The Congenital Heart Information Network (C.H.I.N.) is very sensitive to the privacy concerns of the visitors to its website. This statement will clarify our privacy policy.
We do not ever collect personally identifiable information about visitors to our site except when that information is voluntarily offered. We do not require that site visitors provide any personally identifiable information to use our site.
When we do collect information, such collection is performed using various web-based registration and feedback forms. We do not share the information with any third parties except when this is the reason the information is being collected, and in all such cases, the collection form will explicitly state who will receive the information and will explicitly ask for permission to share the information.
The Congenital Heart Information Network also operates online discussion groups
for our members and a chat room for the benefit of our site visitors, members, and subscribers. To use these features, you must provide your email address and optionally, your name or "handle". If you choose to participate, be assured that we will not use this information for any purpose other than to provide the requested service unless it is explicitly stated on the form.
You should be aware, however, that if you voluntarily share your e-mail address or other personal information by posting on one of our email lists or participating in our chat area, that information is available to all of the other participants. We then have no control over who may have access to it, nor do we have any control over how it is used.
You should also be aware that non-personally identifying information you provide may be automatically collected through the use of small text files that our site server uses to recognize repeat visitors. These files, called "cookies", assist your ongoing access and use of our site. If you do not want information about your visit collected by a cookie, you can use the cookie-blocking feature in your web browser. You should understand, however, that if you choose to block the cookie you might also prevent us from providing you with some features available on our web site. Regardless, no information gathered through the use of cookies will be shared with any third party and we do not attempt to match site visitors with email addresses or any other personally identifying information, even if you voluntarily provide such information during your visit.
From time to time, we also collect statistics about how our website is used in an effort to improve our site. That information is aggregated and does not contain any personally identifying information about users.
Email Service Privacy Policy
If you are a C.H.I.N. member and choose to join one of our online support
groups, you are voluntarily providing us with your email address and additional information that we may request in order to provide you with this service. We will not share this or any other personally identifiable information with anyone outside our organization. However, if you post to an
online support group, your email address will be made available to all other participants. We then have no control over who may have access to it, nor do we have any control over how it is used.
We will send email messages only to users who have specifically requested such emails by signing up for a notification service or joining an
online support or discussion group.
When you sign up for C.H.I.N. membership or email notification service, your email address and any other information you provide is stored in an email database on our server. This information is collected, stored and used solely for the purpose of providing the email service.
If at any time you would like to exercise your option to discontinue your subscription to our email lists or email notification service, you may do so by following the unsubscribe instructions provided at the bottom of every message. Your email address and other information will then be purged from our email database within a short period of time.
If you have any questions, comments or concerns regarding the C.H.I.N. Privacy Policy, please send an email to privacy@tchin.org.
This Privacy Statement is made in the name of the Congenital Heart Information Network (C.H.I.N.) and is effective as of January 1, 2002. This statement will not be changed without notifying users by means of a revised statement at this website. This statement does not create an agreement between the Congenital Heart Information Network and our users and, as such, does not create any legal rights for any party.
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