Privacy Policy

Last Updated: December 21, 2005

Your privacy is our top concern. We work hard to earn and keep your trust, so we adhere to the following principles to protect your privacy:

• This is a non-anonymous, closed, trusted community. 

• Any sensitive information that you provide will be secured with industry standard protocols and technology.

Please read this privacy policy to learn more about:

1. What personally identifiable information of yours is collected.

2. How the information is used.

3. With whom the information may be shared.

4. How you can access and change your Account information.

5. What security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information collected.

6. How to contact us.

  Affinity Circles, Inc. (SERVICE PROVIDER) is a Delaware Corporation providing a web-hosted service to the organization represented on this web site by way of logo, branding, images, and data (OPERATOR), which has an agreement with SERVICE PROVIDER authorizing SERVICE PROVIDER to offer its proprietary networking engine (SERVICE) to select members, affiliates, and others (MEMBER(S)) granted access to the SERVICE by the OPERATOR.

  If users have questions or concerns regarding this statement, you should first contact SERVICE PROVIDER by email at service@affinitycircles.com.

  Information Collection

  Registration:

In order to become a MEMBER of the SERVICE, you must first create an account on this web site. To create an account you are required to provide the following contact information: name, email address, country, status, organization, and choose a password.  Your account information will then be submitted to the OPERATOR for review.  To access the SERVICE, the OPERATOR must approve you.

  Profile Information:

Once a MEMBER, you may provide additional information in the Profile section describing your industry, jobfunction, job title, organization of employment, gender, birthday, homepage, instant messenger (IM) client, IM username, picture, resume, phone, cell phone, fax, address, city, state, region, zip code, country, professional experience, educational background, personal description, ethnicity, religion, countries to which you want to travel, languages you speak, social activities and interests, and other information specific to the OPERATOR's version of the SERVICE.  Providing additional information beyond what is required at registration is entirely optional, but will enable you to better identify yourself and find new opportunities using the SERVICE.

  Privacy Settings:

The SERVICE provides a unique type of privacy setting allowing a MEMBER to determine what information other MEMBERS can see in his/her profile.  MEMBERS can choose to show certain fields or groupings of fields only to friends, friends + friends-of-friends, or everyone.  Accordingly, only MEMBERS given permission may view the information in your profile. The OPERATOR may update MEMBER profile information changes from the MEMBER for their records.

  Cookies & Log Files:

Like most web sites, the SERVICE uses cookies and web log files to track site usage. A cookie is a tiny data file that resides on your computer allowing the SERVICE to recognize you as a member when you return to our site using the same computer and web browser. Unfortunately, if your browser settings do not allow cookies, you will not be able to use our website. Like the information you enter at registration or in your Profile, cookie and log file data is used to customize your experience on the web site.

One type of cookie, called a session cookie, is used to identify a particular visit to the SERVICE. Session cookies expire after a short time or when you close your web browser.

  Due to the communications standards on the Internet, when you visit the SERVICE we automatically receive the URL of the site from which you came and the site to which you are going when you leave the SERVICE. We also receive the Internet protocol (IP) address of your computer (or the proxy server you use to access the World Wide Web), your computer operating system and type of web browser you are using, as well as the name of your ISP. This information is used to analyze overall trends to help us improve the SERVICE, but is not linked to personally identifiable information.

  Children:

Children are not eligible to use our service and we ask that minors (under the age of 18) do not submit any personal information to us or use the service.

  Information Use

  The SERVICE is dedicated to helping all types of people more effectively connect with one another. The information you choose to provide on this site is used to help you describe yourself to other MEMBERS. In addition, the SERVICE collects certain types of information in order to operate and improve the SERVICE for you and other MEMBERS. SERVICE PROVIDER will only use your MEMBER profiles, email addresses and other information related to you that SERVICE PROVIDER receives from you, OPERATOR or any member of OPERATOR's Affinity Group for the purpose of operating the SERVICE. SERVICE PROVIDER shall disclose such MEMBER information to third parties only as provided in this Privacy Policy.

  Service Provider Communications:

SERVICE PROVIDER will communicate with you through email and notices posted on this website. These include a series of up to five welcome emails, approved by the OPERATOR, to help inform new users about various features of the service. Please be aware that you will always receive certain emails from SERVICE PROVIDER related to the proper functioning of your account, such as email notices when another member in your network sends you a connection notification. SERVICE PROVIDER may send you promotional information unless you have opted out of receiving such information.

  Customized Content:

Information you provide at registration or in your Profile section is also used to customize your experience on the web site. For example, when you login to your account we will display birthday reminder notices for friends in your network.

  Information Sharing

  Sharing Information With Third Parties:

SERVICE PROVIDER takes the privacy of our MEMBERS very seriously. We will never sell, rent, or otherwise provide your personally identifiable information to any other third parties for marketing purposes. We will only share your information with other third parties to carry out your instructions and to provide specific services. As examples, we may use a credit card processing company to bill MEMBERS for select services, and we may share MEMBERS' Profile and other information with OPERATOR during or following our provision of the SERVICE.

  Communications Between Members:

Many emails you initiate through the SERVICE, an invitation sent to a non-member for instance, will list your email address and name in the header of the message. Emails you initiate may also provide aggregate information about your network (for instance how many people are in your network).

  Legal Disclaimer:

It is possible that we may need to disclose personal information when required by law or government action. We will disclose such information wherein we have a good-faith belief that it is necessary to comply with a court order, ongoing judicial proceeding, or other legal process served on our company or to exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims.

  Accessing and Changing Your Account Information

  You can review the personal information you provided us and make any desired changes to the information, or to the settings for your account, at any time by logging in to your account on the SERVICE and editing the information on your Profile page. You can also unsubscribe from the SERVICE through the SERVICE website. If you unsubscribe from the SERVICE, we will mark your account in our database as Unsubscribed, but may keep your account information in our database. However, if you unsubscribe from the SERVICE, your personally identifiable information will no longer be used by us for providing the SERVICE.

  Security

  In order to access the service, MEMBERS will need to provide a valid username and password.

  Changes to this Privacy Policy

  SERVICE PROVIDER may update this privacy policy. In the event there are significant changes in the way we treat your personal information, we will send a notice to the primary email address specified in your account or by displaying a prominent notice on this site.

  Questions or Comments

  If you have questions or comments about this privacy policy, please email us at service@affinitycircles.com or contact us at: