve disputes, and in particular we may examine your information to identify members using multiple Member Ids or aliases.
- Sharing of Information. Except as otherwise provided herein, we will not knowingly share, rent or otherwise transfer the information we collect from you with any third parties. The Genetic Disease Foundation may provide aggregated statistical information to our marketing partners or other third-parties.
We reserve the right to disclose personal information, including Sensitive Information, when we believe that such disclosure is appropriate to comply with the law or a request by a government official, to protect the rights or property of The Genetic Disease Foundation, or to enforce our Terms and Conditions of Use. In the event that The Genetic Disease Foundation or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, member information and Sensitive Information may be some of the transferred assets.
Agents
We employ other companies and individuals to perform functions on our behalf. Examples include sending postal mail and e-mail, removing repetitive information from member lists, analyzing data, providing marketing assistance and providing member services. They have access to personal and Sensitive Information needed to perform their functions, but may not use it for other purposes.
Special Offers and Announcements
We send all new members a welcoming email. Members will occasionally receive information on Genetic Disease Foundation news, services, and a newsletter.
Security
The Genetic Disease Foundation takes every precaution to protect our users and members’ Sensitive Information, both online and offline. Your Sensitive Information is password-protected for your privacy and security. Sensitive Information is also protected offline in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, a member services representative) are granted access to Sensitive Information. Furthermore, all employees are kept up-to-date on our security practices and changes in those practices. Finally, the servers that we store Sensitive Information on are kept in a secure environment. If you have any questions about the security at our website, you can send an email to info@geneticdiseasefoundation.org.
Other Sites
The Genetic Disease Foundation Sites forward users and members to other Web sites. Please be aware that this Site and The Genetic Disease Foundation shall not be responsible for the business and privacy practices of these other sites. We encourage you to be aware of this when you leave our Site and to read the legal notices and privacy policies of each and every website you visit. This Policy applies solely to the information collected by this Site.
Correction/Updating Personal Information
If a Members’ personal information changes we will endeavor to provide a way to correct or update that members personal data provided to us. This can be done by contacting us at info@geneticdiseasefoundation.org.
Notification of Changes
If we decide to change our Policy, we will post these changes on this website or provide other notification of our revised Policy so our users Users and members Members are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and when we disclose it. If you do not wish to permit material changes in our collection, use or sharing of Sensitive Information provided by you prior to the effective date of such changes, you must notify us prior to that effective date. Regardless of whether you provide us with such notice, changes to this Policy will apply to any and all information provided to us by you after the effective date of such changes.
Children’s Online Privacy Protection
This website serves general users of the World Wide Web. This Site is intended for adult or adult supervised use. We support and comply with the Childrens Online Protection Act (COPPA) and we do not knowingly collect information from children under the age of 13, nor do we share such information with third parties. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE PERSONS 13 YEARS OF AGE OR YOUNGER PERMITTED TO SUBMIT PERSONAL INFORMATION. Children under the age of 18 may use this website only with the involvement of a parent or guardian.
Contact
If you have any questions about this Policy or the KnowYourGenes.org service please email us at info@geneticdiseasefoundation.org.
This Privacy Policy was last updated on October 1, 2009. Any changes to this policy will be posted on this page.
