Updated: April 26, 2009

We want you to protect your Personal Data. We define Personal Data ("Data") as any data from which it is practical to directly determine your identity or the identity of any individual. We have established this Privacy Policy to explain how Personal Data is collected on the writers-forum.net web site ("Site") and how this Data is used by Site. Any capitalized term not defined in this Privacy Policy has the meaning which we lay out in the Writers Forum User Agreement. From time to time, we may update this Privacy Policy and will do our best to keep you abreast of these changes by posting a notice on the Site.

Writers Forum ("WF") has dues paying members ("members"). All members provide Data to WF for the purposes of identification of the Member, allowing the Member to post content to the Site, and to receive information from WF in the form of a newsletter and email messages and other methods that WF may choose.

Associate members ("Associates") do not pay dues. Associates provide Data in order to receive email messages and notices about WF activities and new information on the Site.

members, Associates and the general public use the Site ("Users").

We treat the protection of your Data very seriously. That being said, we would like to ask you to be careful and use caution when providing Data to the Site. Unfortunately, there is no way we can be responsible for the actions of other Users of the Site, or other web sites not developed by WF. Data is collected on displayed over encrypted connections and to members only. Exceptions to this are done only at the specific permission of the Member.

By becoming a Member or Associate of WF , you agree (1) to comply with the terms and conditions of this Privacy Policy, and (2) that WF and any Member may process (i.e., collect, use, etc.) your Data as described in this Privacy Policy or the Terms of Service. Data may be processed by WF or members in the country where it was collected as well as other countries (including the United States) where laws regarding processing of Data may be less stringent.

WF’s Collection of User Information

Personally Identifiable User Information
members, and Associates of the WF and once they log on to the Site, you are not anonymous to WF. When registering with WF, you provide Data, which includes a a User- chosen password and User ID, and optionally an email address, mailing address, and phone number. and other elements. To combat online fraud, WF may also record your IP address when submitting information. In addition, if you choose to use Member services on WF. At such time as WF offers online sales of merchandise and services, you provide necessary information to process your credit card payment, including your billing address.

To protect your WF log on information, please keep your password secure. You can decline to share optional Data as defined above.. Further, you may opt to hide Data provided to WF from the online members Directory, or you may opt to not have any of your Data available (including your name) from the Directory. You may change your selected options at any time by logging on to the Site.

WF does not intentionally gather Data about visitors who are under the age of 13.

Cookies and Passive Data Collection
WF automatically receives and records information on our server logs from your browser, including your IP address, WF cookie information, and the page you request. Users should be aware that other web sites visited before entering WF might place personally identifiable information within a User's URL during a visit to their web site, and WF has no control over such web sites. Accordingly, some of this information may be logged by a subsequent web site that collects URL information. All WF placed Cookies are temporary and expire when you logout or close all windows or tabs displayed by your browser.

Content and Use of Networks
When you post Content (or send messages) in on the Site that enable direct sharing of information with other Users, other Users will have access to any Data in such Content. The Site keeps track of Content that you have uploaded to the Site, Such information, including optional photos, are displayed on the Site, and is available to Users of the Site. In addition, the Site, at your option enables other Users to communicate with you based on the options you chose to allow such communication.

Because you may voluntarily disclose any Data in these public areas, you should be careful about the information you choose to disclose. WF does not control that disclosure, and is not liable in any way for anyone's use or misuse of the information in the disclosure. In other words, use caution and judgment here.

How WF Uses Information

Personally Identifiable Information
We will send you administrative messages, and email updates regarding your Data, and other posts, or the Site. We may also send you notices of new Content and features that have been added to the Site, based on your request to opt in for these notices, when you have subscribed to such notices. In some cases, we may also send you primarily promotional messages. After logging on members and Associates can choose to opt out of promotional messages and new Content notices.

WF will not use your Data for our own purposes. Data will not be shared or sold to any other individual or organization.

Cookies and Passive Data Collection
WF uses cookie, IP address, and URL information to improve the content of our services, the quality of WF servers, and to provide enhanced features to Users, where available. WF uses cookies to save Users' WF IDs, session validation variables, and on Users' browsers and hard drives, and may use them to provide tailored products and services to those Users, as they become available.

IP Addresses also help us to diagnose problems with our server, to administer the Site, and to otherwise provide the WF service to its users. IP addresses may be disclosed to a third party if we believe in good faith that they will aid in troubleshooting only.

Disclosures

WF Service Providers
WF may need to provide your Data to third parties to deliver specific services to you (such as credit card processing, hosting services, support services, and other services). These third parties are required not to disclose your Data and not to use your Data other than to provide the services requested by WF.

Network Creators
The WF Terms of Service require each Network Creator (such as critique groups for members) to comply with applicable laws (e.g., CAN-SPAM) and WF's rules with respect to the Network Creators' use of your Data. As a Network Creator, you may have your own privacy policy applicable to your Network if approved by WF in advance and in writing (on a case-by-case basis). If you, as a User of a Network, agree to a Network's privacy policy, you agree that any dispute you have with a Network Creator is between you and that Network Creator (and not WF).

Law Enforcement
WF may disclose Data if required by a subpoena or other judicial or administrative order, where required by law, or, at our sole discretion, where we deem necessary to protect the safety of any individual or the general public or to prevent violation of our Terms of Service or the rights of WF or any third party.

WF Affiliates
Although WF currently does not have a parent organization, any subsidiaries, joint ventures, or other entities under a common control (collectively, “affiliates”), it may in the future. WF may share some of or all of your Data with these affiliates, in which case we will seek to require our affiliates to honor this Privacy Policy.

Change of Ownership
In the event of a change in ownership, or a merger with, acquisition by, or sale of assets to, another entity, we reserve the right to transfer all of WF's User information, including email addresses, to a separate entity. WF will notify Users (via a posting on the Site or email (in WF's discretion) of such a transfer, and Users may choose to modify their registration information at that time. This means if you are concerned about your Data migrating to a new owner, you can deactivate your membership and request that your Data be deleted.

Security
WF uses industry standard security measures to protect the loss, misuse and alteration of the information under our control. Although we make good faith efforts to store the information collected by WF and Networks running on the Site in a secure operating environment that is not available to the public, WF cannot guarantee complete security. Further, while we work hard to ensure the integrity and security of our network and systems, we cannot guarantee that our security measures will prevent third-party "hackers" from illegally obtaining this information. WF does not assume any liability to third parties whose information may be included in your Data.

Updating or Removing User Information
Users may, at any time, choose to correct or update the information they have submitted to WF, by logging on to the Site. Users may remove their User information from WF's live database by canceling their Member or Associate membership. Even if you update or remove your information from our live database, your Data may be retained in our backup files and archives.

No Spam Policy
Our No Spam Policy and Terms of Service prohibit all Users from engaging in any activity involving the sending of email in violation of applicable law. Violations of these policies may result in immediate termination of service and legal action against any spammers. Any unauthorized use of WF computer systems is a violation of the Terms of Service and certain federal and state laws, including without limitation the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act (18 U.S.C. section 1030 et seq.), Section 502 of the California Penal Code and Section 17538.45 of the California Business and Professions Code. Such violations may subject the sender and his or her agents to civil and criminal penalties. WF offers email masking and relay when Users choose to communicate with other Users on Networks running on the Site to reduce third party email harvesting and spam. We also encourage Users to choose an email address where they will be comfortable receiving email responses from other WF Users if they choose, at their sole discretion, to upload a profile or classifieds listings on any Social Network running on the Site.

International Users
By visiting WF and Networks running on the Site and providing WF with data, you acknowledge and agree that due to the international dimension of WF we may use the data collected in the course of our relationship for the purposes identified in this Privacy Policy or in our other communications with you, including the transmission of information outside your resident jurisdiction. In addition, please understand that such data may be stored on servers located in the United States where laws protecting Data may not be as stringent as the laws in your jurisdiction. By providing us with your data, you consent to the transfer of such data.

Revisions to This Policy
WF reserves the right to revise, amend, or modify this policy and our other policies and agreements at any time and in any manner. Notice of any revision, amendment, or modification will be posted on WF, and a User's continued use of WF will signify agreement to such changes.

Contacting WF
Users with questions about this Privacy Policy may contact WF the following ways:
E-Mail
webmaster@writers-forum.net

Postal
Writers Forum
Attn: Webmaster
P.O. Box 492282,
Redding, CA 96049-2282

USE OF THIS SITE AND ITS SERVICES SIGNIFIES YOUR AGREEMENT TO THE PRIVACY POLICY