Privacy and Security

General Information

BC Endocrine Research Foundation ("BCERF") respects the privacy of users of its Web sites, www.livewellwithdiabetes.com and livewellwithdiabetes.net and startinginsulin.info. BCERF does not disclose, give, sell, or transfer any personal information about visitors to www.livewellwithdiabetes.com and livewellwithdiabetes.net and startinginsulin.info unless required to do so by law.

BCERF is especially concerned about protecting the privacy of children. BCERF encourages parents and teachers to stay involved with and in control of children's Internet explorations. It is particularly important for parents to offer guidance to their children about providing personal information online.

BCERF automatically collects a limited amount of information about the use of its Web site, primarily for statistical purposes (that is, to measure the numbers of visitors to various sections of the site). This information may also be helpful when considering changes to www.livewellwithdiabetes.com and livewellwithdiabetes.net and startinginsulin.info, to make the site more useful to visitors.

Information Collected and Stored Automatically

The following information about users of the BCERF Web sites are collected and stored automatically:
The Internet domain from which a user has accessed the Internet. For example, if a user connects to the Internet through America Online, the domain is aol.com.

The Internet protocol (IP) address of the computer that was used to access the Internet. An IP address is a number that is assigned to a user's computer when he/she logs onto the Internet. When a Web page is requested, the user's IP address is included in the message, and the recipient of the request can respond to it by sending another message using that IP address.

The name and version of the user's computer operating system and Internet browser. For example, Windows 2000 (operating system) and Internet Explorer 6.0 or Netscape Navigator 7.1 (Internet browsers).
If a user comes to www.livewellwithdiabetes.com and livewellwithdiabetes.net and startinginsulin.info from another Web site, the Internet address of the "referring" Web site. The date, time, and duration of the user's visit to www.livewellwithdiabetes.com and livewellwithdiabetes.net and startinginsulin.info, and the pages visited.

Cookies

When a user visits a Web site, the Web site's server generates a piece of information known as a "cookie" and places it on the user's computer. Some cookies remain on a user's computer after the user has ended his/her Web site visit. These types of cookies are called "persistent" cookies. They collect personal information about a user and allow the user's computer to be recognized in the future. Nonpersistent cookies, or "session cookies," are erased by a user's computer after a period of inactivity or when the user closes his/her Internet browser. Session cookies do not collect any personal information about a user. They serve technical purposes, such as allowing seamless navigation through a Web site. Session cookies are stored in memory and are only available during an active browser session.

E-mail Messages Sent to the BCERF Web Site

When inquiries are sent to the BCERF Web sites by e-mail, the question(s) and the e-mail address of the sender are stored electronically to allow time for a response to be researched, written, and sent. Unless otherwise required by law, BCERF will not identify anyone who sends questions or comments to its Web site. BCERF does not collect information that will allow users to be identified personally, unless they choose to provide such information.
If children send questions or comments to the BCERF Web sites and include their name and/or home mailing address as part of their message, the information will be used only to respond to them personally. Providing this type of information is optional, and BCERF suggests that children obtain their parents' permission before providing any information online--to the BCERF Web site or any other Web site.

Links to Other Web Sites from the BCERF Web Site

The BCERF Web site has links to many other Web sites. BCERF cannot guarantee the privacy or security of information users provide to linked, external Web sites.