Website Visitors
Like most website operators, the Duke University Center for International Studies (DUCIS) collects non-personally-identifying information of the sort that web browsers and servers typically make available, such as the browser type, language preference, referring site, and the date and time of each visitor request. DUCIS‘ purpose in collecting non-personally identifying information is to better understand how DUCIS‘ visitors use its website. From time to time, DUCIS may release non-personally-identifying information in the aggregate, e.g., by publishing a report on trends in the usage of its website.
DUCIS also collects potentially personally-identifying information like Internet Protocol (IP) addresses. DUCIS does not use such information to identify its visitors, however, and does not disclose such information, other than under the same circumstances that it uses and discloses personally-identifying information, as described below.
Gathering of Personally-Identifying Information
Certain visitors to DUCIS‘ website choose to interact with DUCIS in ways that require DUCIS to gather personally-identifying information. The amount and type of information that DUCIS gathers depends on the nature of the interaction. For example, we ask visitors who use our forums to provide a username and email address. In each case, DUCIS collects such information only insofar as is necessary or appropriate to fulfill the purpose of the visitor’s interaction with DUCIS. DUCIS does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below. And visitors can always refuse to supply personally-identifying information, with the caveat that it may prevent them from engaging in certain website-related activities.
Aggregated Statistics
DUCIS may collect statistics about the behavior of visitors to its website. For instance, DUCIS may reveal how many times a file was downloaded, or say which pages are most popular. However, DUCIS does not disclose personally-identifying information other than as described below.
Protection of Certain Personally-Identifying Information
DUCIS discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only to those of its employees, contractors, and affiliated organizations that (i) need to know that information in order to process it on DUCIS‘ behalf or to provide services available at DUCIS‘ website, and (ii) that have agreed not to disclose it to others. Some of those employees, contractors and affiliated organizations may be located outside of your home country; by using the DUCIS website, you consent to the transfer of such information to them. DUCIS will not rent or sell potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information to anyone. Other than to its employees, contractors, and affiliated organizations, as described above, the Duke University Center for International Studies discloses potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information only when required to do so by law, or when DUCIS believes in good faith that disclosure is reasonably necessary to protect the property or rights of the Duke University Center for International Studies, Duke University, third parties, or the public at large. If you are a registered user of the DUCIS website and have supplied your email address, DUCIS may occasionally send you an email to tell you about new features, solicit your feedback, or just keep you up to date with what’s going on with DUCIS and our programs. We primarily use our blog to communicate this type of information, so we expect to keep this type of email to a minimum. If you send us a request (for example via one of our feedback mechanisms), we reserve the right to publish it in order to help us clarify or respond to your request or to help us support other users. The Duke University Center for International Studies takes all measures reasonably necessary to protect against the unauthorized access, use, alteration, or destruction of potentially personally-identifying and personally-identifying information.
Cookies
A cookie is a string of information that a website stores on a visitor’s computer, and that the visitor’s browser provides to the website each time the visitor returns. DUCIS uses cookies to help DUCIS identify and track visitors, their usage of the Duke University Center for International Studies website, and their website access preferences. DUCIS visitors who do not wish to have cookies placed on their computers should set their browsers to refuse cookies before using DUCIS’s website, with the drawback that certain features of DUCIS‘ website(s) may not function properly without the aid of cookies.
Privacy Policy Changes
Although most changes are likely to be minor, the Duke University Center for International Studies may change its Privacy Policy from time to time, and in DUCIS‘ sole discretion. DUCIS encourages visitors to frequently check this page for any changes to its Privacy Policy. Your continued use of this site after any change in this Privacy Policy will constitute your acceptance of such change.
