Last updated: 22 May 2018

These Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) provide additional information or explanation about the Internet Society (ISOC)’s Privacy Statement and our use and sharing of Your Data. Should you have any questions about these FAQs or suggestions for additional questions we might add, please contact our Chief Administrative Officer through the contact information in the Privacy Statement. Capitalized terms in these FAQs have the same meanings as in the Privacy Statement. These FAQs are intended to assist in the understanding of our Privacy Statement. If there is an inconsistency or conflict between these FAQs and the Privacy Statement, you should rely on the language in the Privacy Statement.

Q: What information does ISOC collect when I register to become a Member and why?

A: Our free membership is available to anyone in the world via our join pages on our Sites. During the registration process, we collect four basic pieces of information –  First Name, Last Name, Email Address and Country. These pieces of information become the basis of

  • how we address you in our communications
  • how we send communications to you
  • how we group you geographically for Customer support
  • how we validate login to our Member systems

Without your email address, we are unable to communicate with you, or provide transactional information (such as validation of email address, process a forgotten password or send you confirmation of payment if you also donate to ISOC). Additionally, if you choose to apply to one of our Chapters, we will also ask for your city of residence. This information is used as described in the Privacy Statement, including making sure that you choose the right Chapter based on your physical location.

Q:  When do we rely on other permitted bases for the use or processing of Your Data?

ISOC ‘s goal and commitment is to inform you when we would like to use Your Data, the purposes for which we will use it and the legal basis for our use. For example, there may be a contractual relationship between you and ISOC (the contract does not have to be in writing) where ISOC needs to use Your Data to provide you with the services you are entitled to under the agreement. We will tell you when we are relying on our obligation to comply with our contractual obligations to you for the use of Your Data.

Under limited circumstances, we may rely on a “legitimate interests assessment” where we take into account your expectations about our use of Your Data and the limited way we will use Your Data, always seeking to maximize your privacy. Based on your decisions when joining ISOC and your decisions about what role you decide to play as a Member or as the representative of an Organization Member, ISOC has determined that it is reasonable and expected that we use Your Data for the purposes described below. In reaching this conclusion, we have taken into account your reasonable expectations concerning the use of Your Data and considered the potential impact to you of the use of this information as described.

First, if you choose to apply to join an ISOC chapter (a “Chapter”), we will provide the Chapter with your first and last name, email address and city and country of residence. This information is necessary for the Chapter to consider your application for Chapter membership and to communicate with you about that membership and the activities of the Chapter. Should your application for Chapter Membership be accepted, the Chapter will maintain access to your data. Second, once you or your company have become a Member, you may choose to undertake a leadership role within ISOC or your Chapter either individually or on behalf of your Member company (a “Leadership Role”). In order to effectively act in a Leadership Role, ISOC and your Chapter must be able to communicate with you concerning that role. Your Data will be used for these purposes.

Q: What other personal information does ISOC collect?

A: In order to register to participate in certain ISOC activities, you may be asked for and provide other personal information including physical address, credit card information or social media information. This information is collected to facilitate your request to participate in ISOC activities. For example, if you request to be put on a mailing list of a physical journal or newsletter, we would need your physical address to ship the item to you.

Q:  Does ISOC collect credit card information?

A: In the event you choose to make a donation using your credit card, we will request credit card information, including number, expiration date, billing address and card security code so your donation can be processed.  This information passes directly to ISOC’s payment processor called Stripe.  ISOC neither uses nor stores this information.

Q: The Privacy Statement says that ISOC allows the collection of some Technical Information of both Visitors and Members who use the Sites. What third parties does ISOC use for this data collection?

A: Please see our Cookie Policy.

Q: The Privacy Statement says that ISOC uses third-party companies, consultants or contractors to provide limited services. What are those companies or services and why does ISOC use them?

A: We utilize these services for website hosting, public relations, mailing, or focused scope work in computer system development. Each of our contracts with these third parties restricts the use of personal information so it can only be used to provide the services under the contracts. In addition, these companies are required to treat all information and protect it by processes and procedures no less strict than those used by ISOC. Our current services and/or contractors are:

  • Bytemark – Private cloud hosting provider for our Sites and Association Management System (AMS)
  • Amimoto – Hosting provider for WordPress websites
  • HigherLogic – Base software as a service for our Connect platform
  • High Road and Bluehornet – Bulk Mail services and integration to our Association Management System (AMS).
  • AMSL – Service provider that manages an elist system for us based on Mailman
  • Kallidus LMS – Base software as a service for our Inforum Learning Management System
  • Five Nines Hosting – Service provider that hosts and maintains systems for ISOC.
  • BigPulse Online Voting – Software as a service for our various election and voting management
  • Box.com – File storage and sharing platform utilized by ISOC Staff and community.

Q: Will this FAQ be updated over time?

A: ISOC will continue to update this FAQ should more clarity be needed on aspects of the Privacy Statement. Should you have a question, please contact the Chief Administrative Officer at the contact information on the Privacy Statement.