IEEE Computer Society Privacy Guidelines

The IEEE Computer Society is committed to protecting your privacy online. The following guidelines explain what personal information we ask for and why, how we use and protect it, how you can correct or change it, and how this site uses cookies and state IDs.

These guidelines apply to the current Computer Society Web pages, and may be modified as new features are added to the site.

What personal information is collected

This site logs IP addresses, pages accessed, and information about your computer, such as the browser and operating system. Several areas of this site also ask for personal information as follows:

IEEE Web Accounts

Several products and services on this site are accessible only by using a "IEEE Web Account".  An IEEE Web Account is simply a username and password -- chosen by the member -- which is used to control access to various areas of the Computer Society Web site. When a member applies for a IEEE Web Account, we ask for their member number and date of birth. The Computer Society requires the date of birth only as an unchanging piece of information that the member can use to identify themselves to our systems and staff when changing certain pieces of personal information. In all cases, the identifying information is used only to ensure that you are who you claim you are.

Members-only areas

Several products and services on this site are accessible only by using a IEEE Web Account username and password. These include the Digital Library, e-mail alias service, Member Network, periodical subscription form, and technical committee sign-up form. Some services such as the annual elections area may also require a member number or other identifying token. In all cases, the identifying information is used only to ensure that you are who you claim you are.

E-mail aliases

The Computer Society's e-mail alias service enables a member to choose an "@computer.org" e-mail address that forwards e-mail messages to their actual e-mail address. When a member signs up for this service, they must supply their e-mail address and choose a name to use for their alias (<name>@computer.org).

Online Catalog

When you purchase books or other goods through the Online Catalog, we require your shipping address and credit card information. Your member number is also required if you want to receive a member discount.

Subscription application

When a member subscribes to Computer Society periodicals through the online subscription form, we require the member's IEEE Web Account username and password, and their credit card information for payment of subscription fees.

Personalization

The personalization system allows members to create and save agents, which find content they are interested in.  These agents store codes and terminology, which can be unique to each member’s specific interests.  Members must supply their IEEE Web Account username and password in order to access, create, or change these agents.

Membership registration

When you apply at this site to become a member of the Computer Society and the IEEE, we ask for your name, home and/or business address, other contact information, employment information, and educational background. As an organization of technical professionals, the IEEE Computer Society requires this information to determine your level and qualifications for membership. The membership application at this site also requires credit card information for payment of membership fees and subscriptions.

The online application allows you to pick your own IEEE Web Account username and password for access to members-only areas of the site. We also require your date of birth; we require this only as an unchanging piece of information that you can use to identify yourself to our systems and staff when changing certain pieces of personal information.

How we use your personal information

Information collected on this site is used to serve you better or to accomplish the service you are requesting. Personal information gathered on this site is not sold or distributed to third-parties unless you give us explicit permission to do so.

Information in server logs is used for system administration and to report aggregate information to our advertisers. In addition, the Digital Library collects usernames to ensure that library privileges are not being abused.

E-mail aliases

The e-mail alias service is a private benefit for individual members; aliases may not be established for commercial or other organizational purposes. The Computer Society does not monitor or interfere with individual messages sent through its e-mail alias system, but it reserves the right to discontinue any alias if it receives receives complaints about inappropriate use of that alias, or if the alias is otherwise used in a way that is inconsistent with the appropriate image of a society of professionals.

Personalization

Personalization system agents are only used by the automated systems in two ways: 1) They are used when scanning and indexing content, such as from the CS Digital Library, to identify material which may be strongly related to the information that a member has indicated they are interested in.  2) Members may use the “community” feature to find other members whose agents are very similar to their own.  Members have the option to not be included in this community matching feature.

Member personalization settings are not used in any other way and are not used to identify members interests for the purposes of direct marketing, mailing, or e-mailing.

How we protect your information

All member information -- including names, addresses, and other personal information -- is stored behind a "firewall", and defenses have been put in place to protect your information from outside attack by hackers and curious visitors.

We request credit card information only on pages that use industry-standard, Secure Socket Layer (SSL) encryption to transmit your information to our servers. If you are behind a firewall, your system administrator may not allow SSL connections. In this case, alternate versions of the forms are available in PDF format; you can download these, print them, and submit them via fax or mail. In many cases you can also contact the Computer Society by phone to place your order.

Member Network

Access to edit a member's personal information in the Member Network is controlled by IEEE Web Account username and password.

How you can update or correct inaccuracies in your personal information

Members can change their IEEE Web Account password by following the appropriate link from http://computer.org/webaccounts/.

Members can change the address to which their @computer.org e-mail is forwarded by completing the form at https://pascal.computer.org/CSauth/CSAuthen.nsf/Change?OpenForm.

Members can choose not to receive unsolicited promotional mailings from the Computer Society by following the appropriate link from http://computer.org/e-news/.

Members can change their address and phone number by completing the form at http://www.ieee.org/membership/mem_serv/changeaddr.html or by sending e-mail to membership@computer.org.

How this site uses cookies and state IDs

Some applications on this site use "cookies" or "state IDs". The Computer Society does not use these or any other potentially anonymous or hidden technique to gather personal information about you without your knowledge. If we need information, we explicitly ask you. The applications that use cookies or state IDs are explained below.

Cookies allow us to maintain our single sign-on feature - the feature that allows any valid member from the IEEE and the IEEE Computer Society to sign-on once on either site, IEEE.org or Computer.org, and maintain their active sign-on state while traversing from either site or just browsing through one of the respective sites.

As you select books, articles, or papers to purchase from the Online Catalog, this site sends your computer a small data file called a "cookie". This cookie is held in your computer's memory to keep track of your chosen books. It is not written to your hard drive, and it does not identify you personally in any way. When you exit your browser, the cookie is not maintained on your system or ours.

The Computer.org Navigator sends a cookie to your browser so our systems can identify you as you move through the pages of the CS Web site and contine to provide your customized Navigator with the settings you have chosen.  If you chose for your Navigator to automatically display without having to login, the cookie is stored as a small file on your computer containing only an identifier that allows our systems to give you your Navigator settings automatically. It will not allow anyone to access your personal informaton or change any settings without requiring a complete IEEE Web Account login. 

The membership registration form, Member Network, periodical subscription system, and technical committee sign-up system issue a temporary "state ID" while you complete the application process. This state ID is issued by the system only to keep track of your application among all the applications being processed at the same time. It is cancelled as soon as you succesfully complete an application process, or within an hour if your session ends prematurely.

Send general comments and any questions about the IEEE Computer Society's Web site to help@computer.org.
Read our Privacy and Security guidelines.

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