The South Carolina Aquarium (the “Aquarium”) is committed to respecting the privacy rights of its customers, guests, and other users of the Aquarium website (the “Site”). For purposes of this Privacy Policy, “Site” shall include all Aquarium mobile applications. We created this Privacy Policy (the “Policy”) to give you confidence as you visit and use the Site and to demonstrate our commitment to fair information practices and the protection of privacy. This Policy is only applicable to the Site and not to any other websites that you may be able to access from the Site, each of which may have data collection and use practices and policies that differ materially from this Policy. The Aquarium is not responsible for the privacy policies, if any, of such other websites.
Children’s Online Privacy Act Compliance
At the Aquarium, we are especially concerned with protecting the privacy of children who visit the Site. We fully support and are in compliance with the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act, (COPPA). Please note the following:
If we collect personal information from children, it is only to be able to furnish information regarding participation in programs such as the Structured School Program.
We do not ask children for other information, and we never share the information we collect with anyone outside of the Aquarium.
If you or your child is under age 13, the consent of the child’s parent or legal guardian is required before we collect or use any personal information.
At any time, a child’s parent may review the child’s personal information, ask us to delete it and refuse to allow any further collection or use of information from the child.
If you have questions, you can reach us via e-mail: [email protected].
What Information Do We Collect
In operating the Site, the Aquarium may include registration, online surveys and other online forms that ask users to provide their names, e-mail addresses, mailing addresses and other contact information, as well as additional personal and financial information.
How Do We Use Your Information
Automatic Collection. The Site automatically recognizes visitors’ domain names and IP addresses (the number assigned to computers on the internet). No personal information about you is revealed in this process. The Site may also gather anonymous “traffic data” that does not personally identify you for marketing purposes or for improving the services we offer. Like most major sites, we collect and analyze such information to help us improve the Site for our visitors. This helps us determine which pages you visit, how long you stay and the site you visited immediately beforehand. Your IP address is used to help identify your computer and your shopping cart and to gather broad demographic information.
Personal Information Collected. In order for you to access certain services and information, make donations, and to purchase tickets, memberships or other items that we offer via the Site, we require you to provide us with certain information that personally identifies you (“Personal Information”). Personal Information includes the following categories of information:
Contact Data (such as your name, mailing address and e-mail address);
Financial Data (such as your bank account or credit card number); and
Demographic Data (such as your zip code, age and income). If you communicate with us by e-mail, text message or other electronic means, or by accessing the Site through a third-party site or service, any information provided in such communication may be collected as Personal Information. In addition, if you post messages to any of our blogs, or otherwise complete online forms, surveys or contest entries, any information provided in such communication may be collected as Personal Information.
Comments. We provide forms and links in places throughout the Site for you to send comments and ideas, to ask for more information and to report problems you may experience on the Site. Even if you e-mail us through one of our response forms on the Site, we cannot determine your e-mail address unless you include it in your response. With your permission, we may wish to post your comments on the Site. If we identify you, it will be by your first name, initials, or display name only, unless you specifically authorize otherwise.
Reservations, Purchases and Donations. If you make reservations, make donations to the Aquarium, or purchase tickets, memberships or other items on the Site, you will be asked to provide personal and financial information so that we may process your transaction. Also, we use “cookies” stored on your computer to keep track of your shopping cart as you move through the store.
Suggestions. We welcome your e-mail messages and suggestions for improving the Site. We will use any personal information you send us only to respond to your message. Please note that any suggestions or ideas you submit to us will become the property of the Aquarium and can be used by us for any purpose.
Surveys. If you choose to participate in one of the surveys on the Site, we may ask you for certain demographic and other Personal Information. We do not share this information with others.
Interactive Programs. This Site will contain interactive programs in which you can participate. Any information that you provide will be stored in our system and not shared with others.
How Do We Protect Your Information
We implement a variety of security measures to maintain the safety of your personal information when you place an order or enter, submit, or access your personal information.
We offer the use of a secure server. All supplied sensitive/credit information is transmitted via Secure Socket Layer (SSL) technology and then encrypted into our Payment gateway providers database only to be accessible by those authorized with special access rights to such systems, and are required to keep the information confidential.
After a transaction, your private information (credit cards, social security numbers, financials, etc.) will not be kept on file for more than 60 days.
Do We Use Cookies
Yes, cookies are small files that a site or its service provider transfers to your computer’s hard drive through your Web browser (if you allow) which enables the sites or service provider’s systems to recognize your browser and capture and remember certain information.
We use cookies to help us remember and process the items in your shopping cart, understand and save your preferences for future visits and compile aggregate data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future. We may contract with third-party service providers to assist us in better understanding our site visitors. These service providers are not permitted to use the information collected on our behalf except to help us conduct and improve our business.
If you prefer, you can choose to have your computer warn you each time a cookie is being sent, or you can choose to turn off all cookies via your browser settings. Like most websites, if you turn your cookies off, some of our services may not function properly. However, you can still place orders over the telephone or by contacting customer service.
Do We Disclose Any Information To Outside Parties
We do not sell, trade, or otherwise transfer to outside parties your personally identifiable information. This does not include trusted third parties who assist us in operating our website, conducting our business, or servicing you, so long as those parties agree to keep this information confidential. We may also release your information when we believe release is appropriate to comply with the law, enforce our site policies, or protect ours or others rights, property, or safety. However, non-personally identifiable visitor information may be provided to other parties for marketing, advertising, or other uses.
Third-Party Links
The Site may contain links to other websites, and you may access the Site via another website or service. We are not responsible for the privacy policies, practices or content of other websites, even if linked to the Aquarium’s.
Online Privacy Policy Only
This online privacy policy applies only to information collected through our website and not to information collected offline. By using our site, you consent to our online privacy policy.
Terms and Conditions
Any commercial use of the materials on this site is strictly prohibited. You may not sell, assign, sublicense or otherwise transfer these materials, copy them for other than classroom or personal use, publish them for personal gain, or remove any copyright or trademark notice, without the express written permission of the Aquarium.
All materials on this site are made available to you as-is. The Aquarium makes no warranty, express or implied, as to these materials, their title, accuracy, non-infringement of third party rights, merchantability, or fitness for any particular purpose, or the performance or results you may obtain from their use.
Under no circumstances shall the Aquarium be liable for any direct, incidental, special, consequential, indirect, or punitive damages that result from the use of, or the inability to use, the materials in this site. If you are dissatisfied with any materials in this site or these terms and conditions, your sole and exclusive remedy is to discontinue using or visiting this site.
Updates and Changes
We reserve the right, at any time, to revise this Policy simply by posting a revised Policy and without any notice to you. Any such revision will be effective immediately upon posting on the Site. It is your responsibility to review this Policy from time to time to ensure that you continue to agree with all of its terms.
Contacting Us
If you have any questions about this Policy or our practices related to the Site, or if you would like to manage information in your online account or otherwise related to our Site, please contact us via e-mail [email protected].
You may also contact us via mail:
Webmaster
South Carolina Aquarium
100 Aquarium Wharf
Charleston, South Carolina 29401
Copyright and Trademarks
The South Carolina Aquarium logo is a trademark of the Aquarium, and may not be used for any purpose without the express written permission of the Aquarium. This site and all materials on it are protected under United States copyright laws, which give creators of original works of authorship the exclusive right to use their works for a limited period of time. With certain exceptions, copyrighted materials may not be used or copied without the permission of the copyright holder. This agreement describes the uses which you are permitted to make of the materials on this site.