Last updated April 24, 2012
Berkeley Media Studies Group takes your online privacy seriously and we established this policy to show our commitment to fair information practices and the protection of privacy. A summary of fair information practices can be found at http://bobgellman.com/rg-docs/rg-fips.pdf.This policy is only applicable to bmsg.org, and not to any other websites that you may be able to access from bmsg.org. Other websites have data collection and use practices and policies that differ materially from this policy. We recommend you review the privacy policies at outside sites to see how they handle your personal information.
Your personal information will be subject to this policy. Please do not use this site or provide information if you do not agree with all of the terms of this policy.
How BMSG collects and uses personal information
Basic information
In operating our website, BMSG may include newsletter sign-ups and other online forms that ask users to volunteer their names, email addresses, and other contact information.
Automated data collection
Our servers automatically record and maintain logs of visitors’ IP addresses (the number assigned to computers on the Internet). We don’t normally use IP addresses except to analyze traffic on our website for website improvement or in cases of hacking, harassment, or illegal activity.
Browser settings/cookies
A cookie is a string of information a website sends to and stores on your computer. BMSG may set and access cookies on your computer to help us increase our website’s effectiveness. Additionally, we may use services such as Google Analytics, which place cookies on web browsers, allowing us to track visitors’ interactions with the site. This helps us determine our audience size and improve bmsg.org based on which parts of the site users are most interested in. You can turn off your computer’s ability to receive and store cookies by adjusting your browser’s settings. To learn more about Google tracking or to opt out, visit http://www.google.com/intl/en/analytics/privacyoverview.html.
Disclosure of personal information
Unless we have your consent, we do not normally rent, sell or share personal information that you provide us, including your name, email address, and phone number. We may disclose personal information to our contractors and consultants who help us to maintain our online functions; however, if we do, we require them to use and disclose the information only in accordance with this policy. In addition, we may disclose personal information if compelled by law, if our website is hacked, if we have evidence of criminal activity, or if we believe it is necessary to protect and defend the rights, interest, property, or safety of BMSG or the users of bmsg.org.
Access to information/subscription preferences
You can review or request changes to the information that we collect about you, free of charge, by contacting BMSG at the email address supplied below. Additionally, you may request that we remove all information about you from our database, and you can choose to unsubscribe from our free e-alerts at any time. You can do so by clicking on the “unsubscribe” link at the bottom of any e-alert or other online subscription.
Security
Our website has security measures in place to prevent the loss, misuse, and alteration of the information that we obtain from you; however, we make no assurances about the adequacy of our security.
Policy changes
We may change this policy at any time and will post a notice of any significant changes on our home page. We will also indicate at the top of the policy the most recent date it was modified.
Contact
If you have any questions about our privacy and usage policy, please email us at info@bmsg.org.
Copyright
Bmsg.org contains material that is protected by copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the website itself is protected by U.S. law — and the laws of many other countries — as a copyrighted collective work. Users do not need permission to download, quote, link to or otherwise share information on any page of the website for noncommercial purposes, as long as appropriate credit is given and as long as the information is not shared in a way that portrays our organization, website or employees in a false or misleading light. However, users do need written permission to adapt BMSG’s work or to share it for commercial purposes.