The following spells out SFWA’s Privacy Policy, which can be found in Section IX.D.1 of the organization’s O.P.P.M. This privacy policy outlines the approach we, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers Association (SFWA Inc.), have for our users and members. This document describes how we manage and use private information throughout the organization which includes our website (sfwa.org), blog (sfwa.org), forums (sfwa.org/forum), and other sites (e.g. events.sfwa.org, nebulas.sfwa.org, speakers.sfwa.org).

In our privacy statement we outline:

1. What information SFWA collects.
2. How SFWA uses the information.
3. With whom SFWA may share user information.
4. What choices are available to users regarding collection, use and distribution of the information.
5. What types of security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse, or alteration of information.
6. How users can correct any inaccuracies in the information.

Please read the following document carefully, and if you have questions or concerns regarding this statement, you should contact office@sfwa.org.

a. Information Collection

SFWA is the sole owner of the information collected on www.sfwa.org. SFWA collects information from our users at several different points on our website.

• User and Group Information
  • On our official online SFWA membership directory (https://www.sfwa.org/member-links/member-list/), other members of SFWA may view information you provide about yourself. At any time, you may opt out of allowing other users to view this information by adjusting your privacy settings via your membership profile.
  • On speakers.sfwa.org (https://speakers.sfwa.org/), both SFWA members and the public can search information that you provide.
• Discussion Boards/Other Communities
  • During your use of this website, you may participate in our forums/discussion boards/other communities by contributing to topics and discussions, asking questions or responding to other users’ questions. Any information you provide within this area may be viewed by other members of these communities. Please do not provide any sensitive or private information in this area. The SFWA website will display your name, your message, and your signature file (should you create one).  If no signature file is created, your name will appear by default.[KB1] 
• Nebula Reading List
  • If you participate in SFWA reading list (access which can be found on sfwa.org/forum/reading), which is both public-facing and internal, anything you post in the reading list will be viewable by both SFWA members and the public. This includes information about the creative works, such as title, author, publisher, and any relevant links to access the work to download.
• Surveys/Outreach
  • SFWA will occasionally produce and distribute surveys and participate in other forms of information gathering. Your participation in those efforts is always voluntary. In the instructions, it will be clear whether the information gathered will be anonymous or require any personal information. We will use your information solely for the purpose of collecting and analyzing data or other clearly stated purposes within the survey instructions. We will obtain permission to use any personally identifiable quotes/data in any news or interviews.
• Blog and Website Comments
  • This website has comment forms on some posts and pages, which allows for public discussion. The following personal data is collected from the comment forms:
    • Name (in whatever form you choose to give it, not necessarily a full name)
    • Email address
    • Current IP address
    • Website address, if you provide it
  • Other visitors can only see your name and comment, with your website address linked to your name if you provide it. We will not ask for any other information; however, if you provide other information within comment text, it will also appear.
  • Comments will remain on the website for the life of the website. You may ask for removal of your comment at any time.

 b. Information Use

• Profile
  • We store information that we collect through cookies, and log files and users to create a profile of our users. A profile is stored information that we keep on individual users that details their viewing preferences. Consequently, collected information is tied to the users personally identifiable information to implement the content of the site for the user. This profile is used to tailor a user’s visit to our website. Your profile will only be shared as part of an aggregate form with no personal or identifiable information.
• Cookies
  • A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user’s computer tied to information about the user. Usage of a cookie is in no way linked to any personally identifiable information while on our site. We only use session ID cookies. For the session ID cookie, once users close the browser, the cookie simply terminates.
• Log Files
  • Like most standard website servers, we use log files. This includes internet protocol (IP) addresses, browser type, internet service provider (ISP), referring/exit pages, platform type, date/time stamp, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement in the aggregate, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. IP addresses, etc. are not linked to personally identifiable information and are never given to third parties. Aggregate information may be used by the SFWA in order to provide vendor partners with more detailed information on our clients usage and for SFWA to enhance our services.

 c. Communications

• Member Communications
  • We send all new members a welcoming email to verify password and username. Established members will also receive various communications from the organization including but not limited to: announcements, news, press releases, and our electronic newsletters (The Singularity, SFWA Bulletin, the Binary, the New Release Newsletter, the Nebula Events newsletter, etc.).
  • Your private email address is used for all correspondence sent from SFWA. Members may update their email preferences by visiting their member profile. You may choose to unsubscribe following the link at the bottom of each communication, or inform the office in writing that you wish to be removed. You will lose access to all electronic communications aside from automatic renewal emails.

 d. Sharing

• Legal Disclaimer
  • Though we make every effort to preserve user privacy, we may need to disclose personal information when required by law wherein we have a good-faith belief that such action is necessary to comply with a current judicial proceeding, a court order or legal process served on our website.

• Third Party Intermediaries
  • We do not sell personal or financial information contained with any of our websites or discussion areas to any third-party intermediaries. On occasion, we use an outside shipping company to ship orders. SFWA will make every effort to vet our third party vendors for privacy and security adherence. 
• Links
  • This website contains links to other sites. Please be aware that we, the SFWA, are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites. We encourage our users to be aware when they leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each and every website that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by this website.

 e. Security

This website takes every precaution to protect our users’ information. When users submit sensitive information via the website, their information is protected both online and offline.

This website does not collect sensitive or financial information. While on a secure page, the lock icon on the bottom of web browsers such as Firefox, Google Chrome, or Microsoft Internet Explorer becomes locked, as opposed to unlocked, or open, when users are just “surfing.” 

While we use SSL encryption to protect sensitive information online, we also do everything in our power to protect user information offline. All of our users’ information, not just the sensitive information mentioned above, is restricted in our offices. Only employees who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, our billing clerk or a customer service representative) are granted access to personally identifiable information. Furthermore, the servers that store personally identifiable information are in a secure environment.

If users have any questions about the security at our website, users can send an email to office@sfwa.org. 

f. Correcting/Updating/Deleting/Deactivating Personal Information

If a member’s information changes such as address or email, etc., they may change it within their privacy settings within their online membership profile or by mailing office@sfwa.org.   

g. Notification of Changes

If we decide to change our privacy policy, we will post those changes to this privacy statement, the homepage, and other places we deem appropriate so our users are always aware of what information we collect, how we use it, and under what circumstances, if any, we disclose it. We will use information in accordance with the privacy policy under which the information was collected.

In addition, if we make any material changes in our privacy practices that do not affect user information already stored in our database, we will post a prominent notice on our website notifying users of the change. In some cases where we post a notice, we will also email users, who have opted to receive communications from us, notifying them of the changes in our privacy practices.

h. GDPR Compliance

SFWA follows the GDPR (Europe) compliance guidelines.

Your rights include:

Access: You have the right to know what data has been collected and processed by our organization.

Correction: You have the right to make changes to incorrect data.

Erasure: You have the right to withdraw your data from any collection or system and ask for your personal data to be permanently erased.

Consent: You have the right to be informed and consent to process your personal data.

i. Contact Information

If users have any questions or suggestions regarding our privacy policy, please contact office@sfwa.org.