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1. Information collection
ATL collects information about users of the website for three main reasons:
to help ATL improve the website and the services ATL offer
to obtain aggregate statistics to help ATL achieve its constitutional purposes, and
to enable ATL to generate revenue from the website.
Information gathered includes demographic data and browsing patterns, but it only collected in aggregate form – no individual user is identified. This is used to identify information needs, audit usage of the site, and build up marketing profiles.
When you enter a site your computer will automatically be issued with a cookie. Cookies are text files that identify your computer to ATL's server. Cookies in themselves do not identify the individual user, just the computer used. Many sites do this whenever a user visits their site in order to track traffic flows. Cookies themselves only record those areas of the site that have been visited by the computer in question, and for how long. Users have them opportunity to set their computers to accept all cookies, to notify them when a cookie is used, or not to receive cookies at any time. The last of these, of course, means that certain personalised services cannot then be provided to that user. If you choose not to receive cookies at any time, you may find that certain services are not available to you.
2. Statement of intent
From time to time, you will be asked to submit personal information about yourself (e.g. name and email address etc) in order to receive or use services on ATL’s website. Such services include member-only content, enquiries, newsletters, competitions, e-mail services, message boards.
By entering your details in the fields requested, you enable ATL and its service providers to provide you with the services you select. Whenever you provide such personal information, ATL will treat that information in accordance with this policy. ATL’s services are designed to give you the information that you want to receive. ATL will act in accordance with current legislation and aim to meet current Internet best practice.
3. Use and storage of your personal information
When you supply any personal information to ATL, it has legal obligations towards you in the way it deals with that data. ATL must collect the information fairly, that is, it must explain how it will be used (see the notices on particular webpages that let you know why we are requesting the information) and tell you if ATL want to pass the information on to anyone else.
In general, any information you provide to ATL will only be used within ATL. It will never be supplied to anyone outside ATL without first obtaining your consent, unless ATL is obliged or permitted by law to disclose it. Also, if you post or send offensive or inappropriate content anywhere on or to the ATL website or otherwise engage in any disruptive behaviour on the site, and ATL considers such behaviour to be serious and/or repeated, ATL can use whatever information that is available to it about you to stop such behaviour. This may include informing relevant third parties such as your employer, school or e-mail provider about the content and your behaviour.
ATL will hold your personal information on its systems for as long as you use the service you have requested, and remove it in the event that the purpose has been met, or, in the case of ATL membership when you no longer wish to continue your registration as a ATL member. For safety reasons, however, ATL may store messaging transcript data (including message content, member names, times and dates) arising from the use of the noticeboard or bulletin board areas for a period of six months.
Where personal information is held for people who are not yet registered but have taken part in other ATL services (e.g. competitions), that information will be held only as long as necessary to ensure that the service is run smoothly. We will ensure that all personal information supplied is held securely, in accordance with the Data Protection Act 1998.
If you are notified on a ATL site that your information may be used to allow ATL to contact you for ‘service administration purposes’, this means that ATL may contact you for a number of purposes related to the service you have signed up for. For example, ATL may wish to provide you with password reminders or notify you that the particular service has been suspended for maintenance. ATL will not contact you for promotional purposes, such as notifying you of improvements to the service or new services on ATL unless you specifically agree to be contacted for such purposes at the time you submit your information on the site, or at a later time if you sign up specifically to receive such promotional information.
4. Cookies
When you enter an ATL website your computer will automatically be issued with a cookie. Cookies are text files that identify your computer to our server. Cookies in themselves do not identify the individual user, just the computer used. Many websites do this whenever a user visits their site in order to track traffic flows. Cookies themselves only record those areas of the site that have been visited by the computer in question, and for how long.
Users have them opportunity to set their computers to accept all cookies, to notify them when a cookie is used, or not to receive cookies at any time. The last of these, of course, means that certain personalised services cannot then be provided to that user. If you choose not to receive cookies at any time, you may find that certain services are not available to you.
The ATL site uses the following types of cookies:
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are essential in order to enable you to move around the website and use its features, such as accessing secure areas of the website. Without these cookies services you have asked for, like shopping baskets or e-billing, cannot be provided.
Performance Cookies
These cookies collect information about how visitors use a website, for instance which pages visitors go to most often, and if they get error messages from web pages. These cookies don’t collect information that identifies a visitor. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. It is only used to improve how a website works.
Functionality Cookies
These cookies allow the website to remember choices you make (such as your user name, language or the region you are in) and provide enhanced, more personal features. For instance, a website may be able to provide you with local weather reports or traffic news by storing in a cookie the region in which you are currently located. These cookies can also be used to remember changes you have made to text size, fonts and other parts of web pages that you can customise. They may also be used to provide services you have asked for such as watching a video or commenting on a blog. The information these cookies collect may be anonymised and they cannot track your browsing activity on other websites.
What to do if you want to refuse cookies
By default, cookies should be enabled on your computer or device. If you'd prefer to restrict, block or delete cookies from the ATL or any other website, you can use your internet browser to do this. Each browser is different, so check the "help" menu on your browser to learn how to change your cookies preferences, or visit www.allaboutcookies.org/manage-cookies.
5. Access to your personal information
You have the right to request a copy of the personal information ATL holds about you and to have any inaccuracies corrected. (We charge £10 for information requests.) Please address requests to ATL, 7 Northumberland Street, London WC2N 5RD.
6. Users 16 and under
If you are aged 16 or under, please get your parent/guardian's permission beforehand whenever you provide personal information to ATL’s website. Users without this consent are not allowed to provide ATL with personal information.
7. General
Other websites linked from ATL’s domain are not covered by this privacy statement.