This security and privacy policy ("Privacy Policy") constitutes a part of the Terms & Conditions ("Terms and Conditions") of the IEEE Web Site, which governs your use of this Site.The Terms and Conditions, including this Privacy Policy, may be amended by the IEEE at any time by posting the amended Terms and Conditions on this Site.The Terms and Conditions were last amended on 21 December 2001.

In addition to this Privacy Policy, certain IEEE services on or accessible from this Site have Supplemental Terms that will govern your use of such services. These also form a part of the Terms and Conditions and govern your use of such services.

For your protection, we have taken a number of steps to maximize the security of financial transactions that are accepted on the IEEE Web Site. Credit Card processing is accomplished using secure processing services. Your entry of credit card information is encrypted when transmitted in secure mode. If you are behind a firewall, the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) feature of your browser and the processing of the credit card may be blocked. In this case, you have the option of credit card processing without SSL by selecting the "Non-Secure" feature on the screen -- the choice is up to you.

If for any reason, you still feel uncomfortable submitting your credit card over the Internet, you can mail your form to us.

In certain transactions you are given the option of running in a secure (SSL) mode or unsecure mode. In cases where a firewall is causing a situation that cannot be corrected, the use of the unsecure mode is given. The unsecure mode is used by you at your own risk.

In addition, there are constantly changing restrictions in the use of encryption software and schemes that are used in various countries. The use of appropriate software and encryption options are your responsibility, and the IEEE assumes no risk or liability in ensuring your compliance to local law.

REGARDLESS OF THE PRECAUTIONS TAKEN BY YOU OR BY THE IEEE, "PERFECT SECURITY" DOES NOT EXIST ON THE INTERNET. THE IEEE CANNOT ENSURE OR WARRANT THE SECURITY OF ANY INFORMATION YOU TRANSMIT TO THIS SITE OR THE IEEE, AND YOU TRANSMIT SUCH INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN RISK.

Information We Collect From You, How We Use the Information and Opt-out Choices

There are a number of areas in the IEEE Web Site where we ask for and collect information about you, including personally identifiable information. Where we do, it is in order to serve you better, or is necessary to accomplish the service you are requesting. Examples include membership information (which may include name, address, email, telephone number and educational and professional experience information), security identifiers, shipping information, and product purchase information stored in online shopping carts.

Information provided to this Site is processed and stored on computers in various countries, including the United States.

Membership information is used both in the IEEE mailing lists (which also includes lists provided to technical and geographical units of the IEEE (for example, societies and sections)) and in the IEEE Membership Directory.

From time to time, to better serve our members and to supplement member dues, the IEEE mailing list, in part or as a whole, is released to other engineering and carefully selected third party organizations to provide you with information on technical products and services related to your profession, or that we otherwise believe is useful to our members. In addition, the mailing lists may be used in connection with informing you about IEEE services, products, conferences, meetings and events. You may instruct us to not share information about you in the IEEE mailing lists with third parties by indicating this preference on your membership application when you join the IEEE, on your renewal form when you renew your membership, or by sending an email to us at mailingopt-out@ieee.org and including your name and IEEE member number for identification purposes. Your choice to opt-out of third party mailings is effective until the next annual renewal date and you must select the mailing lists opt-out option on your renewal form to keep the opt-out in effect.

The IEEE Membership Directory, printed annually and available for sale to IEEE members and others, contains each member's, name, mailing address (home or business), IEEE grade progression, title (if applicable), company (if applicable), telephone number and email (if applicable) . All members' names and member grades are always listed in the Directory. You may choose to limit the information listed in the next printing of the Directory to only your name and member grade by emailing us at directoryopt-out@ieee.org and including your name and IEEE member number for identification purposes. This opt-out must also be renewed annually with your membership renewal to remain in effect.

Security identifiers are not disclosed to third parties or affiliated persons or entities.Shipping information (except membership information as noted above) and product purchase information stored in online shopping carts is not disclosed except in connection with the fulfillment and processing of your orders and requests

All IEEE Financial Advantage Program services, except for IEEE Travel Services, are provided by third parties and not by the IEEE. When you provide information about yourself in connection with these services and products, you are providing this information to third party service providers and not to the IEEE.The terms of those products and services and the use of all information provided by you to them in connection with such products and services are governed by the privacy policies and practices of such third party service providers.Information you provide to IEEE Travel Services is provided to travel carriers and service providers in order to fulfill your travel-related requests.Their use of that information is governed by their privacy policies, not the IEEE's.

Cookies are implemented in various parts of the IEEE Site, such as the Electronic Catalog. In most instances, the use of Cookies is discretionary by you, and declining Cookies will usually result only in loss of certain conveniences such as session continuity and re-authentication during current or future sessions. Various types of Persistent and Per-Session (Transient) Cookies may be used with any one service, and their implementations, behaviors, and effects will vary. Most IEEE sites using Cookies have specific statements on their use as part of their Frequently Asked Questions ("FAQ") section. It is the policy of the IEEE that Cookies do not carry any of your personal information (name, email address, credit card, etc.) nor identification/password-type data that allows access to such personal information on IEEE servers. All personal, transaction, and security rights are housed on secure IEEE servers, and follow the policy described in the "Information We Collect From You and How We Use the Information" section above. 

All of the IEEE Web servers throughout the main network are registered through Verisign as secure servers using industry-standard certificate techniques. This enables all communication between our servers to be verified when services are requested between our computers.

All of the personal information collected from you on the Site, including names, addresses, are stored behind a "firewall," and defenses have been erected to seek to enhance the protection of your information from outside attack by hackers and curious visitors.

There is a common registration process that allows you to receive your "IEEE Web Account." The registration involves the use of your membership number, a registration PIN number, and your subsequent choice of a unique user name and password. See the IEEE Web Account Site for more information on this service.

The user name and password will be used to authenticate you when you enter privileged services that are offered by the IEEE. After authentication, the service being requested will be allowed based on your current status in the IEEE, Societies, or specific electronic services for which you have signed-up.

This Site contains links to other sites. The IEEE is not responsible for the terms or privacy practices of such other sites and you should read their terms and privacy policy carefully before using them.

The IEEE cooperates with law enforcement inquiries, as well as other third parties, to enforce laws. We can (and you authorize us to) disclose any information about you to law enforcement or other government officials as we, in our sole discretion, believe necessary or appropriate, in connection with an investigation of fraud, intellectual property infringements, or other activity that is illegal or may expose us, service or content providers we work with, or you to possible legal liability.

Please email us at member-comments@ieee.org with any questions you have about our Privacy Policy or Terms and Conditions.