document: title: privacy policy
text: The American Institute of Physics (AIP) is committed to the value of privacy. As you use our web sites, you may be prompted to enter information when you

  1. Create a user name and password
  2. Use personalization features
  3. Purchase a product or service
  4. Sign up for a free product or service
  5. Participate in online forums or discussions
  6. Provide feedback



The data collected online from an AIP user is voluntary, although some services are only accessible by registering user details. Information collected may include your name, e-mail address, street address, job title, society membership, or other related demographic information. Except as described in this Privacy Policy, AIP will endeavor to keep your information confidential. We focus on using the information as part of AIP's service to you and its mission to advance and diffuse the knowledge of physics and its application to human welfare.

Notice to EU Users: The server for www.aip.org is located in the United States. By entering information on this site, you are consenting to the transfer of that information to the United States. Your information will be handled in accordance with AIP's Privacy Policy.

## How collected information is used

The primary purpose of gathering information is to allow AIP to link a name and contact information to a user ID or browsing experience. Once you have provided appropriate information, you will be enabled to use a variety of products or personalized services, and to access online help or support. AIP has a policy to use or sell its customer lists only for the delivery of information deemed of potential relevance or interest to members of the physics community. AIP offers an option to remove your information from any list that might be sold or given to another organization. To do so, please contact the appropriate AIP department with which the list is associated.

## How we work to keep information secure

AIP takes precautions to protect your information. When you submit sensitive information via the website, we make commercially reasonable efforts to protect your information both online and off-line. When our registration/order form asks for sensitive information (such as a credit card number), we use dedicated software designed to encrypt the information and protect it. While on a secure page, such as our order form, the lock icon on the bottom of Web browsers such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer becomes locked, as opposed to un-locked, or open, when you are just 'surfing'. To learn more about our encryption software, follow this link.

## Opt-out for European Union and other users

In accordance with EU and other guidelines, you may decline to provide the information requested by AIP. Please be advised, however, that AIP may be unable to provide certain services unless such information is provided for security and identification purposes.

## Cookies

A cookie is a piece of data stored on the user's hard drive that sometimes links to personally identifiable information about the user. AIP uses session cookies which are designed not to be permanent or persistent. The session cookie is designed so that, once you close your browser, the cookie will simply terminate. If you configure your browser to reject cookies, you may still use some, but not all, portions of our site. For example, accessing our online journals requires that your browser accept cookies. We recommend closing browsers on publicly available machines (such as those in libraries) after use.

## Disclosure of aggregated and other information

We use IP addresses and other user information to analyze trends, administer the site, track user's movement, and gather broad demographic information for aggregate use. We may share aggregated (i.e., non-individual) demographic information with our partners and advertisers. We use one or more outside credit card processing companies to bill users for goods and services and we will disclose your personally identifiable information to these companies as needed to process your orders and to respond to your requests.

## Links

AIP sites contain links to other sites, and other sites have links to AIP. Please be aware that AIP is not responsible for the privacy practices (or other practices, goods, services, or content) of other sites. We encourage you to be aware when you leave our site and to read the privacy statements of each web site that collects personally identifiable information. This privacy statement applies solely to information collected by AIP.

## Discussion forums

sers who participate in AIP online forums or discussions may have their messages or postings edited for size and/or content. Submissions to such forums explicitly grant such editorial rights to AIP staff who reserve the right to remove inappropriate submissions. By participating in an online forum or discussion, you consent to our use or disclosure of any content you submit.

## Protection of children's personal pnformation

IP sites are general audience sites and do not knowingly collect any personal information from children.

## Notification of changes

If we make material changes to our privacy policy, these changes will be posted to our privacy policy page. You should review this page regularly for updates.