The Histochemical Society (HCS) Privacy Statement

HCS is committed to protecting your privacy and providing a safe online experience. This Privacy Policy applies to the HCS website and governs data collection and usage.  We take this matter very seriously and have instituted policies and procedures to ensure your privacy rights are protected.  The following outlines our Privacy Policy and details the measures we have taken to safeguard and protect your privacy. 

WHAT INFORMATION DOES HCS COLLECT?

The data HCS collects is used to help us better serve our members and to further our mission to advance health and well-being by promoting research and education through collaboration opportunities and service to our society members.

The information you provide to us will be used to keep you up-to-date on areas for which you have expressed interest. We will maintain the confidentiality of your personal information. It will be used only to support our member services with you or your institution/organization.

If at any time you no longer wish to receive notifications or promotions from HCS, contact us, and we will remove you from our active mailing list immediately.

It is our general policy to collect and store only personal information that our website visitors knowingly provide.  This Privacy Policy may be amended from time to time.  Any changes to this Privacy Policy will be posted on this page.

USE OF INFORMATION – HOW DOES HCS USE DATA COLLECTED?

HCS uses information voluntarily submitted by members and other customers in the following ways:

General Users. HCS does not collect any personal information from users browsing its Website. When you visit our website, we may automatically collect statistics about your visit. This information does not identify you personally, but rather about your visit to our website. We may monitor statistics such as how many people visit our site, which pages people visit, from which domains our visitors come and which browsers people use.  We use these statistics about your visit for aggregation purposes only.  Aggregate data are only used for internal and marketing purposes and do not provide any personally identifying information.

Personal information and information specific to the requested activity may be collected along with a request for service, product, marketing, or event resources.  For example, this information may include your organization name, contact name, address, telephone number, email address and services requested.

HCS utilizes MemberClicks for website and database services. Please refer to the MemberClicks privacy policies. 

HCS Membership, Meeting/Webinar Registrants, Journal Subscriptions

Communications. Generally, HCS uses data collected to improve its own web content; to respond to visitors' interests, needs and preferences; to further HCS’s mission; and to deliver products and services. 

To gain access to some resources and personalization features on the HCS website, Users are asked to register and provide some limited information. This information is submitted voluntarily. HCS asks Users to provide information related to supporting the specific service being provided.  Similar information may be requested by HCS through event registration, abstract submissions, publication orders, subscriptions, and contest/award applications.

Additionally, for some emails sent by HCS to Users through its contact center and electronic newsletters, we will collect specific information regarding what the recipient does with that email. For those emails, HCS will monitor whether a recipient subsequently clicks through to links provided in the message. Other information collected through this tracking feature includes: email address of a User, the date and time of the User's "click," a message number, tracking URL number and destination page. HCS only uses this information to enhance its products and distribution of those products to its members.

Credit Card Account Information. HCS does not disclose credit card account information provided by its customers. When customers choose to pay using their credit cards, HCS submits the information needed to obtain payment via a secure internet protocol to the appropriate payment gateway. Please refer to the Moolah system and policies as the contracted payment gateway utilized for HCS. 

HOW DOES HCS USE COOKIES?

Cookies are files that contain information created by a web server that can be stored on a user's hard disk for use either during a particular session ("per-session" cookie) or for future use ("persistent" cookie). HCS uses cookies only to facilitate automated activity, store and track passwords, and review navigation patterns. Cookies are not used to disseminate significant information about Users over the Internet or to analyze any information that Users have knowingly or unknowingly provided. Users may instruct their Internet browsers to opt out of accepting a "persistent" cookie and rather accept only a "per-session" cookie, but will need to login each time they visit the site to enjoy the full benefits. If the user declines the attachment of any cookie, the user may not have access to the full benefits of the website. 

OTHER WEBSITES AND LINKS

This website may contain links to other websites. Please note that this Privacy Policy does not cover the privacy practices of websites external to HCS and we are not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of such websites, partners, or affiliates. You should review any privacy policies of such websites.

WHAT MEANS OF REDRESS ARE AVAILABLE?

If any User suspects HCS has handled its personal information in a manner that does not comply with this privacy policy, please contact us by emailing or by calling 301-634-7456.

GDPR Specific Section:

For Residents of the European Union

HCS is the abbreviated name of The Histochemical Society, located at 1801 Rockville Pike, Suite 350, Rockville, Maryland 20852.

HCS recognizes principles and requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) adopted by the European Union. For more information on GDPR, please visit the European Commissions’ GDPR Website.  HCS will, so far as is reasonably practical, comply with the Data Protection Principles contained in the Data Protection Act to ensure all data is:

  • Fairly and lawfully processed
  • Obtained and used for specific and clearly stated purposes
  • Adequate, relevant, and not excessive
  • Accurate and up-to-date
  • Not kept for longer than necessary
  • Processed in accordance with your rights
  • Secure
  • Not transferred to other countries without adequate protection

WHAT IS PERSONAL INFORMATION?

The GDPR aims to protect the “personal data” or personal information of individuals within the EU and covers many processing activities, including collection, storage, consultation, transfer, and destruction, of this data. “Personal data” means information relating to an identified or identifiable natural person. You can be identified from information such as your name, email address, phone number, home address, driver’s license number, and passport number. You may also be identifiable from information such as an online identifier, IP address, unique device ID or cookie.

What information do we collect about you?

We collect information about you when visiting the HCS website relating to your use of the HCS site, collected using cookies. We also collect information when you request our services and when voluntarily completing surveys, contact forms, responding to marketing and participating in HCS events and activities. We only hold this information as long as it is necessary to fulfill a contract, provide you with requested services (including HCS newsletters and communication updates) or where we believe you will be interested (see ‘Legitimate interest’ below).

How will we use the information about you?

We collect information about you to process your order, manage your account and, if you agree, to email you about other products and services we think may be of interest to you.

We use your information collected from the website to personalize your repeat visits to our website.

We may share your information if you indicate you would like to learn more about a HCS society or partner during a meeting registration process or in your communication preferences.

Legitimate Interests & Performance of a Contract

There are a number of lawful reasons that mean we can use (or ‘process’) your personal information, including ‘legitimate interests’ and ‘performance of a contract.’

Broadly speaking, Legitimate Interests means we can process your personal information if:

  • We have a genuine and legitimate reason to do so and
  • We are not harming any of your rights and interests.

And, Performance of "A Contract" means we can use (or ‘process’) your personal information if:

  • Data processing is necessary for the performance of a contract with or on behalf of the data subject.

Marketing

We would like to send you information about our services and news. If you have consented to receive marketing or advocacy information, you may opt out at a later date.

You have a right at any time to stop us from contacting you for these purposes or giving your information to third party partners or suppliers by modifying your communication preferences or emailing us. 

We gather statistics pertaining to email opening and clicks using industry standard technologies to help us monitor and improve our e-newsletters and other communication resources.

Conference & Events

Generally, those who wish to attend HCS events will register for those events online, by email or over the telephone. During the process of that registration, you share with us personal information about yourself which generally includes contact information, demographics pertaining to your profession and payment information.

How HCS Uses Your Event Registration Data

Personal Information Registration information will be part of a database that is accessible only to HCS contracted staff and conference organizers. You may be included on the conference attendee listing and/or event app as part of your registration.  You may opt out of these inclusions anytime by emailing us.  You may also request to be excluded from attendee lists that may be provided to event sponsors.

Your Rights

GDPR, implemented on 25th May 2018, gives all individuals a number of rights relating to their personal data held by companies, organizations and other third parties. These are:

  • Informed:  We will tell you exactly how we use your data in clear, plain language.
  • Consent:  We will store or use your data only to support the performance of a contract, to further a legitimate interest, to comply with a legal obligation or with your consent.
  • Access and Portability:  Obtain an export of all data HCS has collected and processed for you in a machine-readable format (e.g. .csv or Excel file formats)
  • Modification:  Request changes or updates to any personal data HCS stores.
  • Erasure:  Request that HCS purge all personal identifying information.

If you would like to exercise a right you have under GDPR, please contact us at the email address, phone or mailing address below.

How to contact us

Please contact [email protected] call us at 301-634-7456 or write to us at:

HCS, 1801 Rockville Pike, Suite 350, Rockville, MD  20852