Privacy Policy
Introduction
The Charter Oak Photographic Society, Inc. (COPS) employs two distinct websites: (1) This website, located at charteroakphoto.org, which is the COPS Main Website. (2) The COPS Competition Website, which is located at charteroakphoto.visualpursuits.com.
The privacy policy below pertains only to the COPS Main Website. The privacy policy of the COPS Competition Website is formulated by the Visual Pursuits service and is available at https://charteroakphoto.visualpursuits.com/Help/PrivacyPolicy.aspx.
The COPS Main Website contains links that can transfer the user off the site to third-party websites. Neither charteroakphoto.org nor COPS is responsible for third-party website policies or practices.
By using this website, you consent to its Privacy Policy.
Information collected
User Profile: COPS members provide a first and last name, and an email address, which are stored in a user profile on this website. Each member is assigned a username and a password. The username is stored on the website while the password is encrypted, and only the resulting code (not the password) is stored on the website. This code cannot be used to regenerate the password. Each member can edit and add information to their own stored user profile. User profiles can be added, viewed, edited and deleted by website administrators.
Children under 18 years of age: A person must be 14 years of age or older to become a member of COPS and to use this website. COPS recommends that persons between the ages of 14 and 18 receive permission from a parent or legal guardian before applying for membership. Should COPS or the website administrator learn that a person younger than 14 years of age has been assigned a user profile on the website, that account will be closed and that profile will be deleted as soon as possible.
Media: All images and materials on this website are copyrighted. When members upload an image to the COPS Main Website for a competition or to include in a display such as a gallery, the image file and any metadata embedded in the image file are stored on this website. Similarly, when members upload an image to the COPS Competition Website for a competition, the image file and any metadata embedded in the image file may be stored on the COPS Main Website.
Emails: Any email message sent to this website is regarded as non-confidential and non-proprietary. The name and address of the sender, and the email message, may be stored indefinitely on the website’s server.
Usage Data: Usage data, which is collected automatically, may include your device type, your device’s IP address, browser type and version, your country and city or municipality, the date and time of your visit, the pages on this website that you visit, and the time you spend on each page. This data is automatically rendered anonymous and presented statistically, so it cannot be associated with individual users.
Use of collected information
The information stored on this website is used to provide an interactive online experience, including, for example, the uploading of images and image data for competitions, and the confirmation of these uploads emailed to the submitting member. Each member’s first and last name, and email address are shared with the COPS MailChimp administrator. Images and image data submitted for competition, as well as the first and last names and email addresses of COPS members, are shared with the COPS competition administrators. Images that win competitions may be stored and displayed on this website, and on COPS social media sites, unless prohibited by the submitting member (see Appendix C in Competition Rules). Non-personally identifiable information and anonymous usage data may be employed to statistically analyze website usage and to improve website design and content. In emails submitted to this website, the sender’s name, email address, subject text and message text may be audited by an automated spam detection service. None of the information or images collected and stored on this website is shared or sold.
Transfer of collected information
Collected information is transferred to and maintained on the computers of the company contracted to provide hosting services for this website. That company’s computers may be located outside of Connecticut, where data protection laws may differ from those in Connecticut. By using this website, you consent to that transfer. COPS will take all steps reasonably necessary to ensure that collected information is treated in accord with this privacy policy.
Rights you have over your data
If you have an account or user profile on this site, you can request to receive an exported file of the personal data stored on the website, including any data you have provided to us. You can also request the correction or deletion of any of your personal data stored on the website. This does not include any data we are obliged to retain for administrative, legal, or security purposes. All communication concerning your data should be via email addressed to info@charteroakphoto.org and include ‘For the Webmaster’ in the subject.
Cookies
This website uses cookies to facilitate interactions between the website and the user’s browser. Typically, two essential cookies are stored on the user’s computer: One stores and maintains the user’s session ID, to manage the user’s session on the site. A second cookie manages any user interaction with emojis on the site. A third non-essential cookie is stored if the user views a PDF document on the site. These are all ‘session’ cookies which are deleted when the browser is closed.
Security
Although security measures are installed to protect this website, no amount of security can protect against all data breaches. Security safeguards help prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the appropriate use of data, but no guarantee can be made that your information and data will be secure from intrusions and unauthorized release to third parties. It is also the user’s responsibility to protect their own login and password information.