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AANS Privacy Policy

AANS.org Privacy Policy

Last Updated May 2018

The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (“AANS”) respects your privacy and is committed to protecting it at all times. The AANS strongly believes that if electronic commerce and online activities are to flourish, consumers must be assured that information provided online is used responsibly and appropriately. This Privacy Policy explains how the AANS collects, uses and safeguards information on its website. This Privacy Policy applies only to information collected by the AANS through its website. To protect Privacy, the AANS has implemented the following policy.

This policy applies to your use of the www.aans.org website (the “Site”), which is operated by or on behalf of the AANS. This policy does not apply to your use of other websites to which this Site may link. This policy covers only information collected on this Site and does not cover any information collected offline by us.

As our organization, membership and benefits change from time to time, this Privacy Policy is expected to change as well. We reserve the right to amend the Privacy Policy at any time, for any reason. We will post a notice that this Privacy Policy has been amended by revising the "Last updated" date at the top of this page.

Most data the AANS collects is used only to help the AANS better serve its members and the neurosurgical community. It is our policy to collect and store only personal information that our members and visitors knowingly provide.

From General Users. The AANS does not collect personal information from users browsing this Site, except through the registration process, specific feedback forms and when a user purchases our goods or services. Completion of these forms is optional. If you choose not to supply the information on our registration forms, you will be denied access to the registered users areas of our site. Users of the public areas of the Site browse anonymously. Only aggregate data -- such as the number of hits per page -- are collected in the public areas. Aggregate data are only used for internal and marketing purposes and do not provide any personally identifying information.

From AANS Members, Conference Registrants and Customers. While not collected on the Site, the AANS may collect information that includes name, affiliations, business phone and email address provided to the AANS through membership applications, meeting or seminar registrations, publication orders and subscriptions. Additionally, for some emails sent in HTML format by the AANS to its members through its listservers and electronic newsletters, the AANS will monitor whether a recipient subsequently clicks through to links provided in the message. This information is for the exclusive use of the AANS and is used to enhance its products and the distribution of those products to its members.

Personal information may be used for internal AANS purposes by authorized AANS staff. Personal information will not be released to third parties except as noted below:

  • The AANS provides a copy of some of its information regarding members to other not-for-profit educational organizations for use in encouraging participation in Continuing Medical Education (CME) programs. The information the AANS provides to these organizations includes only the name and address of the AANS member.
  • Certain limited information (i.e., name and address of AANS members) may be provided to other organizations whose missions are consistent with the mission of the AANS, in accordance with established procedure. We carefully screen the third-parties to which we share information. If you have concerns regarding third-party organizations to which we may share information, please contact us at: info@aans.org.
  • Members of the public, through the Site's Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon listing, may obtain limited information about practicing AANS members, including name, address, telephone number and URL.
  • Pre-registration lists, including the AANS member's name and address, are available for sale to exhibitors in advance of the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting and prior to some Joint Section Meetings. In addition, certain personal information, including only the AANS member's name, address, telephone and practice focus, is available at the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting to exhibitors through a "lead system" mechanism. After the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting, exhibitors may purchase a list of the names and addresses of the physician attendees at the AANS Annual Scientific Meeting.
  • Third Party service providers may obtain limited personal information in connection with purchases, orders or registration for goods or services through the Site. Our contractual arrangements with such third parties outline the third parties’ use of personal information. The AANS does not permit such third parties to use or share your personal information except as necessary to execute the financial transaction.

At the current time, we are not aware of any other circumstances under which the AANS will provide or sell personal information collected online to third parties.

We track how our Site is used by both anonymous visitors and visitors who interact with the Site, and we may store some information on your computer. One way we track is by using "cookies." A cookie is a small file or string of text on the Site user's computer that is used to aid Web navigation. Two types of cookies are commonly used. A session cookie is created by a website when that website is accessed; that type of cookie is automatically deleted by closing the Web browser. A persistent cookie is a cookie that is stored on the hard drive of the user’s computer for a period of time chosen by the website that sets the cookie, usually for a number of years, unless the user deletes it manually. This policy distinguishes between short-lived cookies and long-lasting cookies. Short-lived cookies include all session cookies and those persistent cookies that are set to be stored for no more than one week. AANS-related websites may at times require users to accept short-lived cookies in order for the websites to function properly. Long-lasting cookies may be used on the site to track visitor practices to help determine which site features and services are most important and guide editorial direction. Other long-lasting cookies may make it possible for the user to access the site without requiring entry of a username or password, allow the user to view different restricted areas of the site without reregistering, allow the user to personalize the site for future use and provide other features and benefits. Users who do not desire the functionality created by the long-lasting cookie should have the option to disable the long-lasting cookie function, either by indicating when asked that they do not wish to have a long-lasting cookie created or by disabling the long-lasting cookie function on their Web browser. Individuals should be able to opt out of long-lasting cookie functions that permit tracking of personal information at any time. Further, you should have the option of setting your browser to reject cookies. However, doing this will hinder performance and negatively impact your experience on our Site.

Cookies are required for the Members-Only and e-commerce sections of the Site. Cookies are essential for site administration and security.

Another way we track site activity is by using transparent electronic images called "clear GIFs," "Web bugs" or "Web beacons" on this Site’s Web pages. These images count the number of users who visit that page from specific banner ads outside www.aans.org or through email links. A similar image, sometimes called a "spotlight tag," is used on this site’s Web pages where transactions take place. The spotlight tag collects numeric information, such as the dollar amount of an online purchase, to help us understand usage of the site. We do not use any of these electronic images to collect personally identifiable information.

The AANS retains personal information regarding members indefinitely and personal customer data for at least five years as dictated by business and legal requirements.

Credit card information provided to the AANS, such as credit card numbers, will be used only for billing purposes, to fill orders, to provide services and for meeting(s) registration(s).

For publication orders and for annual meeting(s) registration(s), this may involve providing your credit card number to our designated business partners. The AANS and its designated partners will only use your credit card number to process transactions you request.

When members and customers choose to pay using their credit cards, the AANS submits the information needed to obtain payment to the appropriate clearinghouse. Credit card information provided to the AANS will never be sold or shared with any other party, except as noted above. Neither the AANS, nor its designated partners and agents, disclose credit card account information provided by its members and customers to outside parties.

By purchasing products or services or registering for events that requires the disclosure of your financial information on the Site, you consent to our providing your financial information to our service providers and to such third parties as we determine is necessary to process your transactions.

Users will find content on this Site that link to the sites of organizations who have resources for the purposes of education and information in connection with the AANS. We do not control the contents or links that appear on these sites. In addition, these sites or services, including their contents and links, may be constantly changing. These sites and services may have their own privacy policies and customer service policies, or no policy (policies) at all. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third party sites or services before providing any of them with your personal information.

From time to time, this Site requests information from users by way of surveys. Participation in these surveys is completely voluntary, and the user has a choice whether or not to disclose information. Information requested may include contact information and demographic information. Survey information may be used for purposes of monitoring or improving the use and satisfaction level associated with the site, with membership services, or with issues affecting the neurosurgery community.

This Site and the information it contains are provided as a service by the AANS. This system is monitored to ensure proper operation, to verify the functioning of applicable security features, and for comparable purposes. Anyone using this system expressly consents to such monitoring. Unauthorized attempts to modify any information stored on this system, to defeat or circumvent security features, or to utilize this system for other than its intended purposes are prohibited and may result in criminal prosecution.

No website is 100 percent secure. You can usually tell whether encryption is being used by noting the “locked” or other status indicator on the browser you are using. If the browser you are using does not indicate that the session is secure (e.g., by displaying a lock, a key or similar icon), you should assume that the connection is not secure and that third parties will receive the information shared by you and us during that part of the session.

Subject to the Data Subject Rights section below with respect to data subjects to which the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation (the “GDPR”) applies, if you are visiting the Site from outside of the U.S., your connection may be through and to servers located in the U.S., your registration, entries, order or other use of the Site may be fully processed in and from the U.S., and all information you provide may be processed and maintained in our servers and internal system located within the U.S. By using the Site, you authorize the export of personal information to the U.S. and its storage and use as specified herein when you provide such information to us.

THE AANS MAKES NO CLAIMS, PROMISES OR GUARANTEES ABOUT THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS OR ADEQUACY OF THE CONTENTS OF ITS SITE, AND EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS LIABILITY FOR ERRORS AND OMISSIONS IN THE CONTENTS OF THIS SITE. NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, IMPLIED, EXPRESSED OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE WARRANTIES OF NON-INFRINGEMENT, TITLE, MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE AND FREEDOM FROM COMPUTER VIRUS, IS GIVEN WITH RESPECT TO THE CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE OR ITS HYPERLINKS TO OTHER INTERNET RESOURCES. REFERENCE IN THIS WEBSITE TO ANY SPECIFIC COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS, PROCESSES OR SERVICES, OR THE USE OF ANY TRADE, FIRM OR CORPORATION NAME IS FOR THE INFORMATION AND CONVENIENCE OF THE PUBLIC AND DOES NOT CONSTITUTE ENDORSEMENT OR RECOMMENDATION BY THE AANS.

Subject to the Data Subject Rights section below with respect to data subjects to which the GDPR applies, members may opt out of inclusion of online and members-only directories, email communications and direct mail by updating their “Census” information through www.myaans.aans.org. You may also opt out of email communications using the instructions included in emails you receive from us. You will still continue to receive emails relevant to course registrations or purchases (e.g. registration confirmations or purchase receipts) or necessary to your continued membership in the AANS (e.g. dues notices).

Subject to the Data Subject Rights section below with respect to data subjects to which the GDPR applies, the AANS encourages members to update and correct their personal information regularly online. A review and update section is included on the AANS Site and can be reached via “Census” included at www.myaans.aans.org.

The GDPR and other countries’ privacy laws provide certain rights for data subjects. A good explanation of them (in English) is available on the website of the United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner’s Office.

As noted above, this Privacy Policy is intended to provide you with information about what personal data the AANS collects about you and how it is used. If you have any questions, please contact us at info@aans.org. If you wish to confirm that the AANS is processing your personal data, or to have access to the personal data the AANS may have about you, please contact us at info@aans.org.

You may also request information about: the purpose of the processing; the categories of personal data concerned; who else outside the AANS might have received the data from the AANS; what the source of the information was (if you didn’t provide it directly to the AANS); and how long it will be stored. You have a right to correct (rectify) the record of your personal data maintained by the AANS if it is inaccurate. You may request that the AANS erase that data or cease processing it, subject to certain exceptions. You may also request that the AANS cease using your data for direct marketing purposes. In many countries, you have a right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority if you have concerns about how the AANS processes your personal data. When technically feasible, the AANS will—at your request—provide your personal data to you or transmit it directly to another controller.

Reasonable access to your personal data will be provided at no cost to AANS’s customers and others upon request made to the AANS at info@aans.org. If access cannot be provided within a reasonable time frame, the AANS will provide you with a date when the information will be provided. If for some reason access is denied, the AANS will provide an explanation as to why access has been denied

If you have any questions or concerns about this Online Privacy Statement, you can contact us at info@aans.org. You can also send us mail at:

Privacy Officer
American Association of Neurological Surgeons
5550 Meadowbrook Dr.
Rolling Meadows, IL 60008

THESE LEGAL NOTICES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE