Terms & Conditions

Disclaimer
This site is provided by the Society for Environmental Communication (SEC) on an "as is" basis. SEC makes no representations or warranties of any kind express or implied, as to the operation of the site or the information, content, materials, or products or delivery periods included on this site. To the full extent permissible by applicable law, SEC disclaims all warranties, express or implied, including, but not limited to, implied warranties of merchantability, delivery periods and fitness for a particular purpose. SEC will not be liable for any damages of any kind arising from the use of this site, including, but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, punitive, and consequential damages.

Privacy Policy
SEC, as the producer and administrator of Down To Earth (DTE) Online, has adopted a set of information management guidelines that serve as the basis for our customer relationships. These guidelines have been developed with the recognition that Internet technologies are rapidly evolving, and that underlying business models are still not established. Accordingly, guidelines are subject to change. Any such changes will be posted on this page. If the changes represent a material departure from our current practices with respect to the use of personal information, the changes will be posted on this page thirty days prior to taking effect and registered users will be notified via e-mail.

Information Gathered and Tracked
Free Services: We track e-mail addresses of those users who wish to receive certain free services from our website, including but not limited to newsletters, e-mail lists, and discussions.

Registration: During the registration process we collect certain demographic information (address, age, occupation) as well as an e-mail address, name and a unique password supplied by the user. We have clearly marked which information is optional and which is mandatory.

Payment: Our site uses a secure online payment gateway to process online payments via credit card. Online transactions occur on ICICI server, our online payment partner, and not on the SEC server. SEC maintains no record of the credit card information or the order process aside from the order tracking number.

Cookies: We employ cookies to recognize users and user access privileges for Down To Earth Online and to track site usage.

IP Addresses: We also log IP addresses, or the location of the user's computer on the Internet, for systems administration and troubleshooting purposes. We however, do not use IP address logs to track session or visitor behavior on our site.

Use of Information Gathered and Tracked
We perform statistical analyses of user behavior in order to measure interest in the various areas of our site and various articles for future content development purposes. However, we do not disclose such information to other parties, or to our advertisers. Personal information about users as individual subscribers will not be provided to any third party without their consent.

E-Mail: Using the e-mail addresses provided at registration, we construct mailing lists used for regular newsletters and occasional promotional e-mails. We may contact users regarding account status, changes to the subscriber agreement, and to confirm registration via e-mail. The "E-mail this Article" feature is an easy way for DTE Online readers to share articles via e-mail. The e-mail addresses that users supply to use this service will not be used for any other purpose without their consent. Society for Environmental Communication does not send unsolicited e-mails.

Addresses: Addresses provided by registered users may occasionally be used for sending promotional materials regarding CSE activities. We maintain active links with many NGOs in India and abroad who are working towards common goals. In some cases contact information may be provided on a one-time usage basis to other organisations.

Data Security: To prevent unauthorized access, maintain data accuracy, and ensure the appropriate use of information, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic, and managerial procedures to protect the information we collect online.

Forums: We offer discussion forums, or message boards. Any information disclosed when posting a message in these forums becomes public. For more information about forums see the Posting Policy.

Compliance with Legal Process: We may disclose personal information if we are required to do so by law or we in good faith believe that such action is necessary to (1) comply with the law or with legal process; (2) protect and defend our rights and property; (3) protect against misuse or unauthorized use of Down To Earth online; or (4) protect the personal safety or property of our users or the public (among other things, this means that if you provide false information or attempt to pose as someone else, information about you may be disclosed as part of any investigation into your actions).

Opting-Out, Corrections and Cancellations
Upon request, we will a) Remove user information from our database thereby canceling that user's registration; b) Correct personal information that a user states is erroneous; or c) Permit a user to "opt out" of further e-mail contact (excepting notification of major changes to the service or privacy policies) while still allowing access to the site. To request a correction or cancellation, visit the Personalize page.

Reservation
Society for Environmental Communication reserves the right to change our policy at any time in order to address new issues and reflect changes on our site. By using these services after we post changes, you indicate your acceptance to those changes.