Terms of Use

The International Desalination Association (IDA) Internet Privacy Protection Plan discloses how IDA protects its members’ and customers’ privacy by controlling the use of information IDA collects from them. IDA has created this Internet Privacy Protection Plan to demonstrate its commitment to its members’ and customers’ right to privacy. The following information discloses IDA’s information gathering and dissemination practices for this Web site: http://www.idadesal.org/. Through its interaction with you, IDA has various sources for member/customer information, for example, membership forms, conference registration, purchases, and Internet interaction. All information collected by IDA is stored in its central database, and the information from one source is not handled differently from another source. Although the following provisions constitute IDA’s Internet Privacy Protection Plan, they apply in principle to all customer/member information held by IDA.

IDA will post this plan on its Web site http://www.idadesal.org/ and it will be linked from any page where member information is collected.

IDA forms collect only the information for which they ask you explicitly and which you enter in them. IDA does not collect any information beyond form information except through log files. IDA collects:

1. Registrant information during online conference registrations and requests for exhibit space.
2. Purchaser information obtained during the purchase of publications or purchase of downloaded documents.
3. Contact information supplied by users for IDA Directory or other publications who are requesting advertiser product information.
4. Information supplied by registrants for workshops, conferences, seminars or Congress offered by IDA.
5. Presenter information submitted in response to calls-for-papers.
6. Contact information submitted in job listings, employer account information, and resumes associated with job postings.
7. New or changed member contact information submitted in a change-of-address form, and contact information submitted in forms requesting information about IDA membership, or in applications to serve on IDA Board of Directors or IDA Committees.
8. Internet log files of the IP addresses and click sequences, and session variables such as browser type, of visitors to http://www.idadesal.org/.

IDA does not intentionally or knowingly collect information from children. IDA neither identifies information as originating from children nor does IDA market its goods and services to children. IDA restricts its collection of personal information to demographic characteristics which help it understand its members/customers and their needs (see below), and to information used in authorized transactions (for example: address and credit card number for online purchases).

IDA uses the information it collects in three ways: (1) some information is used internally and for IDA marketing purposes; (2) some information is used in the sale of mailing lists; and (3) some information remains in computer files which are the basis of statistical reports, with no member/customer detail extracted. Each of these uses is discussed below.

(1) Information Used Internally and for IDA Marketing Purposes: Name, address, fax, email, affiliation, industry, job title, race, gender, age and other similar information is used by IDA to understand its audiences and to offer member benefits and products to members/customers who are likely to be interested in them.

(2) IDA does not currently sell or rent its mailing list. It does provide the membership list to its listed regional affiliates for their use in promoting events.

In the event IDA does decide to sell or rent information collected from members and nonmembers IDA’s decision will be based on the educational nature of the mailing piece and whether it furthers the overall interests of the IDA.

(3) Information Used for IDA Statistical Reports: IDA collects IP addresses for information about the geographic spread of internet users. IDA may record type and version of browser, sequence of pages viewed, and length of session for use in improving site navigation and usefulness. This information is for statistical analysis and is not correlated with any specific user.

IDA recognizes that members/customers may wish to limit IDA’s use of personal information, and that this decision may occur after information is provided. If desired, IDA will mark a member/customer’s records in its central database to exclude that address in rented mailing lists. To accomplish this, members/customers should email complete contact information to info@idadesal.org and request that their records be marked “NO OUTSIDE DISTRIBUTION”. IDA is able to prevent mailings of IDA promotional material by marking member/customer’s records “NO IDA PROMOTIONAL MAILINGS,” and to prevent faxing of promotional material by marking member/customer’s records “NO IDA FAX BROADCAST DISTRIBUTION.” These record marks may be requested in the same manner described above. This could deprive the member/customer of some of the many benefits of their association with IDA.

IDA uses several methods to transmit information submitted by customers. Increasingly, transactions are protected using SSL encryption software. This means that your credit card information, name, address, and email cannot be read as they travel across the Internet. SSL encryption is the standard for transactional security and it is used by virtually all other e-commerce systems on the web. IDA joins the Internet community’s concern for data safety. Some IDA systems use unencrypted posting, in which your data is sent like email from your browser to IDA’s server. The server retransmits this information to IDA’s Association Service Representatives by email. IDA’s web servers and its in-house association management systems are protected by advanced security measures.

We have NEVER had a bank confirm fraudulent use of a customer credit card as a result of ordering from IDA via the Internet. EXCEPT AS EXPRESSLY PROVIDED IN THIS PARAGRAPH, IDA HEREBY DISCLAIMS ANY GUARANTEE AND ALL EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER. IDA MAKES NO GUARANTEE OR WARRANTY REGARDING THE OPERATION OR PERFORMANCE OF ANY SECURITY MEASURE OR DEVICE INSTALLED ON ITS WEB SITE OR USED IN PROCESSING ONLINE TRANSACTIONS. THE FOREGOING STATES THE ENTIRE LIABILITY OF IDA WITH RESPECT TO DATA THEFT OR CORRUPTION.

By using IDA’s Web site, you consent to the collection and use of the information by IDA unless you have OPTED OUT (see above). If we change our privacy or security policies in the future, those changes will be posted here so you always know what information we collect, how we use it, and how we protect it.

We would be happy to explain any of our privacy and security policies to you in person. Questions regarding information privacy may be directed to Customer Service at info@idadesal.org please include a phone number so we may respond directly.