The Open Source Science Project values your privacy.  As our project has grown, our users have let us know that they would like to see clear, easy-to-read information regarding our privacy commitments and policy.  Thus, we have made our privacy policy both easier to find, and easier to read by eliminating the formality of most legal documents.  This Privacy Policy identifies and describes the way The Open Source Science uses and protects the information we collect about our Users.  All use of The OSSP's products and services, as well as visits to the Website, are subject to this Privacy Policy.  We welcome your questions and feedback on our privacy policy, and invite you to contact us.

• We will protect your privacy and keep your personal information safe.

   

• We will not sell your personal information to anyone, for any purpose.  Period.

   

• We will fully disclose our privacy policy in plain language, and make out policy easily accessible to you.

   

• We will notify you of revisions to our privacy policy, in advance.  No surprises.

GENERAL TERMS

USER ACCOUNT INFORMATION

The OSSP requires that Users register with a chosen username.  Users select a password, which is confidential and used to verify the integrity of their account.  Except insofar as it may be required by law, no person should disclose, or knowingly expose, either user passwords and/or cookies generated to identify a user.  Once created, user accounts will not be removed.  It may be possible for a username to be changed, but The OSSP does not guarantee that a username will be changed upon request.

The OSSP limits the collection of personally identifiable user data to purposes which serve the well-being of its overall effort including, but not limited to, the following:

To enhance the public accountability of the projects.  The OSSP recognizes that any system that is open enough to allow the greatest possible participation of the general public will also be vulnerable to certain kinds of abuse and counterproductive behavior.  The OSSP has established a number of mechanisms to prevent or remedy abusive activities.  For example, when investigating abuse, including the suspected use of malicious (duplicate) accounts, vandalism, harassment of other users, or disruptive behavior, the IP addresses of users (derived either from those logs or from records in the database) may be used to identify the source(s) of the abusive behavior.

To provide site statistics, The OSSP statistically samples raw log data from User visits.  These logs are used to produce the site statistics pages; the raw log data is not made public.

To solve technical problems, log data may be examined by developers in the course of solving technical problems and in tracking down badly-behaved web spiders that overwhelm the site.

DATA RETENTION DETAILS

You can re-use content from The OSSP Lectures freely, with the exception of content that is used under "fair use" exemptions, or similar exemptions of copyright law.  Please follow the guidelines below:

• IP ADDRESS AND OTHER TECHNICAL INFORMATION

  When a non-registered User requests or reads a page, no more information is collected than is typically collected by web sites.  The OSSP may keep raw logs of such transactions, but these will not be published or used to track registered Users.

   

• COOKIES

  The Website sets a temporary session cookie on a User's computer whenever a they have logged in.  These cookies will remain active for 30 minutes, after which point they will auto-expire.

   

• VISITOR DATA

  No more information on Users who are simply reading pages is collected than is typically collected in server logs by web sites.  Aside from the above raw log data collected for general purposes, page visits do not expose a User's identity publicly.

ACCESSING DATA

It is the policy of The OSSP that personally identifiable data collected in the server logs, through records in the database, or through other non-publicly-available methods, may be released by The OSSP faculty or staff, in any of the following situations:

• In response to a valid subpoena or other compulsory request from law enforcement.

   

• With permission of the affected User.

   

• When necessary for the investigation of abuse complaints.

   

• Where the information pertains to page views generated by a spider or bot and its dissemination is necessary to illustrate or resolve technical issues

   

• Where the User has engaged in behavior which violates the Content Policy or Terms of Use.  Data may be released to a service provider, carrier, or other third-party entity to assist in the targeting of IP blocks, or to assist in the formulation of a complaint to relevant Internet Service Providers.

   

• Where it is reasonably necessary to protect the rights, property, or safety of The OSSP, its Users, or the public.

Excepting the situations described above, The OSSP Privacy Policy does not permit distribution of personally identifiable information under any circumstance.  As a general principle, the access to, and retention of, personally identifiable data in all projects should be minimal and should be used only internally to serve the well-being of the Website.  Occasionally, however, The OSSP may receive a subpoena or other compulsory request from a law-enforcement agency or a court or equivalent government body that requests the disclosure of information about a registered User, and may be compelled by law to comply with the request.  In the event of such a legally compulsory request, The OSSP will attempt to notify the affected User within three business days after the arrival of such subpoena by sending a notice by email to the email address (if any) that the affected User has listed in his or her user preferences.

The OSSP cannot advise a User receiving such a notification regarding the law or an appropriate response to a subpoena.  The OSSP does note, however, that such users may have the legal right to resist or limit that information in court by filing a motion to quash the subpoena.  Users who wish to oppose a subpoena or other compulsory request should seek legal advice concerning applicable rights and procedures that may be available.

If The OSSP receives a court-filed motion to quash or otherwise limit the subpoena as a result of action by a User or their lawyer, The OSSP will not disclose the requested information until The OSSP receives an order from the court to do so.

DISCLAIMER

The OSSP believes that maintaining and preserving the privacy of user data is an important value.  This Privacy Policy, together with other policies, resolutions, and actions by The OSSP, represents a committed effort to safeguard the security of the limited user information that is collected and retained on our servers.  Nevertheless, The OSSP cannot guarantee that user information will remain private.  We acknowledge that, in spite of our committed effort to protect private user information, determined individuals may still develop data-mining and other methods to uncover such information and disclose it.  For this reason, The OSSP can make no guarantee against unauthorized access to information provided in the course of utilizing the Website or related resources developed by The OSSP.

ADDITIONAL NOTES

California Civil Code Section 1798.83 entitles California Users to request information concerning whether a business has disclosed Personal Information to any third parties for the third parties' direct marketing purposes.  As stated in this Privacy Policy, The OSSP will not sell or share your Personal Information with third-party companies for their direct marketing purposes without your consent.  California Users who wish to request further information about our compliance with this law or have questions or concerns about our privacy practices and policies may contact us at terms@theopensourcescienceproject.com , or write to us at:

The Open Source Science Project

P.O. Box 251626

West Bloomfield, MI 48325

United States of America