Privacy Statement
Updated: 11 May 2020
At Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 (Pty) Ltd (herein referred to as “Plain Language Institute and BHI 32”), we know you care about your personal privacy and about the terms and conditions that govern your use of this Website (this “Site”). Because we are dedicated to serving your needs and respecting your preferences, we have adopted the policies and practices described in this Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use.
- Our Collection and Use of Your Personally Identifiable Information
In general, we collect and use information about you for client administration, to deliver client benefits (e.g., our newsletter) and to inform you of Plain Language Institute and BHI 32-related conferences, benefits and/or other opportunities. Except as described herein, we do not sell, rent or otherwise share or disclose your private, personally identifiable information to third parties.
Because of the nature of our business, our services and benefits are not designed to appeal to minors. We do not knowingly attempt to solicit or receive any information from children.
Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 specifically collects information from you at several different points, including but not limited to the following:
1.1 Information You Provide To Us
Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 primarily collects information in connection with Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ services, products and Plain Language Institute and BHI 32-related event registrations. Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 will treat any information of its subscribers, clients and event attendees as confidential and will not disclose it to any third party (other than in connection with Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 co-sponsored events as described below) without consent. We do not rent, sell or otherwise disclose personal information for non-event related mailings. If you do not wish to receive Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ newsletters or have specific contact preferences, you may express your preferences by calling or e-mailing Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ Administrative Offices at the contact information below informing us of your preferences. Newsletters, event invitations, industry notifications and other emails we distribute using third-party mailing services also contain a link that you may use to set your mass mail-specific contact preferences.
In connection with Plain Language Institute and BHI 32-hosted events, Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 provides an attendee list to the sponsors, co-sponsors and exhibitors. Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 may also make available (through a third-party mailing service) addresses for use by sponsors, co-sponsors and exhibitors in two pre- and one post-event mailing. If you do not wish to receive the information from such sponsors, co-sponsors and exhibitors, you may express your preference to not be so contacted by either checking the appropriate box on the registration form at the time of registration or by calling or e-mailing Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ Administrative Offices at the contact information below informing us of your preference.
1.2 Correspondence
If you correspond with us via e-mail, the postal service, or other forms of communication, we may retain such correspondence and the information contained therein and use such to respond to your inquiry and/or notify you of Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ events, news or other Plain Language Institute and BHI 32-related opportunities. Importantly, e-mail and postal address information are never sold, given, or otherwise shared or disclosed to third parties except as set forth herein. If you do not wish to receive such notifications, you may express your preference to not be so contacted by calling or e-mailing Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ Administrative Offices at the contact information below informing us of your preference.
1.3 Information From Other Sources
We may receive information about you from other sources, such as our agents, vendors and service providers, and from publicly available sources. For example, sometimes we receive information from third parties when we process credit card payments made by you for events, products or services.
1.4 URL And IP Address
Like many other Web sites, we collect information about our users’ usage and navigation of our Site. This information helps us to design our Site to better suit our users’ needs. We may also use your IP address to help diagnose problems with our server and to administer our Site, analyse trends, track visitor movements, and gather broad demographic information that assists us in identifying visitor preferences.
1.5 Cookies and Web Beacons
Cookies are pieces of data that a Web site transfers to a user’s hard drive for record-keeping purposes. Web beacons are transparent pixel images that are used in collecting information about website usage, e-mail response and tracking.
The Site uses cookies and Web beacons to provide enhanced functionality on the site (e.g., event registration) and aggregate traffic data (e.g., what pages are the most popular). These cookies may be delivered in a first-party or third-party context. Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 may also use cookies and web beacons in association with e-mails delivered by Plain Language Institute and BHI 32. Our Site also captures limited information (user-agent, HTTP referrer, last URL requested by the user, client-side and server-side clickstream) about visits to our Site; we may use this information to analyse general traffic patterns and to perform routine system maintenance. You have many choices with regard to the management of cookies on your computer. All major browsers allow you to block or delete cookies from your system. To learn more about your ability to manage cookies and web beacons, please consult the privacy features in your browser.
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyse how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google’s behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however, please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
2 Restrictions on Disclosing Information to Third Parties
We may disclose all of the information (described above) that we collect, as stated above and in accordance with the terms set forth in this section. We do not reveal personally identifiable information about you to third-parties for their independent use unless: (1) you request or authorise; (2) in connection with Plain Language Institute and BHI 32-hosted and Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 co-sponsored events as described above; (3) the information is provided to comply with the law (for example, to comply with a search warrant, subpoena or court order), enforce an agreement we have with you, or to protect our rights, property or safety, or the rights, property or safety of our employees or others; (4) the information is provided to our agents, vendors or service providers who perform functions on our behalf; (5) to address emergencies or acts of God or (6) to address disputes, claims, or to persons holding a legal or beneficial interest. We may also gather aggregated data about our clients and Site visitors and disclose the results of such aggregated (but not personally identifiable) information to our partners, service providers, advertisers and/or other third parties for marketing or promotional purposes.
Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ website uses interfaces with social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and others. If you choose to “like” or share information from Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ website through these services, you should review the privacy policy of that service. If you are a member of a social media site, the interfaces may allow the social media site to connect your site visit to your personally identifiable information.
From time to time we may partner or enter into arrangements with another party to provide specific benefits and/or services to our subscribers and clients. We will provide to such partners the information that we believe is reasonably necessary for them to provide such benefits or services to you. If you do not wish to receive marketing communications from our partners or us, you may express your preference to not be so contacted by calling or e-mailing Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ Administrative Offices at the contact information below informing us of your preference.
2.1 Our Security Measures to Protect Information
To help protect the privacy of data and personally identifiable information you transmit through use of this Site, we maintain physical, technical and administrative safeguards (e.g., we encrypt many of our online services using SSL). We update and test our security technology on an ongoing basis. We restrict access to your personally identifiable information to those employees who need to know that information to provide benefits or services to you. In addition, we train our employees about the importance of confidentiality and maintaining the privacy and security of your information. We commit to taking appropriate disciplinary measures to enforce our employees’ privacy responsibilities.
2.2 Inapplicability of Privacy Statements of Any Linked Sites or Other Third Parties
This Privacy Statement only addresses Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ use and disclosure of your personally identifiable information. As this Site may contain links to other Web sites, please be aware that we are not responsible for the privacy practices of such other sites, and we are not liable for their misuse of personally identifiable information. We encourage you to be aware that when you go to another Web site you should carefully read their privacy statement.
2.3 General Legal Notice and Disclaimer
Access to the information contained on this Website is provided by Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 to its clients and non-clients as a service to IT professionals. References herein to any product, process or service do not constitute or imply endorsement or recommendation by Plain Language Institute and BHI 32. While Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information on this Site, Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 does not approve or certify such information nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness or correct sequencing of such information. Use of such information is voluntary and reliance on it should only be undertaken after an independent review of its applicability, accuracy, completeness, efficacy and timeliness with regard to the IT professional’s specific needs and uses. Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 (including its employees and agents) is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to or reliance on the information available through this Site. No approvals, recommendations, endorsements, guarantees or warranties, including, but not limited to, any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for any particular use or purpose of products or services named on this Site are made by Plain Language Institute and BHI 32.
2.4 Your Access to and Updating of Personal Information
Reasonable access to personally identifiable information will be provided within 30 days at no cost to Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ subscribers, clients, event attendees and others upon request made to Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 at the contact information provided below. If access cannot be provided within that time frame, Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 will provide the requesting party with a date when the information will be provided. If for some reason access is denied, Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 will provide an explanation as to why access has been denied.
3 Conditions of Use, Notices and Changes to Our Privacy Statement
By using this Site, you agree to the terms and conditions contained in this Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use and/or any other agreement that we might have with you. If you do not agree to any of these terms and conditions, you should not use this Site or any Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ benefits or services. You agree that any dispute over privacy or the terms contained in this Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use, or any other agreement we have with you, will be governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. You also agree to arbitrate such disputes in Pretoria, Gauteng, as governed by the rules of the High Court of South Africa, and to abide by any limitation on damages contained in any agreement we may have with you.
As our organisation, membership and benefits change from time to time, this Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use is expected to change as well. We reserve the right to amend the Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use at any time, for any reason, without notice to you, other than the posting of the amended Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use at this Site. We may e-mail periodic reminders of our notices and terms and conditions and will e-mail Plain Language Institute and BHI 32’ subscribers and clients of material changes thereto, but you should check our Site frequently to see the current Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use that is in effect and any changes that may have been made to it. The provisions contained herein supersede all previous notices or statements regarding our privacy practices and the terms and conditions that govern the use of this Site.
3.1 Questions Regarding the Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use
If you have any questions about our Privacy Statement and Conditions of Use or any concern about privacy at Plain Language Institute and BHI 32 or the use of this Site in general, please contact us by e-mail at admin@plainlanguageinstitute.co.za