Contents of this page:
Terms of Use
Acceptance of the Terms of Use
These terms of use are entered into by and between you and The American Radio Relay League, Incorporated ("Company," "we," or "us"). The following terms and conditions, together with any documents they expressly incorporate by reference (collectively, "Terms of Use"), govern your access to and use of www.arrl.org, including any content, functionality, and services offered on or through www.arrl.org or related properties (together the "Website"), whether as a Visitor or a Registered User (as defined below), and enrollment and access to membership features (“Membership”, and together with the Website, the “Services”).
Please read the Terms of Use carefully before you start to use the Website or enroll in Membership. By using the Website, enrolling in or continuing Membership, or by clicking to accept or agree to the Terms of Use when this option is made available to you, you accept and agree to be bound and abide by these Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy, found at www.arrl.org/privacy-policy, incorporated herein by reference. If you do not want to agree to these Terms of Use or the Privacy Policy, you must not access or use the Website or Services.
Minors under 18 years of age. Memberships are available to U.S. Citizens under 18 years of age when verifiable parental consent is provided, and the Company approves such Membership. Such consent is also required for Registered Users under the age of 18. If you are under the age of 18 and have not submitted verifiable parental consent to the Company, you are not permitted to use or access the Website as a Visitor or Registered User or obtain a Membership. If you are using this Website, become a Registered User, or have enrolled in a Membership without submitted verifiable parental consent, you represent and warrant that you are age 18 or older.
Changes to the Terms of Use
We may revise and update these Terms of Use from time to time at our sole discretion. All changes are effective immediately when we post them. However, any changes to the dispute resolution provisions set out in Governing Law and Jurisdiction section will not apply to any disputes for which the parties have actual notice before the date the change is posted on the Website.
Your continued use of the Services following the posting of revised Terms of Use means that you accept and agree to the changes. You are expected to check this page from time to time so you are aware of any changes, as they are binding on you.
Relationship; Membership; Access and Account Security
Relationship. The Services have three different types of users: (a) Website visitors (“Visitors”); (b) users who register to use certain interactive features available on the Website (“Registered Users”); and (c) users who are enrolled in Membership (“Members”). By registering as a Registered User, enrolling as a Member, being a Visitor, or by using the Services in any way, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use.
Membership. Membership provides access to information, learning, programs and services that are pertinent to radio amateurs. Membership information can be found on the Membership page, which sets forth descriptions of Membership categories/types, dues, and additional information applicable to membership. The Membership page is incorporated by reference herein and may be updated from time to time at the discretion of the Company. By becoming a Member, you accept and agree to be bound by these Terms of Use and the terms set forth on the incorporated Membership page.
Access and Account Security. We reserve the right to withdraw or amend the Website, Membership, including Membership categories/types, and any service or material we provide on the Website, in our sole discretion without notice. We will not be liable if for any reason all or any part of the Website is unavailable at any time or for any period. From time to time, we may restrict user access to the Services, including Registered User and Member access, to some parts of the Website or the entire Website.
You are responsible for both:
Making all arrangements necessary for you to have access to the Services, as applicable.
Ensuring that all persons who access the Website through your internet connection are aware of these Terms of Use and comply with them.
To access your Membership or your Registered User account and some of the resources it offers, you may be asked to provide certain registration details or other information. It is a condition of your Membership and Registered User account that all the information you provide is correct, current, and complete. You agree that all information you provide to enroll or use a Membership or Registered User account or otherwise, including, but not limited to, through the use of any interactive features on the Website, is governed by our Privacy Policy, and you consent to all actions we take with respect to your information consistent with our Privacy Policy.
If you choose, or are provided with, a username, password, or any other piece of information as part of our security procedures, you must treat such information as confidential, and you must not disclose it to any other person or entity. You also acknowledge that your account is personal to you and agree not to provide any other person with access to this Website or portions of it using your username, password, or other security information. You agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized access to or use of your username or password or any other breach of security. You also agree to ensure that you exit from your account at the end of each session. You should use particular caution when accessing your account from a public or shared computer so that others are not able to view or record your password or other personal information.
We have the right to disable any username, password, or other identifier, whether chosen by you or provided by us, at any time if, in our opinion, you have violated any provision of these Terms of Use.
Intellectual Property Rights
The Services and its entire contents, features, and functionality (including but not limited to all information, software, text, displays, images, video, and audio, and the design, selection, and arrangement thereof) are owned by the Company, its licensors, or other providers of such material and are protected by United States and international copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, and other intellectual property or proprietary rights laws.
These Terms of Use permit you to use the Services for your personal, non-commercial use only. You must not reproduce, distribute, modify, create derivative works of, publicly display, publicly perform, republish, download, store, or transmit any of the material on our Website or made available through Membership, except as follows:
Your computer may temporarily store copies of such materials in RAM incidental to your accessing and viewing those materials.
You may store files that are automatically cached by your Web browser for display enhancement purposes.
You may print or download one copy of a reasonable number of pages of the Website for your own personal, non-commercial use and not for further reproduction, publication, or distribution.
If we provide desktop, mobile, or other applications for download, you may download a single copy to your computer or mobile device solely for your own personal, non-commercial use, provided you agree to be bound by our end user license agreement for such applications.
If we provide social media features with certain content, e.g., our digital magazines, you may take such actions as are enabled by such features.
You must not:
Modify copies of any materials made available through the Services.
Use any illustrations, photographs, video or audio sequences, or any graphics from the Services.
Delete or alter any copyright, trademark, or other proprietary rights notices from copies of materials made available through the Services.
You must not access or use for any commercial purposes any part of the Website, or any materials or information made available through the Services.
If you print, copy, modify, download, or otherwise use or provide any other person with access to any part of the Services in breach of the Terms of Use, your right to use the Services will stop immediately and you must, at our option, return or destroy any copies of the materials you have made. No right, title, or interest in or to the Website or any content on the Website or made available through Membership is transferred to you, and all rights not expressly granted are reserved by the Company. Any use of the Services not expressly permitted by these Terms of Use is a breach of these Terms of Use and may violate copyright, trademark, and other laws.
Trademarks
The Company name, the terms ARRL®, The National Association for Amateur Radio®, the Company logo, and all related names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans are trademarks of the Company or its affiliates or licensors. You must not use such marks without the prior written permission of the Company. All other names, logos, product and service names, designs, and slogans on the Services are the trademarks of their respective owners.
Prohibited Uses
You may use the Services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms of Use. You agree not to use the Services: (1) in any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation (including, without limitation, any laws regarding the export of data or software to and from the US or other countries); (2) for the purpose of exploiting, harming, or attempting to exploit or harm minors in any way by exposing them to inappropriate content, asking for personally identifiable information, or otherwise; (3) to send, knowingly receive, upload, download, use, or re-use any material that does not comply with the Content Standards set out in these Terms of Use; (4) to transmit, or procure the sending of, any advertising or promotional material without our prior written consent, including any "junk mail," "chain letter," "spam," or any other similar solicitation; (5) to impersonate or attempt to impersonate the Company, a Company employee, another user, or any other person or entity (including, without limitation, by using email addresses, screen names, or call signs associated with any of the foregoing); and (6) to engage in any other conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone's use or enjoyment of the Services, or which, as determined by us, may harm the Company or users of the Services, or expose them to liability.
Additionally, you agree not to:
Use the Website in any manner that could disable, overburden, damage, or impair the Website or interfere with any other party's use of the Website, including their ability to engage in real time activities through the Website.
Use any robot, spider, or other automatic device, process, or means to access the Website for any purpose, including monitoring or copying any of the material on the Website.
Use any manual process to monitor or copy any of the material on the Website, or for any other purpose not expressly authorized in these Terms of Use, without our prior written consent.
Use any device, software, or routine that interferes with the proper working of the Website.
Introduce any viruses, Trojan horses, worms, logic bombs, or other material that is malicious or technologically harmful.
Attempt to gain unauthorized access to, interfere with, damage, or disrupt any parts of the Website, the server on which the Website is stored, or any server, computer, or database connected to the Website.
Attack the Website via a denial-of-service attack or a distributed denial-of-service attack.
Otherwise attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Website.
User Contributions
Certain portions of the Services may contain online groups, forums, message boards, chat rooms, profiles, bulletin boards and other interactive features (collectively, "Interactive Services") that allow Registered Users and Members to post, submit, publish, display, or transmit to Registered Users and Members (hereinafter, "post") content or materials (collectively, "User Contributions") on or through the Website.
All User Contributions must comply with the content standards set out on the ARRL Online Group page (“Content Standards”), which are incorporated by reference herein and may be updated from time to time. You are responsible for reviewing the Content Standards found at www.arrl.org/arrl-groups#ContentStandards from time to time and adhering to the Content Standards if you use the Interactive Services.
Any User Contribution you post to the Website will be considered non-confidential and non-proprietary. By providing any User Contribution through the Services, you grant us and our licensees, successors, and assigns the right to use, reproduce, modify, perform, display, distribute, and otherwise disclose to third parties any such material for any purpose.
You represent and warrant that you own or control all rights in and to the User Contributions and have the right to grant the license granted above; and all of your User Contributions do and will comply with these Terms of Use.
You understand and acknowledge that you are responsible for any User Contributions you submit or contribute, and you, not the Company, have full responsibility for such content, including its legality, reliability, accuracy, and appropriateness.
We are not responsible or liable to any third party for the content or accuracy of any User Contributions posted by you or any other Member or Registered User.
Monitoring and Enforcement; Termination
We have the right to:
Remove or refuse to post any User Contributions for any or no reason in our sole discretion.
Take any action with respect to any User Contribution that we deem necessary or appropriate in our sole discretion, including if we believe that such User Contribution violates the Terms of Use, including the Content Standards, infringes any intellectual property right or other right of any person or entity, threatens the personal safety of Members, Registered Users, or the public, or could create liability for the Company.
Disclose your identity or other information about you to any third party who claims that material posted by you violates their rights, including their intellectual property rights or their right to privacy.
Take appropriate legal action, including without limitation, referral to law enforcement, for any illegal or unauthorized use of the Services.
Terminate or suspend your access to all or part of the Services for any violation of these Terms of Use.
Without limiting the foregoing, we have the right to cooperate fully with any law enforcement authorities or court order requesting or directing us to disclose the identity or other information of anyone posting any materials on or through the Services. YOU WAIVE AND HOLD HARMLESS THE COMPANY AND ITS AFFILIATES, LICENSEES, AND SERVICE PROVIDERS FROM ANY CLAIMS RESULTING FROM ANY ACTION TAKEN BY ANY OF THE FOREGOING PARTIES DURING, OR TAKEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF, INVESTIGATIONS BY EITHER SUCH PARTIES OR LAW ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITIES.
However, we cannot review all material posted on the Interactive Services and cannot ensure prompt removal of objectionable material after it has been posted. Accordingly, we assume no liability for any action or inaction regarding transmissions, communications, or content provided by any user or third party. We have no liability or responsibility to anyone for performance or nonperformance of the activities described in this section.
Copyright Infringement
If you believe that any User Contributions violate your copyright, please contact us at the contact information provided below.
Reliance on Information Posted
The information presented on or through the Services is made available solely for general information purposes. We do not warrant the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of this information. Any reliance you place on such information is strictly at your own risk. We disclaim all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on such materials by you or any other visitor to the Services, or by anyone who may be informed of any of its contents.
The Services may include content provided by third parties, including materials provided by Members and Registered Users. All statements and/or opinions expressed in these materials, and all articles and responses to questions and other content, other than the content provided by the Company, are solely the opinions and the responsibility of the person or entity providing those materials. These materials do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the Company. We are not responsible, or liable to you or any third party, for the content or accuracy of any materials provided by any third party.
Changes to the Services
We may update the content made available on and through the Services from time to time, but its content is not necessarily complete or up-to-date. Any of the material made available on and through the Services may be out of date at any given time, and we are under no obligation to update such material.
Information About You and Your Visits to the Services
All information we collect through the Services is subject to our Privacy Policy. By using the Services, you consent to all actions taken by us with respect to your information in compliance with the Privacy Policy.
Linking to the Website and Social Media Features
You may link to our homepage, provided you do so in a way that is fair and legal and does not damage our reputation or take advantage of it, but you must not establish a link in such a way as to suggest any form of association, approval, or endorsement on our part.
This Website may provide certain social media features that enable you to link from your own or certain third-party websites to certain content on this Website. You may use these features solely as they are provided by us.
Links from the Website
If the Website contains links to other sites and resources provided by third parties, these links are provided for your convenience only. This includes links contained in advertisements, including banner advertisements and sponsored links. We have no control over the contents of those sites or resources and accept no responsibility for them or for any loss or damage that may arise from your use of them. If you decide to access any of the third-party websites linked to this Website, you do so entirely at your own risk and subject to the terms and conditions of use for such websites.
Disclaimer of Warranties
You understand that we cannot and do not guarantee or warrant that files available for downloading from the internet or the Website will be free of viruses or other destructive code. You are responsible for implementing sufficient procedures and checkpoints to satisfy your particular requirements for anti-virus protection and accuracy of data input and output, and for maintaining a means external to our site for any reconstruction of any lost data. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE CAUSED BY A DISTRIBUTED DENIAL-OF-SERVICE ATTACK, VIRUSES, OR OTHER TECHNOLOGICALLY HARMFUL MATERIAL THAT MAY INFECT YOUR COMPUTER EQUIPMENT, COMPUTER PROGRAMS, DATA, OR OTHER PROPRIETARY MATERIAL DUE TO YOUR USE OF THE WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE OR YOUR DOWNLOADING OF ANY MATERIAL POSTED ON IT, OR ON ANY WEBSITE LINKED TO IT.
YOUR USE OF THE SERVICES, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY INFORMATION OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES, IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. THE SERVICES, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY INFORMATION OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES ARE PROVIDED ON AN "AS IS" AND "AS AVAILABLE" BASIS, WITHOUT ANY WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED. NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANY PERSON ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY MAKES ANY WARRANTY OR REPRESENTATION WITH RESPECT TO THE COMPLETENESS, SECURITY, RELIABILITY, QUALITY, ACCURACY, OR AVAILABILITY OF THE SERVICES. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, NEITHER THE COMPANY NOR ANYONE ASSOCIATED WITH THE COMPANY REPRESENTS OR WARRANTS THAT THE SERVICES, ITS CONTENT, OR ANY INFORMATION OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL BE ACCURATE, RELIABLE, ERROR-FREE, OR UNINTERRUPTED, THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED, THAT OUR SITE OR THE SERVER THAT MAKES IT AVAILABLE ARE FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR THAT THE SERVICES OR ANY INFORMATION OR ITEMS OBTAINED THROUGH THE SERVICES WILL OTHERWISE MEET YOUR NEEDS OR EXPECTATIONS.
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, THE COMPANY HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, STATUTORY, OR OTHERWISE, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO ANY WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, NON-INFRINGEMENT, AND FITNESS FOR PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY WARRANTIES THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Limitation on Liability
TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PROVIDED BY LAW, IN NO EVENT WILL THE COMPANY, ITS AFFILIATES, OR THEIR LICENSORS, SERVICE PROVIDERS, EMPLOYEES, AGENTS, OFFICERS, OR DIRECTORS BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, UNDER ANY LEGAL THEORY, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE, OR INABILITY TO USE, THE SERVICES, ANY WEBSITES LINKED TO THE WEBSITE, ANY CONTENT AVAILABLE THROUGH THE SERVICES, INCLUDING ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PERSONAL INJURY, PAIN AND SUFFERING, EMOTIONAL DISTRESS, LOSS OF REVENUE, LOSS OF PROFITS, LOSS OF BUSINESS OR ANTICIPATED SAVINGS, LOSS OF USE, LOSS OF GOODWILL, LOSS OF DATA, AND WHETHER CAUSED BY TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE), BREACH OF CONTRACT, OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF FORESEEABLE.
The limitation of liability set out above does not apply to liability resulting from our gross negligence or willful misconduct.
THE FOREGOING DOES NOT AFFECT ANY LIABILITY THAT CANNOT BE EXCLUDED OR LIMITED UNDER APPLICABLE LAW.
Indemnification
You agree to defend, indemnify, and hold harmless the Company, its affiliates, licensors, and service providers, and its and their respective officers, directors, employees, contractors, agents, licensors, suppliers, successors, and assigns from and against any claims, liabilities, damages, judgments, awards, losses, costs, expenses, or fees (including reasonable attorneys' fees) arising out of or relating to your violation of these Terms of Use or your use of the Services, including, but not limited to, your User Contributions, any use of the Services' content, services, and products other than as expressly authorized in these Terms of Use, or your use of any information obtained from the Services.
Governing Law and Jurisdiction
All matters relating to the Services and these Terms of Use, and any dispute or claim arising therefrom or related thereto (in each case, including non-contractual disputes or claims), shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the internal laws of the State of Connecticut without giving effect to any choice or conflict of law provision or rule (whether of the State of Connecticut or any other jurisdiction).
Any legal suit, action, or proceeding arising out of, or related to, these Terms of Use or the Services shall be instituted exclusively in the federal courts of the United States or the courts of the State of Connecticut, although we retain the right to bring any suit, action, or proceeding against you for breach of these Terms of Use in your country of residence or any other relevant country. You waive any and all objections to the exercise of jurisdiction over you by such courts and to venue in such courts.
Arbitration
At Company's sole discretion, it may require you to submit any disputes arising from these Terms of Use or use of the Services, including disputes arising from or concerning their interpretation, violation, invalidity, non-performance, or termination, to final and binding arbitration under the Rules of Arbitration of the American Arbitration Association applying Connecticut law.
Limitation on Time to File Claims
ANY CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM YOU MAY HAVE ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THESE TERMS OF USE OR THE SERVICES MUST BE COMMENCED WITHIN ONE (1) YEAR AFTER THE CAUSE OF ACTION ACCRUES; OTHERWISE, SUCH CAUSE OF ACTION OR CLAIM IS PERMANENTLY BARRED.
Waiver and Severability
No waiver by the Company of any term or condition set out in these Terms of Use shall be deemed a further or continuing waiver of such term or condition or a waiver of any other term or condition, and any failure of the Company to assert a right or provision under these Terms of Use shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision.
If any provision of these Terms of Use is held by a court or other tribunal of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, illegal, or unenforceable for any reason, such provision shall be eliminated or limited to the minimum extent such that the remaining provisions of the Terms of Use will continue in full force and effect.
Entire Agreement
The Terms of Use, our Privacy Policy and any document incorporated by reference herein, constitute the sole and entire agreement between you and The American Radio Relay League, Incorporated regarding the Services and supersede all prior and contemporaneous understandings, agreements, representations, and warranties, both written and oral, regarding the Services.
Your Comments and Concerns
The Services are provided and operated by The American Radio Relay League, Incorporated, 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut 06111-1400, USA.
All feedback, comments, requests for technical support, and other communications relating to the Services should be directed to: [email protected].
Privacy Policy
Introduction
This privacy policy (“Privacy Policy”) explains how The American Radio Relay League, Incorporated, including The ARRL Foundation, Inc., collects and uses your personal data. All capitalized terms used herein are defined in this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Use.
ARRL is committed to providing you with superior products and services, along with the peace of mind knowing that the security of your personal data is our top priority. We understand your concerns about guarding information about you and we want to assure you that we have taken steps and will continue to take steps, to safeguard information, including your personal data.
Who We Are
The American Radio Relay League, Inc., and The ARRL Foundation, Inc. (“ARRL”, “we” or “us”) are companies incorporated in Connecticut, United States of America, and having our head office at 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut, is the controller and responsible for your personal data.
If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us in the following ways:
- Full name of legal entities: The American Radio Relay League, Inc., and The ARRL Foundation, Inc.
- Email address: [email protected].
- Postal address: 225 Main Street, Newington, Connecticut, 06111-1400 USA
What this Privacy Policy Covers
This Privacy Policy covers ARRL’s treatment of personal data collected by ARRL through your use of www.arrl.org (the “Website”), whether as a Visitor, a Registered User, or a Member, through Membership (“Membership” together with the “Website” is the “Services”) and when you interact with us in person or online through our events or by using our customer service and “contact us” methods.
The Website, and functionalities and features made available through our Website and emails to you, may include links to third-party websites, plug-ins, and applications. Clicking on those links or enabling those connections may allow third parties to collect or share data about you. Except as otherwise specifically noted below, this Privacy Policy does not apply to the practices of companies that ARRL does not own or control, or of persons that ARRL does not employ or manage, including any third-party content contributors bound by contract and any such third-party websites to which ARRL’s website is linked. When you leave ARRL’s website, you are encouraged to read the privacy policy of every website you visit.
Information We Collect
We collect information, including personal data, when you interact with us. Personal data (also known as “personal information” and “personally identifiable information”) , means any information about an individual from which that person can be identified. It does not include data where the identity has been removed (anonymous data).
ARRL may collect, use, store and transfer different kinds of personal data about you which can be grouped as follows:
- your personal contact information and/or other personal and personal identification information, such as your name, username, date of birth, call sign, address and email address (Identity and Contact Data);
- your bank account and payment card details, tax ID number, employer identification number (Financial Data). ARRL may collect Financial Data, but does not retain it. All Financial Data collected is transferred directly to the third party payment processors and we explain more about sharing your data with other parties below at ‘Information Sharing and Disclosure’;
- details about payments to and from you and other details of products and services you have purchased from us (Transaction Data);
- technical information, such as internet protocol (IP) address, your login data, browser type and version, time zone setting and location, browser plug-in types and versions, and other technology on the devices you use to access this website (Technical Data);
- information about how you use our website, products and services, such as traffic patterns, page views, links selected, and search terms (Usage Data); and
- your preferences in receiving marketing from us and our third parties and your communication preferences (Marketing and Communications Data).
We do not collect any special categories of personal data about you (this includes details about your race or ethnicity, religious or philosophical beliefs, sex life, sexual orientation, political opinions, trade union membership, information about your health, genetic and biometric data). Nor do we collect any information about criminal convictions and offences other than basic information required by the FCC (United States Federal Communications Commission).
We use different methods to collect from you and about you including through:
- Direct interactions, where you may give us your Identity, Contact and Financial Data by filling in forms or by corresponding with us by post, phone, email or otherwise;
- Automated technologies and interactions, where we automatically collect Technical Data about your equipment, browsing actions and patterns as you interact with our website. We collect this personal data by using cookies and other similar technologies; or
- Third parties or publicly available sources, where we receive personal data about you from various third parties, such as analytics providers, advertising networks, search information providers, provider of technical, payment and delivery services or FCC.
1. Information we may collect through direct interactions:
- Information for Amateur Radio licenses. In connection with applications for Amateur Radio licenses granted by the Federal Communications Commission, it is necessary that we collect certain personal data about you. We obtain this information from applications and other forms you submit to us and from other sources, such as our Website. To provide you with an Amateur Radio license, you will provide us with Identity and Contact Data and Financial Data.
- Account Registration Information. If you are a Registered User or a Member, you will provide us with Identity and Contact Data as well as information that you provide when you register for an account, including User ID, log-in details, security questions and answers and password(s). You may also provide us with Financial Data as appropriate with respect to Membership dues.
- User Contributions. Certain portions of the Services may contain Interactive Services that allow Registered Users and Members to post User Contributions. Such User Contributions may include any information, including audiovisual information, that you or other users submit. Such User Contributions will be seen by us and other users. We recommend that users do not post any personal data to the Interactive Services. All User Contributions must adhere to the standards that are posted on the Website and discussed in the Terms of Use.
- Information submitted through Customer Service channels. You may contact us through phone, email, mail, or other manners with questions or requests for information.
You can visit the ARRL Website without revealing Identity and Contact Data. However, ARRL needs certain personal data if you wish to purchase ARRL products, become a member, request information, or use certain ARRL Services.
2. Information we may obtain about you from your usage, from others or by automated means:
- Information we obtain from third parties, such as information from the FCC, which may include Identity and Contact Data;
- Information we obtain from public sources, such as governmental agencies, databases, and the internet including social media sites;
- Technical Data and Usage Data; and
- Marketing and Communications Data, from your interactions with the Website, including cookies.
Aggregated Data
Some of our web pages and applications may send anonymous Usage Data to ARRL and to our service providers to help us improve our website and content, and better meet the needs of radio amateurs. ARRL may use this information to customize the content you see and to fulfill your requests for certain products and services. However, ARRL does not connect this non-personal data to any personal data collected from you.
Most web browsers can be configured to not share website browsing histories. ARRL’s native applications can be configured to disable sending usage information to ARRL. This is called “disable tracking.” It may or may not be available to you, depending on the equipment you use for web browsing.
The ARRL’s digital magazines are hosted by PageSuite, ARRL’s service provider. PageSuite does not collect any personal data from those who utilize the digital publications and magazines or otherwise, but it does aggregate information as described above in order to supply ARRL with website analytical information.
Where we need to collect personal data by law, or under the terms of an agreement, including the terms of Membership, we have with you, and you fail to provide that data when requested, we may not be able to perform or provide you with the services or products you requested or perform the agreement in place. In this case, we may have to cancel a product or service, including any Membership, but we will notify you if this is the case at the time.
How We Use the Information we Collect
ARRL will use information we collect when the law allows us to. Most commonly, we will use your personal data in the following circumstances:
- Where we need to perform the contract we are about to enter into or have entered into with you (replying to your inquiries or to provide you with requested products and services).
- Where it is necessary for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party) and your interests and fundamental rights do not override those interests (contacting you regarding new ARRL products and services or using data analytics to improve our website, products/services, marketing, customer relationships and experiences).
- Where we need to comply with a legal obligation.
Generally, we do not rely on consent as a legal basis for processing your personal data although we will get your consent before sending third party direct marketing communications to you via email or text message. You have the right to withdraw consent to marketing at any time by contacting us.
Promotional Offers from Us
We may use your Identity, Contact, Technical and Usage Data to form a view on what we think you may want or need, or what may be of interest to you. This is how we decide which products, services and offers may be relevant for you (we call this marketing).
You will receive marketing communications from us if you have requested information from us or purchased goods or services from us and you have opted in for receiving that marketing.
Cookies
Cookies are small files of data that are sent to your computer or device to store data. ”Session cookies” are used to store information as users navigate the online store, to allow functions such as adding items to your shopping basket; to allow you to navigate ARRL’s Membership application; and to facilitate use of other forms and applications used throughout the Website. These “session cookies” are removed at the end of the activity, such as when you complete an online publication order. These are necessary in order for some web functions to work. “Persistent cookies” are used to help the Website remember user information and settings when visited in the future. You can delete persistent cookies from your computer or device at any time, but if you do, such settings as stored usernames and login information will have to be re-entered the next time you return to the site.
You can set your browser to refuse all or some browser cookies, or to alert you when websites set or access “cookies”.
If you disable or refuse cookies, please note that some parts of this Website may become inaccessible or not function properly.
Is Personal Data Shared with Others?
Yes. ARRL shares your personal data in the following limited situations:
- With your consent;
- With third party business partners, including for purposes of Amateur Radio license applications, where we are required to share the collected information with the FCC.
- With our third party advertisers, for marketing purposes from which you can opt out at any time;
- With our service providers, who facilitate us in providing the Services to you including processing, storage, and technical assistance whereby we have entered into contracts with such service providers which include limitations on their use of certain of your information and only as necessary to provide these Services to us/you;
- With third party service providers for Website analytics, including automated technology to collect and analyze your information, including personal data to help us understand your use and optimize your customer experience (please see our section on Cookies to learn more);
- With professional advisors and governmental authorities, if we believe in good faith that disclosure, access, use or preservation of such information is necessary to (i) meet any applicable law, regulation, legal process or governmental request; (ii) enforce or investigate your compliance with the terms of any of our contracts or policies we have with you for potential violations; (iii) protect against physical, financial or other harm against the rights, safety or property of you, us, or any third-party; and, (iv) investigate fraud, technical, security or other operational issues; and
- In connection with corporate transactions, meaning changes to our corporate structure due to sale, transfer, merger or other reorganization of our company during which your personal data may be among the items sold or transferred.
We require all third parties to respect the security of your personal data and to treat it in accordance with the law. We do not allow our third-party service providers to use your personal data for their own purposes and only permit them to process your personal data for specified purposes and in accordance with our instructions.
International Transfers
Please note that if you are based in UK/EEA, your personal data will be processed by ARRL and may be shared with the other companies within the ARRL group, including the ARRL Foundation. This will involve transferring your data outside the UK/EEA.
Additionally, many of our external third parties are based outside the UK/EEA so their processing of your personal data will also involve a transfer of data outside the UK/EEA.
Whenever we transfer your personal data out of the UK/EEA, we ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by ensuring at least one of the following safeguards is implemented:
- We will only transfer your personal data to countries that have been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data.
- Where we use certain service providers, we may use specific contracts approved for use in the UK/EEA which give personal data the same protection it has in the UK/EEA.
Please contact us if you want further information on the specific mechanism used by us when transferring your personal data out of the UK/EEA.
How Do We Protect the Confidentiality, Security and Integrity of Personal Information?
ARRL safeguards personal data contained in both paper and electronic records. Properly securing the information we collect is a primary commitment. We meet security and privacy standards for both e-commerce and personal data, ensuring the security and confidentiality of such information in a manner consistent with industry practices.
We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect the information we collect. Access to such information is restricted to authorized employees and agents of ARRL who need it in order to perform transactions related to Amateur Radio licenses or to provide products or services to you. These employees and agents are trained in the proper handling of such information.
No data transmission over the Internet can be considered 100% secure. However, ARRL has taken steps to protect your personal data for your privacy and security. In certain areas of our Website, as identified on the site, ARRL uses industry-standard SSL-encryption to protect data transmissions. In addition, we limit access to your personal data to those employees, agents, contractors and other third parties who have a business need to know. They will only process your personal data on our instructions, and they are subject to a duty of confidentiality.
We also safeguard your personal data from unauthorized access, through access control procedures, network firewalls and physical security measures.
Data Retention
We will only retain your personal data for as long as reasonably necessary to fulfil the purposes we collected it for, including for the purposes of satisfying any legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or reporting requirements. We may retain your personal data for a longer period in the event of a complaint or if we reasonably believe there is a prospect of litigation in respect to our relationship with you.
To determine the appropriate retention period for personal data, we consider the amount, nature and sensitivity of the personal data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure of your personal data, the purposes for which we process your personal data and whether we can achieve those purposes through other means, and the applicable legal, regulatory, tax, accounting or other requirements.
Your Legal Rights
Under certain circumstances, you have rights under data protection laws in relation to your personal data:
- Request access to your personal data – this enables you to receive a copy of the personal data we hold about you and to check that we are lawfully processing it.
- Request correction of your personal data – this enables you to have any incomplete or inaccurate data we hold about you corrected, though we may need to verify the accuracy of the new data you provide to us.
- Request erasure of your personal data - this enables you to ask us to delete or remove personal data where there is no good reason for us continuing to process it.
- Object to processing of your personal data – you can exercise this right where we are relying on a legitimate interest (or those of a third party) and there is something about your particular situation which makes you want to object to processing on this ground as you feel it impacts on your fundamental rights and freedoms. You also have the right to object where we are processing your personal data for direct marketing purposes.
- Request restriction of processing your personal data - this enables you to ask us to suspend the processing of your personal data if you want us to establish the data’s accuracy, where our use of the data is unlawful but you do not want us to erase it, where you have objected to our use of your data but we need to verify whether we have overriding legitimate grounds to use it or where you need us to hold the data even if we no longer require it as you need it to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.
- Request transfer of your personal data - we will provide you, or a third party you have chosen, your personal data in a structured, commonly used, machine-readable format. Note that this right only applies to automated information which you initially provided consent for us to use or where we used the information to perform a contract with you.
- Right to withdraw consent – you can withdraw consent at any time where we are relying on consent to process your personal data. However, this will not affect the lawfulness of any processing carried out before you withdraw your consent. If you withdraw your consent, we may not be able to provide certain products or services to you.
If you wish to exercise any of the rights set out above, please contact us at [email protected].
You will not have to pay a fee to access your personal data (or to exercise any of the other rights). However, we may charge a reasonable fee if your request is clearly unfounded, repetitive or excessive. Alternatively, we could refuse to comply with your request in these circumstances.
We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your personal data (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that personal data is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.
We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it could take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.
MINOR PRIVACY POLICY AND PARENTAL CONSENT STATEMENT
ARRL wants to protect the safety of children using the Website or as a Registered User or Member. US citizens under 18 years of age (“Minors” or “Minor”) can become a Registered User or Member when verifiable parental consent is provided to and approved by ARRL. Minors are not permitted to use the Website, become a Member, or a Registered User without submitting such verifiable parental consent. Please see our Terms of Use and the parental consent form.
Without obtaining verifiable parental consent, online contact information collected from a child is only used to respond directly on a one-time basis to a specific request from the child and is not used to re-contact the child and is not maintained in retrievable form by ARRL.
- Identity and Contact Data;
- Financial Data;
- Transaction Data;
- Technical Data;
- Usage Data; and
- Marketing and Communications Data.
By becoming a Member or Registered User, the Minor will be provided access to ARRL content, materials and resources related to amateur radio and amateur radio operators, including online forums that are accessed by Registered Users and Members in all levels of memberships, including Registered Users and Members who are over the age of 18.
Minors are able to use the Interactive Services available on the Website. Minors must abide by the Content Standards set forth on the ARRL Online Groups page and as detailed in the Terms of Use.
By signing the verifiable parental consent, you understand and agree that your Minor will have access to, and the ability to use, the Website (including its content) and the Interactive Services.
In addition to obtaining verifiable parental consent according to the process described above, ARRL does NOT:
- collect personally identifiable offline contact information of a child under age 18 without prior parental consent.
- entice any Minor by the prospect of a special game, prize, or other activity to divulge more information than is needed to participate in the activity.
There are several exceptions that permit collection of a Minor’s e-mail address without receiving parental consent in advance:
- To provide the parents with notice and to seek consent for communications with the Minor. Note: this may require collection of the parent’s e-mail address as well.
- To protect the safety of a Minor who is participating on the Website, e.g., in a message board;
- To protect the Website or to respond to law enforcement, e.g., in the case of a Website compromise.
Changes to this Privacy Policy and Your Duty to Inform Us of Any Changes
ARRL may at any time, without notice and in its sole discretion, amend this Privacy Policy from time to time. Please review this policy periodically. Your continued use of ARRL’s Services after any such amendments signifies your acceptance thereof.
It is important that the personal data ARRL holds about you is accurate and current. Please keep ARRL informed if your personal data changes during your relationship with ARRL.
Questions or Suggestions
If you are based in UK/EEA, you have the right to make a complaint at any time to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) (the UK regulator for data protection issues) or such other national regulator in the country where you are based. We would, however, appreciate the chance to deal with your concerns before you approach the regulator so please contact us in the first instance.
If you have questions or suggestions about this Privacy Policy, or your own personal data, please email us at [email protected].
