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The Hearing Loss Association of America® (HLAA) has created this Privacy Policy to explain why we collect information and how we will protect your personal privacy within hearingloss.org and Walk4Hearing.org (referred to as “Site” in this document). The following discloses our information-gathering and dissemination practices for this website.

To fully understand your rights, we encourage you to read this Privacy Policy and our Terms of Use. The Hearing Loss Association of America (HLAA) reserves the right at any time and without notice to change this Privacy Policy simply by posting such changes on our Site. Any such change will be effective immediately upon posting.

Because we want to demonstrate our commitment to your privacy, this Privacy Policy notifies you of:

1.     What personally identifiable information of yours is collected through the Site;

2.     Who collects such information;

3.     How such information is used;

4.     With whom your information may be shared;

5.     What choices you have regarding collection, use and distribution of your information;

6.     What kind of security procedures are in place to protect the loss, misuse or alteration of information under our control;

7.     How you can correct any inaccuracies in your information.

Questions regarding this statement should be directed to the HLAA by sending an email to webteam@hearingloss.org. Please reference this Privacy Policy in your subject line.

What information do we collect, and how do we use it?

Through hearingloss.org and Walk4Hearing.org, we collect information about the domain name (.com, .net, .edu, .gov) of a visitor's server (i.e., the name of the Internet service provider's computer that funnels traffic to the Internet) but use it only for measurement purposes. These measurements provide website statistics, such as the number of visitors, “hits,” and top pages transmitted. Knowing how the site is used helps us develop plans to improve the site. The data we collect are totals of those visiting from a domain and not information on individual visitors. We do not request or store sensitive information from our visitors, such as credit cards or social security numbers.

Our registration forms require users to give us contact information, including name, email address, format preference (HTML vs. Text), address, interests, and similar information. We do not automatically collect email addresses or other personal information unless you provide it on a form, survey, or email message. The information we collect is used in the following ways:

HLAA does not sell, trade, or rent personal information about its website visitors, members, or donors.

Email addresses provided to us through registration on our site or when donating are used to distribute electronic newsletters, announcements, or other communications from HLAA.

When you register as a Team Captain or walker on Walk4Hearing.org, we need your name, email address and mailing address. When you donate online on both sites, we need your name, email address, mailing address, credit card number and expiration date. This allows us to process, fulfill, and acknowledge your donation. Secure server software encrypts all information you input before it is sent to us.

You may receive email communications from HLAA, which you can opt out of by clicking on the "unsubscribe" link at the bottom of each message. You may also receive periodic mailings via the U.S. mail. If you do not wish to receive such mailings, please provide your full name, mailing address, and a sentence requesting “do not mail” of your postal information, and email it to inquiry@hearingloss.org or write to us at:

Hearing Loss Association of America
6116 Executive Blvd., Suite 320
Rockville, MD 20852

Internet Protocol Address:

We collect IP addresses from all visitors to our Site. An IP address is a number that is automatically assigned to your computer when you use the Internet. We use IP addresses to help diagnose problems with our server, administer our Site, analyze trends, track users' movement, gather broad demographic information for aggregate use in order for us to improve the site, and deliver customized, personalized content. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.

Use of "Cookies":

Our Site may use cookies to enhance your experience while using our Site. Cookies are pieces of information that some websites transfer to the computer that is browsing that website and are used for record-keeping purposes at many websites. The use of cookies makes Web-surfing easier by performing certain functions such as saving your passwords, your personal preferences regarding your use of the particular website and ensuring you don't see the same ad repeatedly. Many consider the use of cookies to be an industry standard.

Your browser is probably set to accept cookies. However, if you prefer not to receive cookies, you can alter the configuration of your browser to refuse cookies. If you choose to have your browser refuse cookies, it is possible that some areas of our Site will not function properly when you view them.

Security:

All information provided to HLAA is transmitted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. SSL is a proven coding system that lets your browser automatically encrypt or scramble data before you send it to us. We also protect account information by placing it on a secure portion of our site, which is accessible only to certain qualified employees of HLAA. Unfortunately, however, no data transmission over the Internet is 100% secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information.

If a user uses our referral service to inform a friend about our Site, we ask them for the friend's name and email address. HLAA will automatically send the friend a one-time email inviting them to visit the Site. HLAA stores this information for the sole purpose of sending this one-time email.

Our Site contains links to other websites. Please note that when you click on one of these links, you enter another website for which HLAA is not responsible. We encourage you to read the privacy statements on all such sites, as their policies may differ from ours.

If you have any questions about this Privacy Policy, the practices of this Site, or your dealings with this Site, you can contact HLAA at webteam@hearingloss.org

The HLAA and Walk4Hearing websites are committed to protecting the privacy of their visitors. Information gathered through HLAA and Walk4Hearing websites monitors our site’s effectiveness and responds to your questions and requests.

By using the HLAA and Walk4Hearing websites, you consent to collecting and using the information described above.

Facebook Fundraiser

When you register for a walk, you can utilize the Walk4Hearing Facebook fundraising app for your personal Facebook page. Should you decide to no longer use the app and want your information removed, please follow the following steps:

1.     Go to your Facebook account’s Settings & Privacy. Click "Settings".

2.     Look for "Apps and Websites" and see all the apps and websites you linked with your Facebook account.

3.     Search and select the "HLAA Walk4Hearing" app.

4.     Select "Remove".

5.     Confirm your deletion settings in the dialog box and select "Remove".

6.     The "HLAA Walk4Hearing" app has now been permanently removed.