Privacy Policy
The American Public Health Association ("APHA") respects the privacy of its members and other visitors to its website. This Privacy Policy explains how APHA collects, safeguards and uses personal information on apha.org, APHA microsites, email and other digital communications under the control of APHA.
Our Privacy Policy may change periodically. All updates will be posted on this page.
Information APHA collects and how we use that information
Most data we collect are used only to help us better serve our members and visitors. It is our policy to collect and store only information that our members and visitors knowingly provide.
Website visitors
We collect aggregate data such as total site visitors, page views, etc. This data may be used for website improvement, internal analysis, program evaluation and validation. No personally identifiable information is utilized for these purposes.
We collect an IP address from all visitors to our website. 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, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. This data helps us improve the website and deliver customized, personalized content. IP addresses are not linked to personally identifiable information.
In order to help enhance site performance and functionality, we use session, persistent and third-party "cookies" that store a small piece of data on a user's computer and collect certain information about the user's visit to our site. We also use cookies to understand users’ browsing and buying activities so we can measure the success of online advertising campaigns we run on the site. Our site also uses web beacons (either directly or from our partners), along with cookies, to determine if a user has visited a particular website. These beacons aid in providing more relevant advertising to the user, as well measuring the success of an advertising campaign, but provide no personally identifiable information.
Cookies do not allow access to your member account or approve any financial transactions. These steps require an additional login.
Your browser is probably set to accept cookies. However, if you would 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 website will not function fully.
We do collect limited identifying information volunteered by visitors to the website through transactions, such as membership applications, registration forms, and publication orders. This information includes, but is not limited to, name, interests, organization name, phone number, street address, and email. We use this information only for the purposes for which it was provided and to enhance your experience with APHA. We may occasionally allow other allied organizations specific, one-time use of our postal mailing list to provide our constituents with information that is compatible with APHA's mission. If you do not want to share your postal mailing address, visit My APHA to change your preference.
If you would like to change personal information we have collected from you, visit My APHA and sign in using your email address and password. For your protection, we recommend that you do not provide your password to anyone. If you become aware of any suspicious activity relating to your information, please contact us immediately at comments@apha.org.
Member Directory
All active APHA members are included in the APHA Member Directory. The directory is accessible only to active APHA members. The member directory includes your name, email address, city, state/province, country and APHA Section(s). If you do not want to be listed in the member directory, visit My APHA to opt out.
Tell-A-Friend
If a user elects to use our referral service for informing a friend about our website, we ask the user for the friend's name and email address. APHA will send the friend a one-time email inviting him or her to visit the website. APHA stores this information for the sole purpose of sending a one-time email.
Privacy issues with links to other sites
This website contains links to other websites. We have no control over and are not responsible for the privacy policies of any website other than our own.
Future changes to this policy
From time to time our policies may change to reflect new business practices and changes in the communications environment. Check this Privacy Policy periodically for updates and changes. Where applicable, we will provide you with the ability to opt out of any new uses.
Security
All information provided to APHA is transmitted using SSL (Secure Socket Layer) encryption. At the time of its installation on APHA servers, 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 website that is accessible only by certain qualified employees of APHA. However, no data transmission over the Internet is, or remains, 100 percent secure. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of such information.
Credit card account information
APHA does not disclose credit card account information provided by its members and customers except as follows: When members and customers choose to pay using their credit cards, APHA submits the necessary information to effect payment to the appropriate clearinghouse, using encryption.
Sharing your personally identifiable information when legally necessary or to protect APHA's interests
APHA may disclose your personally identifiable information if required to do so by law or in the good-faith belief that such action is necessary to: (a) conform to legal requirements or comply with legal process served on the APHA; (b) protect and defend the rights or property of APHA; or (c) protect the personal safety of APHA personnel or members of the public in appropriate circumstances.
Mergers and acquisition
In the event that APHA should merge with, or be acquired by, another entity, APHA may merge your data then stored by APHA with the data of the other entity, in compliance with the law in effect at the time.
Questions
If you have any questions about our Privacy Policy, the practices of this website, or your dealings with this website, send an email to comments@apha.org.