Social Psychology Network

Maintained by Scott Plous, Wesleyan University

Social Psychology Network Privacy Policy

Social Psychology Network (SPN) takes your privacy seriously. This page contains a detailed description of the SPN Privacy Policy, and further information is available in the SPN User Policy. From time to time SPN may make changes to these policies. In such cases, we will use reasonable efforts to publish any changes to this privacy statement.

What information does SPN gather?

In order to use certain features of SPN, such as the interactive forums, visitors are asked to provide their email address and other information. The choice of how much personal information you disclose is up to you. It is never mandatory for you to answer any question, although it may limit your ability to use certain features of SPN.

In addition, SPN relies on log analysis, database, and statistical software to collect and analyze information about who has visited the web site and how they have responded to various items and features. This information includes details such as the time of each page view, the country from which pages are being viewed, terms that are searched, and the general domain of visitors' IP addresses (e.g., .edu, .com, .org). SPN uses this information to improve its service.

Does SPN retain my personal information?

SPN retains your personal information as long as you maintain an account or as necessary for legal obligations. Personal information will be masked or removed from SPN's servers when it is no longer needed or a removal request is submitted using the a href="contact.htm">Contact Us form. Visitors with a password-protected account are able at any time to delete their account using the "Delete Account" button located on the Account Settings page.

Does SPN share your personal information with others?

SPN has never shared information about individual visitors with a third party, and there are no plans to do so in the future. The information SPN collects is strictly confidential and is used for in-house purposes only (e.g., to maintain and improve the web site). The sole exception to this rule is that SPN reserves the right to disclose your personal information, without your consent, to government or law enforcement officials when prompted to do so by legal authorities.

Does SPN use cookies?

Yes, SPN occasionally uses "cookies," web beacons, HTML5 local storage, and similar technologies that allow it to monitor usage of the the network, provide personalization, and route visitors to content of potential interest. In some cases, third-party web sites may recognize SPN cookies stored on a visitor's computer in order to provide that visitor with information related to the content of the SPN web site. Visitors have the option to set their browser so that it does not accept cookies, but doing so may mean they're unable to access certain features of SPN.

What is SPN's commitment to data security?

SPN is very committed to data security and uses reasonable efforts to establish secure Internet connections (for example, it uses 128-bit encryption and a secure server when collecting credit card information). SPN also strictly limits access to databases containing personal information, so that only authorized personnel receive access. Since its founding in 1996, SPN has never had a breach in security.

Are there online risks when using SPN?

Whenever you visit a web site or send email, there is a risk that unauthorized third parties (e.g., computer hackers) may capture information from your visit. SPN cannot prevent or take responsibility for these actions. You should not share any information that you wish to keep private.

How can I opt out of email communications from SPN?

If you would like to opt out of email communications from SPN, uncheck "Receive occasional Network notifications" under Account Settings or click on "Unsubscribe" at the bottom of email notifications.

How can I contact SPN if I have further questions or concerns?

If you have any further questions or concerns, please use our Contact Us form. SPN will make an effort to respond promptly and resolve any problem brought to its attention.

Updated June 5, 2018



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