The British Columbia Historical Federation (the “BCHF”) is committed to protecting the privacy of the users of this website (the “Site”) in accordance with British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, and other applicable legislation.
Personal Information
“Personal information” means recorded information about an identifiable individual, including home or personal email address, birthdate, and credit card information. Personal information does not include contact information which enables an individual at a place of business to be contacted, such as the individual’s name, position name, title, business telephone number, business email or business fax number.
Collection and Retention of Information
The BCHF only collects personal information when it is voluntarily submitted by users of the Site. Users may choose not to provide certain personal information when it is requested, although that may impair the ability of the user to use the Site and/or of the BCHF to address a user’s needs or requests.
Users may visit the Site without telling the BCHF who they are, or revealing any information about themselves. However, like many organizations’ websites, our web server automatically collects certain non-identifying information related to the user’s visit to the Site, including the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the user’s computer, the IP address of the user’s Internet Service Provider, the type and version of the browser that the user is using, the date and time the user accessed the Site, the Internet address of the website from which the user linked directly to our Site, the operating system that the user is using, and the pages of the Site that the user has visited. The BCHF makes no attempt to link this information with the identity of individuals visiting the Site. It may, however, review server logs and anonymous traffic statistics for security purposes, for example to detect intrusions into its network, and to monitor the aggregate viewership of the pages. The possibility therefore exists that server log data, which contains users’ IP addresses, could in instances of criminal malfeasance be used to trace and identify individuals. In such instances, raw data logs would be shared with appropriate investigative bodies authorized to investigate such security breaches.
The BCHF retains information in accordance with its various records retention schedules, and will generally retain personal information for only as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose(s) for which it was collected.
Purpose – Why Information is Collected, Used and Disclosed
Personal information that the BCHF collects is used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a use consistent for that purpose, unless the user consents to another purpose or if another purpose is authorized under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other applicable law. Purposes for which the BCHF may collect and use personal information include:
- to provide the user with information and promotional materials regarding the BCHF;
- to establish, maintain and manage relations with a user relating to the BCHF’s programs, activities and services;
- to process commercial transactions – such as ticket or merchandise purchases – with a user;
- to plan and evaluate the BCHF’s programs and activities;
- to operate and administer the Site, and the BCHF’s other services;
- to obtain feedback regarding the Site and the BCHF’s programs and services;
- to create a record of the user’s involvement with the BCHF;
- to protect the BCHF against error, fraud, theft or damage to its assets;
- to comply with any legal requirements, including reporting requirements, and for law enforcement purposes;
- any other reasonable purpose to which the user provides consent.
If the BCHF transfers any personal information to a third party subcontractor for processing, it will use appropriate contractual or other means to ensure compliance with this Policy and all applicable legislation.
Contests and Surveys
The BCHF may from time to time run contests or collect information from users using online surveys. Participation in contests and surveys is entirely voluntary, and users can choose what, if any, information they wish to disclose. The specific information requested and how it will be used will vary, and will be communicated to users prior to or at the time that the information is requested.
Cookies
The BCHF may use cookies, or similar technologies to enhance the efficiency, convenience, and use of the Site. When a user visits the Site, the BCHF may place a cookie on the hard drive of the user’s computer to allow us to track and analyze the user’s use of the Site, and to enable the use of certain content management systems. “Cookies” are a technology that installs small data files on a website user’s computer to permit the web server to differentiate users, and to pass information from page to page during a single user’s website session. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but if a user does not wish to have cookies on the user’s system, the user can adjust browser settings to decline them or to alert the user when cookies are being sent. If a user declines cookies the user will still be able to use the Site, but that user’s ability to access certain features of the Site may be affected.
Links to other Websites
The Site may contain optional links to third party internet sites and services that may collect data from users or their computers. The use of such websites is at the user’s own risk, and the BCHF cannot assume responsibility for the privacy practices, policies or actions of the third parties who operate those websites. This Policy applies only to the BCHF Site, and all users are advised to read the privacy policies contained on each Internet site that they visit.
Feedback
Comments or other feedback provided by a user to the BCHF become the property of the BCHF, and the BCHF may use and disclose them for any purpose provided that it does not associate them with the user’s personally identifiable information. The BCHF will only publicly identify users who consent to being identified in connection with their comments or other feedback.
How Information Is Protected
The BCHF maintains reasonable security safeguards to protect personal information in its custody or under its control from loss and unauthorized access, collection, theft, copying, use, alteration, disclosure or disposal, regardless of the format in which the information is held.
The BCHF will continually review and update its security policies and controls as technology evolves. Unfortunately, no security technology can be guaranteed to be failsafe. As a result, while the BCHF strives to protect its users’ personal information, it is impossible to fully eliminate security risks associated with personal information. Use of the Site and transmission of any information is at the user’s own risk, and the BCHF cannot warrant the security of any information that is transmitted to or from it. Similarly, the BCHF cannot guarantee that its hosted email will be secure at all times, nor can it be responsible for the actions of any third parties who might receive such information. As such, users should be very careful about the nature of the information that they provide, and are advised not to provide sensitive personal information through the Site “Contact” form or via subsequent email correspondence with the BCHF.
