PADI AWARE's Privacy Policy

PADI AWARE Foundation is committed to respecting the privacy of visitors. This Privacy Policy covers personally identifiable information you may choose to share with PADI AWARE Foundation (PADI AWARE) on padiaware.org. By using padiaware.org you consent to this policy. Changes to the policy will be posted on this page. Any changes will only apply to information collected after the posted date of the change.

For your ease and convenience, we make this notice available from every page of this website, identified as “Privacy Policy” with a link to this notice.

This website contains links to other sites. We encourage you to read the privacy statement of any website that you visit. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected through this website.

Please note: This policy applies only to information collected through the PADI AWARE Foundation website. Any other site which is linked to this website, including AWARE affiliates’ sites, may be governed by their individual Privacy Policies and Terms of Use. Please consult these sites for further understanding of their Privacy Policies and Terms of Use.

Depending on the program or service you wish to engage in, PADI AWARE may ask for personally identifiable information. In some instances, you may decide what information you choose to provide. Sometimes, however, complete information is needed for PADI AWARE to respond to your requests and/or include you in a program or service. This site collects both personally identifiable and non-personally identifiable information to improve the usefulness of the online information and services we offer to our users.

Personally identifiable information is any data element or collection of data elements that directly identifies an individual, including name and email address.

Non-personally identifiable information is any data element or collection of data elements that, by itself, cannot be associated with a specific individual. This site collects non-personally identifiable information which is routinely gathered from all site visitors and focuses on website activity, such as how many people visit the site, the pages they visit, what website they are coming from, how long they stay , etc. This site visitor data is collected on an aggregated, anonymous basis, which means personally identifiable information is not associated with this data. This type of non-personally identifiable information is generally gathered by third-party providers through the use of web server logs, third-party ad servers, cookie technology, and clear GIFs, as defined herein.

In addition, in some cases we may link this sort of non-personally identifiable information with the personally identifiable information we have about people who use our website or services and treat this information as personally identifiable information. For example, we may use this information to follow up with you, if applicable.

Wireless Addresses

If the email address you provide to us is a wireless email address, you agree to receive messages at such address from PADI AWARE Foundation (unless and until you have elected not to receive such messages by notifying us using the "unsubscribe" link located within the PADIAWARE.org email notifications). You understand that your wireless carrier's standard rates apply to these messages. You represent that you are the owner or authorized user of the wireless device on which messages will be received, and that you are authorized to approve the applicable charges.

What does PADI AWARE do with the information?

PADI AWARE uses the information for the sole purposes of identifying visitors, their interests, aggregate demographic data, providing requested information, personalized notices and promotions and improving our site.

PADI AWARE may also, at times, highlight affiliated conservations activities, grant recipients and local projects on the PADI AWARE website and social media channels.

Your email address will be used to send you information from PADI AWARE and its products.

• For donors, PADI AWARE regularly emails newsletters and updates, as well as support and renewal notices via mail and email.
• For MyOcean users PADI AWARE may contact you regarding data submissions.
• For Grant Applicants PADI AWARE may contact you regarding your application, grant awards, reports and to inform you of other upcoming funding opportunities.
• For Adopt the Blue participants PADI AWARE may contact you regarding program participation and possible funding opportunities.

Except as stated in this Privacy Policy, PADI AWARE does not provide, market, trade or sell the information it obtains to third parties except in the aggregate as part of statistical reports prepared by PADI AWARE for organizational analysis. This aggregate information does not include personally identifiable information. However, all personally identifiable information gathered can be disclosed to judicial or other government agencies subject to warrants, subpoenas, or other government orders.

PADI AWARE, due to its affiliation with PADI, may share information with PADI staff regarding affiliated conservation activities, grant applicants and local projects in order to provide a more collaborative response and management of our supporters and partners. Grant application information may also be shared with additional non-PADI AWARE/PADI staff as part of the review process. All non-PADI AWARE/PADI staff are required to sign a confidentiality statement and agree not to contact the applicants regarding any other business.

You may unsubscribe from email notifications through the following:

• Choose to opt out of certain email communications during the registration/application process.
• Follow the language within the email notifications.
• Request a change in your status by emailing us at [email protected].

PADI AWARE uses a number of security measures to maintain the privacy of your personal information. The data are stored in secure databases and are accessed only for the purposes listed above. Employee access to personal information is strictly on a need to know basis. Third parties providing services for PADI AWARE are required to sign a confidentiality agreement agreeing not to use personal or confidential information except to provide the specific service requested by PADI AWARE.

What security is provided for online payments?

PADI AWARE accepts check and credit card payments. When making a donation or placing an online order your payment information, such as bank information, credit card number, Card Verification Value Code (CVV) / Card Validation Code (CVC) and expiration date, are entered during your transaction. PADI AWARE uses a third-party merchant processor to process your online transactions.  When donating to PADI AWARE your financial details are passed through a secure server using the latest 128-bit SSL (secure sockets layer) encryption technology. The 128-bit SSL encryption is approximated to take at least one trillion years to break, and is the industry standard. If you have any questions regarding our security policy, please email us at [email protected]. This sensitive personal information is not shared with third parties other than the processor. Your credit card information is not stored or retained for future use.

Does PADI AWARE track IP addresses?

As a general policy, PADI AWARE does not track IP addresses. However, it may sometimes be necessary when such information is needed to help diagnose a problem with our server or to identify the origin of unlawful activity on or against padiaware.org.

Does PADI AWARE use cookies?

Cookie technology enables websites to store small bits of information on your computer, and then ask for that information back at a later time. A cookie is a text file that is sent to the hard drive where your browser files are kept. If you are concerned about the use of cookie technology, you may opt to enable a feature in your browser software that will erase cookies, block all cookies or warn you before cookies are stored or exchanged.

If you reject a cookie, you may still use our site.

How we use cookies:

AWARE uses cookies to accurately track the number of website users. AWARE stores a unique identifier in the cookie to properly distinguish a user's workstation. Cookies allow a web application to respond to you as an individual.

What about third party links on padiaware.org?

Padiaware.org provides links to other sites as a service to visitors. PADI AWARE is not responsible for the privacy practices, security measures or data collection practices of these other web sites nor for the content of these sites. Your choice to access these sites is at your own risk. We urge you to review the privacy policies on each link to ensure you are comfortable with their policies and practices. 

Yes. You can elect not to receive information by responding to the email communication and indicating your choice to unsubscribe to that communication.

What about information I share on My Ocean?

The information you share about yourself when you sign up for My Ocean includes your name, email, and location. During the registration process we give you the opportunity to connect with your friends via social network sites. You will also be able to add a picture of yourself.  

Here are some other things to remember:

• You can configure the visibility of activity messages in My Ocean in the “Heartbeat Activity Settings” in the “Edit Account Settings” of your Profile.  This allows you to decide whether your activities on My Ocean can be seen by Everyone who visits the site, only your Friends, only Me (i.e. yourself) or Never.
• Even after you remove information from your profile or delete your account, copies of that information may remain viewable elsewhere to the extent it has been shared with others, it was otherwise distributed, or it was copied or stored by other users.
• You understand that information might be re-shared or copied by other users.
• When you post information on another user’s profile or comment on another user’s post, that information will be subject to the other user’s visibility settings.
• If you use an external source to publish information to Facebook (such as a mobile application or a Connect site), you should check the privacy setting for that post, as it is set by that external source.

 What about “Everyone” information on My Ocean?

Information set to “everyone” is publicly available information, just like your name, profile picture, and connections.  Such information may, for example, be accessed by everyone on the Internet (including people not logged into My Ocean), be indexed by third party search engines, and be imported, exported, distributed, and redistributed by us and others without privacy limitations. Such information may also be associated with you, including your name and profile picture, even outside of My Ocean, such as on public search engines and when you visit other sites on the internet.  The default privacy setting for certain types of information you post on My Ocean is set to “everyone.” You can configure the visibility of activity messages in My Ocean in the “Heartbeat Activity Settings” in the “Edit Account Settings” of your Profile.  This allows you to decide whether your activities on My Ocean can be seen by Everyone who visits the site, only your Friends, only Me (i.e. yourself) or Never.

 Are there any risks inherent in sharing information?

Although we allow you to configure the visibility of activity messages, please be aware that no security measures are perfect or impenetrable. We cannot control the actions of other users with whom you share your information. We cannot guarantee that only authorized persons will view your information. We cannot ensure that information you share on My Ocean will not become publicly available. We are not responsible for third party circumvention of any settings as the purpose of the site is to share your conservation activities.

By uploading any photo or video on My Ocean you are confirming that you own and have the right and permission of those in the photos or videos to post and distribute it publicly and understand that PADI AWARE and others who visit the site may download and use that content.  We respect other people's rights, and expect you to do the same.  You will not post content or take any action on My Ocean that infringes or violates someone else's rights or otherwise violates the law.  We can remove any content or information you post on My Ocean if we believe that it violates this Statement.

Photos submitted by padiaware.org visitors, app users, grant applicants and/or by any other submission means may be used by PADI AWARE, or others authorized by PADI AWARE, for promotional purposes without compensation. Although PADI AWARE endeavors to include photo credits, you agree that a credit may not accompany your submitted photo if PADI AWARE determines it is not feasible to do so. By submitting such images, you warrant that you are the owner of the photo or that you have the express permission of the owner to use and submit the photo(s). Additionally, you warrant that any necessary releases have been obtained by you or the owner of the photo for any people who may appear in the photo(s) and that PADI AWARE's use of the submission will not violate any third party rights.

Photos, videos and content you share

By uploading any photo or video onto a PADI AWARE related platform you are confirming that you own and have the right and permission of those in the photos or videos to post and distribute it publicly and understand that PADI AWARE and others who visit the site may download and use that content.  We respect other people's rights, and expect you to do the same.  You will not post content or take any action that infringes or violates someone else's rights or otherwise violates the law.  We can remove any content or information you post if we believe that it violates this Statement.

Sharing Information

AWARE may disclose personally identifiable information to government authorities, and to other third parties when compelled to do so by government authorities, at our discretion, or otherwise as required or permitted by law, including but not limited to in response to court orders and subpoenas.

We also may disclose personally identifiable information when we have reason to believe that someone is causing injury to or interference with our rights or property, other users of the website or anyone else that could be harmed by such activities.

If applicable, AWARE shares some non-personally identifiable information with third party providers to track and analyze site usage on an anonymous basis. This is not linked to any information that can identify any individual.

In the event that AWARE, any affiliate of AWARE, or substantially all of its assets, are acquired by one or more third parties as a result of an acquisition, merger, sale, reorganization, consolidation or liquidation, non-personally identifiable information may be one of the transferred assets.

External links

This website contains links to other sites. We will inform you when you are leaving this site and we encourage you to read the privacy statement of any website that you visit. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by this website.

Security of Your Information

This site takes reasonable steps to protect personally identifiable information as you transmit it to our site and to protect such information from loss, misuse, and unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, or destruction.

Definitions

Web server logs: A web server log is a file where website activity is stored, such as your internet provider (IP) address, date of visit, length of visit, what pages you visit on our websites, etc.

Clear GIFs: A clear GIF is typically a one-pixel, transparent image (although it can be a visible image as well), located on a Web page or in an email or other type of message, which is retrieved from a remote site on the Internet enabling to us to track and analyze your usage of our site. The information collected through pixel tags is non-personally identifiable.

Third-Party ad servers: We may use third-party advertising companies to serve ads on a variety of different websites that are intended to attract visitors to our site. These companies may employ cookies, clear GIFs and other technologies to track non-personally identifiable information about your visits to other sites involved in PADI AWARE advertising campaigns in order to help measure and improve the effectiveness of AWARE Health Solutions’ ads. This information may be shared with PADI AWARE and others performing services on behalf of PADI AWARE.

If you would like more information about how third-party ad servers work and to understand your choices about not having this information used by these companies, see the Network Advertising Initiative's consumer Web site at https://www.networkadvertising.org/

Third Party Links

We provide links to other sites as a service to visitors. PADI AWARE is not responsible for the privacy policies, security measures or data collection practices of these other websites, nor for the content of these sites. Your choice to access these sites is at your own risk. We urge you to review the privacy policies on each link to ensure you are comfortable with other sites' policies and practices.

Viruses

PADI AWARE assumes no responsibility, and shall not be liable for, any damages to or viruses that may infect your computer equipment or other property due to your access to, use of, browsing of, or downloading of any materials from padiaware.org.

Copyright Infringement

Claims of copyright infringement should be directed to us via email to: [email protected], or mailed to:

PADI AWARE Foundation

30151 Tomas

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688

You may contact PADI AWARE via i[email protected] or by phone, fax, or email, or in writing to:

PADI AWARE Foundation

30151 Tomas

Rancho Santa Margarita, CA  92688

United States

Fax: +1 949 267 - 1221

Phone: +1 949 858 - 7657

Toll Free Phone: +1 866 802 - 9273

Notification of Change

AWARE reserves the right at its discretion to change, modify, add or remove portions of this policy, at any time.

We will communicate any updates to our policy on our site for any site visitors.

We encourage you to check this policy from time to time to review any changes that might be made. The date found below tells you when this policy was last updated.

Revised: March 16, 2022