1. INTRODUCTION
American Bible Society is committed to protecting the data you share with us. This privacy policy explains how American Bible Society processes information that can be used to directly or indirectly identify an individual (“Personal Data”) collected through use of its website and platform.
For the purposes of this policy, American Bible Society defines the term “User” as an entity with which American Bible Society has an established relationship, the term “Respondent” as any individual who responds to surveys powered by American Bible Society or who is included as a contact in a User’s account and the term “Visitor” as an individual that visits our front-end website (for example www.American Bible Society.com).
Any information stored on American Bible Society’s platform is treated as confidential. All information is stored securely and is accessed by authorized personnel only. American Bible Society implements and maintains appropriate technical, security and organizational measures to protect Personal Data against unauthorized or unlawful processing and use, and against accidental loss, destruction, damage, theft or disclosure.
2. COLLECTION AND USE
2.1. GENERAL
The following sections cover the specifics of each of the three groups from which data is collected: website Visitors, Respondents and Users.
Personally Identifiable Information
As a general rule, ABS does not collect PII about you when you visit our website, unless you choose to provide such information to us. Submitting PII through our website is voluntary. By doing so, you are giving ABS your permission to use the information for the stated purpose. However, not providing certain information may result in ABS’s inability to provide you with the service you desire.
If you choose to provide us with PII on an ABS website, through such methods as completing a web form or sending us an email, we will use that information to help us provide you the information or service you have requested or to respond to your message. The information we may receive from you varies based on what you do when visiting our site.
Generally, the information requested by ABS will be used to respond to your inquiry or to provide you with the service you request. When this information is requested, the reasons for collecting it, a description of ABS’s intended use of the information, how to grant consent to use mandatorily provided information, and how to grant consent for other than statutorily mandated uses will be fully described in a separate customized “Privacy Notice.” This customized Privacy Notice will either appear on the web page collecting the information or be accessible through a hyperlink (link) prominently displayed immediately above or below the information request.
Many of our programs and websites allow you to send us an email. We will use the information you provide to respond to your inquiry. We will only send you general information via email. You should be reminded that email may not necessarily be secure against interception. Therefore, we suggest that you do not send sensitive personal data (such as your Social Security number) to us via email. If your intended email communication is very sensitive, or includes information such as your bank account, credit card, or Social Security number, you should instead send it by U.S. mail. Another alternative may be submission of data through a secure web page, if available.
Electronic mail messages that meet the definition of records in the Federal Records Act (44 U.S.C. 3101 et seq.) are covered under the same disposition schedule as all other Federal records. This means that emails you send us will be preserved and maintained for varying periods of time if those emails meet the definition of Federal records. Electronic messages that are not records are deleted when no longer needed.
2.2. WEBSITE VISITORS
If you are a Visitor to our website only, and not a Respondent to a survey, then this section is relevant for you.
By visiting this website, you consent to the collection and use of your Personal Data as described herein. If you do not agree with the terms set out herein, please do not visit this website. If required by applicable law, we will seek your explicit consent to process Personal Data collected on this website or volunteered by you. Kindly note that any consent will be entirely voluntary. However, if you do not grant the requested consent to the processing of your Personal Data, the use of this website may not be possible.
American Bible Society may collect, record and analyze information of Visitors to its website. We may record your IP address and use cookies. American Bible Society may add information collected by way of pageview activity. Furthermore, American Bible Society may collect and process any Personal Data that you volunteer to us in our website’s forms, such as when you register for events or sign up for information and newsletters. If you provide American Bible Society with your social media details, American Bible Society may retrieve publicly available information about you from social media.
Such Personal Data may comprise your IP address, first and last name, your postal and email address, your telephone number, your job title, data for social networks, your areas of interest, interest in American Bible Society products, and certain information about the company you are working for (company name and address), as well as information as to the type of relationship that exists between American Bible Society and yourself.
American Bible Society gathers data about visits to the website, including numbers of Visitors and visits, Geo-location data, length of time spent on the site, pages clicked on or where Visitors have come.
ABS uses social media websites and other kinds of third-party websites. ABS uses social media websites to interact with foreign constituencies and engage in public diplomacy worldwide. Social media websites are used to publicize embassy and Department events, and engage with members of the public in foreign countries. ABS also uses web measurement and customization technologies to measure the number of visitors to our websites and their various sections and to help make our websites more useful to visitors. In such cases, the third-party application may request an email address, username, password, and geographic location (e.g., State, region, or ZIP code) for account registration purposes. ABS does not use third-party websites to solicit and collect PII from individuals. Any PII passively collected (i.e., not solicited) by the third-party website will not be transmitted or stored by the Department; no PII will be disclosed, sold or transferred to any other entity outside the Department, unless required for law enforcement purposes or by statute.
ABS retains the data from the ACSI survey results as long as needed to support the mission of the American Bible websites
2.2.1. Purpose of processing personal data
American Bible Society uses the collected data to communicate with Visitors, to customize content for Visitors, to show ads on other websites to Visitors, and to improve its website by analyzing how Visitors navigate its website.
2.2.2. Sharing personal data
American Bible Society may also share such information with service vendors or contractors in order to provide a requested service or transaction or in order to analyze the Visitor behavior on its website.
2.2.3. Cookies
Cookies are small pieces of information sent by a website to a Visitor’s hard disk. Cookies cannot be used to run programs or deliver viruses to your computer. By continuing to visit the website, you agree to the placement of cookies on your device. If you choose not to accept our cookies, we cannot guarantee that your experience will be as fulfilling as it would otherwise be. We may also place cookies from third parties for functional and marketing purposes. The use of cookies is widespread and benefits the surfer. There are two types of cookies:
Session: Session cookies last only as long as your web browser is open. Once you close your browser, the cookie is deleted. Websites may use session cookies for technical purposes such as to enable better navigation through the site, or to allow you to customize your preferences for interacting with the site.
Persistent: Persistent cookies are saved on a user’s hard drive in order to determine which users are new to the site or are returning
2.2.4. Links to other sites
Please be aware that while visiting our site, Visitors can follow links to other sites that are beyond our sphere of influence. American Bible Society is not responsible for the content or privacy policy of these other sites.
