Internet Privacy Policy - PKF North American Network

INTERNET PRIVACY POLICY
(as revised July 2003)

This Web site (the "Site") is owned and operated by PKF North American Network (" PKF NAN "). PKF NAN is concerned about your privacy on the Internet and is providing the following information concerning privacy issues pertaining to this Site.

PKF NAN exists, in part, to facilitate the sharing of information among its dues paying members ("Members"). At times, it is desirable that Member information be gathered and shared among the Members. PKF NAN also recognizes that some visitors to the Site may not be PKF NAN Members ("Non-members"). Certain types of information about our users is gathered and tracked by PKF NAN . This Privacy Policy discloses what information PKF NAN gathers and how it is used.

INFORMATION PKF NAN GATHERS AND TRACKS

PKF NAN gathers three types of information about Members:

1.  Information that Members provide through optional, voluntary submissions. These are voluntary submissions to participate in our Discussion Forums, E-mail List Services, the Resource Library, and from participation in polls and surveys;
2.  Information PKF NAN gathers through Visitor Relationship Management and Web Analytical software packages. This information includes aggregated statistics primarily based on tallying page views throughout our Site. This information is used to tailor our content to Members’ needs;
3.  Information PKF NAN gathers based on Member login activity. This information includes visit counts and certain other information about page usage. This information is also used to tailor our content to Members’ needs and to track more specifically the usage of certain services for which PKF NAN pays fees to third party entities.

PKF NAN does not divulge information about an individual Member to a third party, except where such information is required for the Member to access a subscribed service, or in the event that such may be required by law.

PKF NAN gathers two types of information about Non-members:

1. Information that Non-members provide through optional, voluntary submissions. These are voluntary submissions such as completing the Site’s Request for Information form, or using an E-mail address link to send an E-mail;
2. Information PKF NAN gathers through Visitor Relationship Management and Web Analytical software packages. This information includes aggregated statistics primarily based on tallying page views throughout our Site. This information is used to tailor our content to Non-members’ needs;

PKF NAN does not divulge information about an individual Non-member to a third party except in the event that such may be required by law.

PKF NAN GATHERS USER INFORMATION IN THE FOLLOWING PROCESSES:

Optional Voluntary Information

We offer the following services (Public and Members Only), which require some type of voluntary submission of personal information by Members:

1.  Non-member Request for Information (Public Service)
A Non-member may use the Request for Information form. Use of the form generates an E-mail to one of the PKF NAN staff. All information on the form is voluntary. Information requested includes Information Category, Name, Address, Phone Numbers, E-mail Addresses and comment.
2.  Firm Directory (Public Service)
As a service to both the Public and our Members, PKF NAN maintains a Firm Directory that includes information about our Member firms. Members supply information that includes Firm Name, Firm Address(es), Firm E-mail Address, Firm Web site Address.
3.  Members Only Service Access (Members Only Service)
Members must supply PKF NAN with information in order to receive the Member’s User Name and Password that is necessary to access the Members Only area of the Site. Information the Member is required to supply includes User Name and/or an individual E-mail address, Firm Name, Firm Address(es), Firm E-mail Address, Firm Web site Address, and such other information as may be required to support such Service.
4.  E-mail List Services (Members Only Service)
PKF NAN maintains an E-mail List service on a third party mail server. Members must supply PKF NAN with an E-mail address in order to participate. The mailing lists are available to PKF NAN Members through the Site and may be subject to inclusion in other Member’s E-mail address books. Member-generated E-mail traffic, including both questions and replies, may also be collected and used to create discussion threads in the Discussion Forums.
5.  Discussion Forums (Members Only Service)
Member users of the Site’s Discussion Forums prior to June 2003 had to register separately for these services in order to post messages, although they did not need to register in order to visit the Forum area. During registration the user was required to supply a User Name, Password, and E-mail address. The user, at their option, may also have supplied a First Name, Surname, Country, and Signature. After June 2003, individual Member users of the Site are automatically enrolled as Discussion Forum users, based on information supplied by their Member-employer. During automatic registration a User Name based on the individual's firm-assigned E-mail address and a Password are assigned.
6.  Polling (Members Only Service)
From time to time PKF NAN may conduct polls either through the Site or via E-mail so that users can easily share their opinions with other users. Depending on the type of Poll, responses may be identifiable to a particular user. PKF NAN may also use means to "tag" users after they have responded, so they can respond only once to a particular question.
7.  Surveys (Members Only Service)
PKF NAN conducts various surveys via the Site. The information requested can be quite extensive, but is entirely voluntary in nature. As with PKF NAN paper-based surveys, the Member submitting the information is identified in the survey database and Survey results distributed to Members include the submitting Member’s identification. It is PKF NAN policy that the survey information is distributed for the exclusive use of the Members. However, PKF NAN cannot prevent Members from sharing the information with third parties.
8.  Content Submission (Members Only Service)
The Site hosts a Resource Library area for use by the Members. This area contains documents and Web site links submitted by Members, either directly or through one of the PKF NAN staff. Resource Library submissions of documents or links that comply with the Terms and Conditions of Use for the Site require proper attribution. Such attribution may require the use of the Member’s Name, Title, and Firm Affiliation.

Children
Consistent with the Federal Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act of 1998 (COPPA), we will never knowingly request personally identifiable information from anyone under the age of 13 without requiring parental consent.

Usage Tracking
PKF NAN gathers website visitor statistics through Visitor Relationship Management and Web Analytical software packages. Information tracked in the aggregate includes General Site usage statistics; Most and Least Requested Pages; Entry Requests; Exit Pages; Single Access Pages; Paths through the Site; Downloaded Files; Visitor Statistics; Geographic Statistics; Activity Levels by Day, Hour, and Length of Visit; Technical Analysis and Error Reporting. Information on Most Active Organizations and Top Referring Sites and URLs may contain sufficient information to identify a specific user.

Tracking information is used to tailor our content to users’ needs by measuring the performance of specific pages. PKF NAN does not divulge information about an individual user to a third party, except where such information is required for a Member to access a subscribed service.

Cookies
The operation of the PKF NAN Site may cause the placement of a text file called a "cookie" in the browser files of your computer. The cookie itself does not contain Personal Information although it will enable PKF NAN to relate your use of the Site to information that you have specifically and knowingly provided. But the only personal information a cookie can contain is information that you supply yourself. A cookie cannot read data off your hard disk or read cookie files created by other sites. PKF NAN uses cookies to streamline the login process.

You can refuse cookies by turning them off in your browser. If you have set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies, you will receive the warning message with each cookie. You do not need to have cookies turned on to participate in this site. However, you do need cookies to take advantage of the automated login to the Members Only services of the Site and to participate actively in the Discussion Forums.

Members Only Login
PKF NAN Member Firms receive a User Name and Password for each authorized staff member that allows access to the Site’s Members Only area. This area contains a variety of proprietary content and also allows access to various knowledgebases. Member firms supply PKF NAN identifying information that is made a part of the Site’s database. Login to the Members Only area makes it possible for PKF NAN to associate a specific User Name with activity in the Members Only area.

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