LifeSharers Privacy Statement

This privacy statement covers the site www.lifesharers.org. If users have questions or concerns regarding this statement, they should send an email to info@lifesharers.org.

Information Collection

LifeSharers is the sole owner of the information collected on www.lifesharers.org. LifeSharers collects information from our users at several different points on our Web site.

Enrollment

In order to use some sections of this Web site, a user must first complete the member enrollment form.  During enrollment a user is required to give contact information (such as name and email address) and provide unique identifiers (such as MemberID and password). We use this information to contact the member about information on our site in which the member has expressed interest.

Gift Shop Order Form

We request information from the user on our order form. A user must provide contact information (such as name, email, and shipping address) and financial information (such as credit card number, expiration date).  This information is used for billing purposes and to fill customer’s orders.  If we have trouble processing an order, the information is used to contact the user.

Information Use

Profile

We do not store information that we collect through cookies, log files, clear gifs, and/or third parties to create a profile of our users.

Cookies

A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. We use both session ID cookies and persistent cookies.  For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates.  A persistent cookie is a small text file stored on the user’s hard drive for an extended period of time. Persistent cookies can be removed by following Internet browser help file directions.

By setting a cookie on our site, users would not have to log in a password more than once, thereby saving time while on our site.  If users reject the cookie, they may still use our site.

Third Party Advertising

This privacy statement covers the use of cookies by LifeSharers only and does not cover the use of cookies by any advertisers. 

Log Files

Like most standard Web site servers we use log files.  This includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, and date/time stamp to administer the site, track user’s movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use.  IP addresses, etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Communications from the Site

Welcome to New Members

We send all new members a welcoming email to verify password and MemberID.

Newsletters / Press Releases

If a user wishes to subscribe to our newsletter or receive press releases, we ask for their email address.  Out of respect for our users privacy, we provide a way to opt-out of these communications on our Web site.

Service Announcements

On rare occasions it may be necessary to send out a strictly service-related announcement.  For instance, if our service is temporarily suspended for maintenance we might send users an email.  These communications are not promotional in nature.

Customer Service

We communicate with users to provide requested services and in regards to issues relating to their account. We reply via email.

Sharing

Legal Disclaimer

Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on our Web site.

Aggregate Information (non-personally identifiable)

We may share aggregated demographic information with others. This is not linked to any personally identifiable information.

Personably identifiable information

These are the instances in which we will share users’ personal information:

Merchandise Orders

We use an outside company to process orders, a shipping company to ship orders, and a credit card processing company to bill users for goods and services.

Business Transitions

In the event LifeSharers goes through a business transition, such as a merger, being acquired by another organization, or selling a portion of its assets, users’ personal information will, in most instances, be part of the assets transferred.  Members will be notified via email prior to a change of ownership or control of their personal information. If as a result of the business transition, the users’ personally identifiable information will be used in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection they will be given choice consistent with our notification of changes section.

Opt-out

Users who no longer wish to receive our newsletter or press releases may opt-out by modifying their newsletter subscription preference on the LifeSharers Web site.

Links

This Web site contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we, LifeSharers, are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites.  We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every Web site that collects personally identifiable information.  This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this Web site.

Tell-A-Friend

If a user elects to use our referral service for informing a friend about our site, we ask them for the friend’s email address.  LifeSharers will send the friend a one-time email inviting them to visit the site.  LifeSharers does not store these email addresses.

Security

This Web site takes precautions to protect our users’ information.  When users submit sensitive information via the Web site, their information is protected both on-line and off-line.

When our enrollment or order form asks users to enter sensitive information (such as credit card number or Social Security Number) that information is encrypted using SSL encryption software.  While on a secure page, such as our enrollment form, the lock icon on the bottom of Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer becomes locked, as opposed to un-locked, or open, when users are just ‘surfing’.

While we use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information on-line, we also protect user-information off-line.  All of our users’ information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices.  Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job are granted access to personally identifiable information. All employees are kept up-to-date on our security and privacy practices.  Any time new policies are added, our employees are notified and/or reminded about the importance we place on privacy, and what they can do to ensure our users’ information is protected.  Finally, the servers that store personally identifiable information are in a secure environment.

If users have any questions about the security at our Web site, users can send an email to info@lifesharers.org.

Correcting/Updating/Deleting/Deactivating Personal Information

If a user’s personally identifiable information changes (such as zip code, phone, email or postal address), or if a user no longer desires our service, we provide a way to correct, update or delete/deactivate users’ personally identifiable information. This can be done at the LifeSharers Web site.

Notification of Changes

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this privacy statement and to other places we deem appropriate so our users can be aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it.  We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.  We may also email users who have opted to receive communications from us notifying them of the changes in our privacy practices. 

If we are going to use users’ personally identifiable information in a manner different from that stated at the time of collection we will notify users via email.  Users will have a choice as to whether or not we use their information in this different manner.  However, if users have deleted/deactivated their account then they will not be contacted, nor will their personal information be used in this new manner. 

Contact Information

If users have any questions or suggestions regarding our privacy policy, please contact us at info@lifesharers.org.