The small print ...

12 Oct 2010

Now I'm not a great one for terms and conditions, but maybe I should be neutral

Has anyone else considered that their personal data including chat logs could be passed to a third party and how do they feel about this? Standard fare or a bit unnerving?
Taken from the site's terms and conditions:
We may collect and process the following data about you:
•Information that you provide to us via the Site which includes information provided at the time of registering to use our Site, subscribing to our service, posting material or requesting further services.
•If you contact us, we may keep a record of that correspondence.
•Details of your visits to our site (including, but not limited to traffic data, location data, chatroom postings and other communication data), whether this is information required for our own billing purposes, provided by our Moderators and Chatroom Ops or otherwise.
Disclosure of your information
We may/would only have the discretion to disclose your personal information to third parties;
•If we are under a duty to disclose or share your personal data in order to comply with any legal obligation, or in order to enforce or apply our terms of use or terms and conditions and other agreements; or to protect the rights, property or safety of Symbios Solutions Limited, our subscribers or others. This includes exchanging information with other companies and organisations including the police and governmental authorities for the purposes of fraud protection or any other kind of illegal activity whether or not identified in the acceptable use policy.
•In the event that we sell or buy any business or assets, in which case we may disclose your personal data to the prospective seller or buyer of such business or asset.
•If Symbios Solutions Limited or substantially all of its assets are acquired by a third party, in which case personal data held by it about its subscribers will be one of the transferred assets.
Wilts

12 Oct 2010

Quote by Wiltshire69
Now I'm not a great one for terms and conditions, but maybe I should be Has anyone else considered that their personal data including chat logs could be passed to a third party and how do they feel about this? Standard fare or a bit unnerving?

Maybe they're just covering their arses by making you aware of potential situations that may arise.
I don't think the T&C are there as a conspiracy to steal your email addresses, just letting you know what they need to do to function properly.
All interactive websites make use of a database, and that database has to be protected by law. Everything from personal profiles to messaging needs to be kept in that database in order for the site to function - it's just the way stuff works. If the site gets sold I'm sure you'd get plenty of notice.

12 Oct 2010

Quote by Plumz
Now I'm not a great one for terms and conditions, but maybe I should be Has anyone else considered that their personal data including chat logs could be passed to a third party and how do they feel about this? Standard fare or a bit unnerving?

Maybe they're just covering their arses by making you aware of potential situations that may arise.
I don't think the T&C are there as a conspiracy to steal your email addresses, just letting you know what they need to do to function properly.
All interactive websites make use of a database, and that database has to be protected by law. Everything from personal profiles to messaging needs to be kept in that database in order for the site to function - it's just the way stuff works. If the site gets sold I'm sure you'd get plenty of notice.
Let's hope it's just arse-covering then (ironic in itself wink

). I wasn't thinking so much about the risk of data being passed on/exposed but more the storing of information, chat, logs etc but then, as you say, if that's just the way stuff works ....
wilts

12 Oct 2010

I am sure you will find that most sites have simialr small print...
And am also sure that one of the powers that be shall be along to say the same. I am sure that I read on a thread before that information regarding chat logs is only kept for a certain time.

12 Oct 2010

Half the value, the inventory if you like, of this site is its members. To sell SH without including the member database would be ludicrous - and probably make it unsellable. The rest is about recording your interactions with the site in situations where both they and you may want that data recorded - ie. in disputes.
On the one hand all your personal data can only be gained, held and distributed to 3rd parties under the rules laid out in the Data Protection Act. Worth checking it out if you are concerned about what is actually allowed. On the other hand, you can't really rely on anything recorded in such a hackable location is the ingternet to be 100% safe. The trick is to monitor things like spam, side-bar ads and such like to see if your SH life is leaking into your vanilla life.
Given the discretion requirements of the swinging life, any site that allowed data to leak, or who sold it, would be cutting their own throats.
You may find data security here is better than most government departments. biggrin

12 Oct 2010

No different from most other organisations really. If anyone's that concerned though, they could always leave.

12 Oct 2010

Quote by Freckledbird
No different from most other organisations really. If anyone's that concerned though, they could always leave.

Freckledbird, thats a bit harsh :lol2:

12 Oct 2010

Foxy has made the valid points needed here.
The Data Protection Act is a powerful piece of legislation, and this site like many others out there have a duty of care with any information you give out.
They cannot give out your information to a third party.....

12 Oct 2010

Quote by Dawnie
No different from most other organisations really. If anyone's that concerned though, they could always leave.

Freckledbird, thats a bit harsh :lol2:
But true smile

12 Oct 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
Foxy has made the valid points needed here.
The Data Protection Act is a powerful piece of legislation, and this site like many others out there have a duty of care with any information you give out.
They cannot give out your information to a third party.....

Wrong again I am afraid. One of the exemptions is the detection of crime. So an enforcing authority can ask for certain pieces of information.
So as long as you are not carrying out a crime then nothing to worry about.
Dave_Notts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by foxylady2209
Half the value, the inventory if you like, of this site is its members. To sell SH without including the member database would be ludicrous - and probably make it unsellable. The rest is about recording your interactions with the site in situations where both they and you may want that data recorded - ie. in disputes.
On the one hand all your personal data can only be gained, held and distributed to 3rd parties under the rules laid out in the Data Protection Act. Worth checking it out if you are concerned about what is actually allowed. On the other hand, you can't really rely on anything recorded in such a hackable location is the ingternet to be 100% safe. The trick is to monitor things like spam, side-bar ads and such like to see if your SH life is leaking into your vanilla life.
Given the discretion requirements of the swinging life, any site that allowed data to leak, or who sold it, would be cutting their own throats.
You may find data security here is better than most government departments.

Thanks Foxy for taking the time to explain all that - what you say makes perfect sense and like most, my fears are simply based on what I don't understand. Oh to be IT savvy ...
wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by minxysub
I am sure you will find that most sites have simialr small print...
And am also sure that one of the powers that be shall be along to say the same. I am sure that I read on a thread before that information regarding chat logs is only kept for a certain time.

Thanks too minxy - sometimes it's not a good thing to dwell on the smaller things in life wink

wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by Freckledbird
No different from most other organisations really. If anyone's that concerned though, they could always leave.

Of course.
wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by Dave__Notts
Foxy has made the valid points needed here.
The Data Protection Act is a powerful piece of legislation, and this site like many others out there have a duty of care with any information you give out.
They cannot give out your information to a third party.....

Wrong again I am afraid. One of the exemptions is the detection of crime. So an enforcing authority can ask for certain pieces of information.
So as long as you are not carrying out a crime then nothing to worry about.
Dave_Notts
Thanks Dave - all interesting stuff. It's nice to feel enlightened - just wish it happened more often biggrin

wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
Foxy has made the valid points needed here.
The Data Protection Act is a powerful piece of legislation, and this site like many others out there have a duty of care with any information you give out.
They cannot give out your information to a third party.....

Thanks too - with Dave's exclusions to what you say, it's all making a lot more sense now and I'm grateful for he explanations and input. Time to move on and look at more productive things on here methinks smile

wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by Dawnie
No different from most other organisations really. If anyone's that concerned though, they could always leave.

Freckledbird, thats a bit harsh :lol2:
Harsh or just rather obvious ?!
wilts

13 Oct 2010

Quote by Wiltshire69
Half the value, the inventory if you like, of this site is its members. To sell SH without including the member database would be ludicrous - and probably make it unsellable. The rest is about recording your interactions with the site in situations where both they and you may want that data recorded - ie. in disputes.
On the one hand all your personal data can only be gained, held and distributed to 3rd parties under the rules laid out in the Data Protection Act. Worth checking it out if you are concerned about what is actually allowed. On the other hand, you can't really rely on anything recorded in such a hackable location is the ingternet to be 100% safe. The trick is to monitor things like spam, side-bar ads and such like to see if your SH life is leaking into your vanilla life.
Given the discretion requirements of the swinging life, any site that allowed data to leak, or who sold it, would be cutting their own throats.
You may find data security here is better than most government departments.

Thanks Foxy for taking the time to explain all that - what you say makes perfect sense and like most, my fears are simply based on what I don't understand. Oh to be IT savvy ...
wilts
I work with people's personal data and we were inflicted with a course on it as a result. :giggle:
And Dave-Notts is right - data can and will be made available if it forms part of a criminal investigation (but not I think civil case without a court order?). And those who obtain that information still have to treat the data they obtain within the legislation. The police often get details of people's bank accounts, phone numbers etc - but even though they might be obtained under the law, they still can't post my account details on their notice-board or tell their Mum my phone numbers.

16 Oct 2010

Quote by Wiltshire69
Now I'm not a great one for terms and conditions, but maybe I should be Has anyone else considered that their personal data including chat logs could be passed to a third party and how do they feel about this? Standard fare or a bit unnerving?
Wilts

Wilts,
As already pointed out by several people, they are only complying with the Law.
By the way it's not just SH that does this, you'd be amazed at what data your ISP (Internet Service Provider) has to retain for possible access by 'law enforcement', government (s), etc. never mind the commercial stuff.
Have a look at http://www.swingingheaven.co.uk/swingers-forum/viewtopic/330284.html to see the issues BT and Sky have both had with the law firm ACS:Law, who use third-party firms to scour the net looking for possible infringements of music and film copyright.
Armed with IP (internet protocol) addresses - which can identify the internet connection used in any copyright infringement. ACS:Law lawyers can then apply for a court order to get the physical address of the PC from the service provider whose network has allegedly been used for the file-sharing.
If you want to know more about data access/retention, etc. then visit , the website of Pinsent Masons, a law firm specialising in it. (No, not connected with them, however some good information and guidance provided free and online)

18 Oct 2010

Most people do not realize that there is confidentiality and privacy is not absolute, which means in any situation there will be times information is released. The collection of information you posted is just fairly standard and it what you would expect on the web site. Regarding the release of information it reads as though it is protective. Meaning that unless there is legal requirement to release your information or the business is sold then your details are not released.

19 Oct 2010

Just to point out that while the T&C's are about right.
One thing that I've not noticed in the thread so far is that third parties are anyone else besides you ( who supposedly agrees to the T&C's ) and the company. Without you agreeing to this clause they wouldn't be able to show your profile to any other member as under contractual law they are a 3rd party and I think you'd agree the site would be half as good without that contact ;-)