Terms of use

Definition of Terms

Here is what the key terms in this document mean, in alphabetical order:

• content means all original or licensed text, blog posts, discussion contributions, information, audio, video, graphics or images on the site

• contributors means anyone apart from the site developers who sends in, material to be used on the site

• cookies are text files used to help recognise site users

• Directory means the freeasabird website’s listing of organisations and projects working in areas of resettlement

• external site means any other website apart from this one

• Information and Communications officer means staff member in charge of implementing MFD data protection policy

• libel is a legal term that means the written transmission of defamatory statements when published

• MFD, we, us, our, company, site owner means Media For Development, the organisation which runs this website and the freeasabird project

• Network means the private discussion area for women ex-offenders only

• Site means the website www.freeasabird.org.uk

• user, you, your means anyone who accesses the website www.freeasabird.org.uk

General

“Freeasabird” at www.freeasabird.org.uk is a Media For Development project. All users must read the Terms and Conditions before accessing and using information on www.freeasabird.org.uk.

Freeasabird is a website which is accessible to the general public, except the network, which is private and for UK women offenders and ex-offenders of 18 years or older only.

Members of the general public can still register as a supporter.

Maintaining a safe experience for visitors to freeasabird(the "site") is very important to us. Any unintended usage of the site is strictly prohibited. Any and all content submitted by registered users will be subject to review and approval by freeasabird staff and/or voluntary moderators. Any submission deemed inconsistent with the goals and objectives of the site will not be posted and the user will be notified. The freeasabird team reserves the right to terminate any registered user account at its discretion. The freeasabird team reserves the right to modify or discontinue, temporarily or permanently, the site for any reason, at its sole discretion, with or without notice to you.

Site owners

Media For Development aims to run this website responsibly and with courtesy and encourages site users to respect other users and contributors.

Site use

By using this site, you agree to be bound by the site terms and conditions set out in this document. You agree to use this website only for lawful purposes. If you do not accept these please do not use the site.

This site is for informational purposes only and is intended as an addition to, not a replacement of professional advice and information services. You are encouraged to seek advice from professional services and qualified professionals.

Legal and policy information on this site is only relevant to the United Kingdom.
We cannot guarantee that all content is appropriate for children. We recommend that parents supervise children using this site. Only users who are 18 or older are eligible to register and use the network.

Copyright

Using this site via a web browser or similar software package means you have copied it (downloaded its contents into your computer) and should therefore be aware of legal sanctions against copyright infringement as set out in the Copyright, Designs & Patent Act (1998) and related legislation.

MFD holds the copyright for all content on the site unless otherwise indicated.

Users are not allowed to copy or repost content from this website without the prior written consent of Media For Development. 

Permission to republish non-MFD copyrighted content must be sought from the copyright holder(s) concerned.

User content, user profiles, blog posts and discussions within the network may contain confidential information and cannot be copied or printed out.

For all other uses, except for material for which MFD does not hold the copyright, please e-mail info@freeasabird.org.uk including your daytime phone number.

User Content Posted on the Site

If you post a comment or other content to the freeasabird website, it will not be connected with your full name or identifying information. To further ensure a positive experience for members of the freeasabird network, we may review all comments that are submitted and we may not post a comment if we think it may be harmful or distasteful to our users.

As a user of www.freeasabird.org.uk you and nobody else is responsible for the texts, photos, profiles, messages, information, video, listings, and other content that you upload, publish or display (hereinafter, "post") on or through the freeasabird website.

You may not post, transmit, or share User Content on the Site that you did not create or that you do not have permission to post. You understand and agree that the Company may, but is not obligated to, review the Site and may delete or remove (without notice) any Site Content or User Content in its sole discretion, for any reason or no reason, including without limitation User Content that in the sole judgment of the Company violates this Agreement, or which might be offensive, illegal, or that might violate the rights, harm, or threaten the safety of users or others.

You are responsible yourself to create backup copies of User Content you post or store on the Site or provide to the Company. You will have to do so at your own cost and expense.

When you post User Content to the Site, you authorize and direct us to make such copies thereof as we deem necessary in order to facilitate the posting and storage of the User Content on the Site. By posting User Content to any part of the Site, you automatically grant, and you represent and warrant that you have the right to grant, to the Company an irrevocable, perpetual, non-exclusive, transferable, fully paid, worldwide license (with the right to sublicense) to use, copy, publicly perform, publicly display, reformat, translate, excerpt (in whole or in part) and distribute such User Content for any purpose on or in connection with the Site or the promotion thereof, to prepare derivative works of, or incorporate into other works, such User Content, and to grant and authorize sublicenses of the foregoing. You may remove your User Content from the Site at any time. If you choose to remove your User Content, the license granted above will automatically expire, however you acknowledge that the Company may retain archived copies of your User Content.

Acknowledgements

MFD would like to thank all those who contributed to or helped to produce this site. Please see our Credits listings for details. If you believe that your work has not been credited or has been attributed incorrectly then email the web editor info@freeasabird.org.uk . Please note that it may not always be possible for us to rectify mistakes and omissions straight away.

Data Processing Purposes

If you choose to become a registered freeasabird user, either as a network user or as a supporter, information we request may include your name, contact details, where you’re from, etc . Required information is indicated by an asterisk (*). Providing any other information is optional.

Data processing means obtaining, recording, holding or storing information and carrying out any operations on personal data, including adaptation, alteration, use, disclosure, transfer, erasure or destruction.

MFD allocates data into one or more of the following four online profiles (levels of accessibility) as appropriate during processing:

1 Non-web profile
• accessible only by the Freeasabird team
• any data you have not given consent for publishing on the website
• private contact details for post, e-mail, phone or fax communications
• password-protected online records on web server/MFD office network
• other MFD files used for administration and research

2 Website personal profile
• accessible only by you on the website using correct password
• Site registration details

3 Website public profile
• accessible by any user of the website with access to the network
• public postal, e-mail, phone, fax details and cleared content for groups

4 Directory Entry

·         accessible by any user of freeasabird’s public directory

·         public postal, e-mail, phone and fax details

·         information on the organisation, their practice and remit

Sensitive data

We will not sell or rent your personally identifiable information to anyone.
Under the terms of the Data Protection Act (1998) we will take special care with sensitive personal information and obtain your permission before we pass it on.
This includes data regarding:

• mental or physical health

• ethnic or racial origins

• political beliefs

• religious or similar beliefs

• trade union membership

• sexual life

• commission or alleged commission of any offence

• proceedings for offences or alleged offences

All photos on the site are treated as sensitive personal data whenever a person can be clearly identified. It is our policy to seek explicit ‘permission to publish’ from any individual likely to be clearly identifiable in any image on the site.

We may send personally identifiable information about you to other people or agencies if we find that your actions on the site violate Site Terms and Conditions (by which all users agree to be bound), or English law.

Cross-border data

By entering and submitting your details via online forms for publication on our website you agree to MFD transferring and storing your personal data outside the European Economic Area.

The European Economic Area consists of the fifteen member states of the European Union (Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, The Netherlands, Portugal, Spain, Sweden and the United Kingdom) plus Iceland, Lichtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland.

Data Protection Enquiries

You have the right to request the viewing, reviewing, change or removal of your personal data from the website by contacting:

See also the website of the Information Commissioner, a UK independent supervisory authority, for further information on data protection principles and your rights as a Data Subject.

Cookies

Some sites use persistent cookies that sit on a user’s hard disk drive after a user has left the site and which track repeat visits and other data.

This site uses only temporary cookies, which are active every time you visit and disappear when you leave.

You can choose to enable or disable cookies using your web browser. Each browser has a different way of setting this, depending on which type and version you have eg Firefox, Explorer, Netscape or AOL.

First, find out which browser version you are running by using a website which offers a free online browser checker, such as this one from web security company Secunia.

As soon as you click on the browser checker link the site will automatically detect which browser you are currently using. This site also displays information on any plug-ins you may have in your system e.g. Adobe Acrobat, Adobe Flash or Apple Quicktime.

Second, enable or disable cookies according to which browser version you are running using keyboard command sequences as listed on sites like this: http://www.aboutcookies.org

Site logs

Our web servers maintain site logs which include the IP information (unique identification number) of all computers downloading our pages. We only use these logs to determine the number of machines using our site and to safeguard against possible abuse of the site. We will not identify users themselves in this way, unless the Terms of Use have been violated.

Site security

As the internet is not a secure medium of communication, MFD cannot guarantee the secure transmission of any information you upload via online forms. Do not post sensitive data anywhere on the site.

Disclaimer
Limited Liability

All legal matters relating to this site shall be dealt with under the laws of England and Wales.

MFD cannot guarantee the content or technical fitness of this website, which users use at their own risk.

Media For Development is not responsible or liable in any manner for any User Content or Third Party Applications, Software or Content posted on the Site or in connection with the Service, whether posted or caused by users of the Site, by Media For Development, by third parties or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized in the Site or the Service. Although we provide rules for user conduct and postings, we do not control and are not responsible for what users post, transmit or share on the Site and are not responsible for any offensive, inappropriate, obscene, unlawful or otherwise objectionable content you may encounter on the Site or in connection with any User Content or Third Party Applications, Software or Content. The Company is not responsible for the conduct, whether online or offline, of any user of the Site or Service.

The Site and the Service may be temporarily unavailable from time to time for maintenance or other reasons. Media For Development assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, User communications. The Company is not responsible for any technical malfunction or other problems of any telephone network or service, computer systems, servers or providers, computer or mobile phone equipment, software, failure of email or players on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Site or combination thereof, including injury or damage to User's or to any other person's computer, mobile phone, or other hardware or software, related to or resulting from using or downloading materials in connection with the Web and/or in connection with the Service. Under no circumstances will the Company be responsible for any loss or damage, including any loss or damage to any User Content or personal injury or death, resulting from anyone's use of the Site or the Service, any User Content or Third Party Applications, Software or Content posted on or through the Site or the Service or transmitted to Users, or any interactions between users of the Site, whether online or offline.

Links

Some links on this site go to external websites, over which MFD has no jurisdiction or affiliation. Links imply neither endorsement nor a lack of endorsement.

Please feel free to link to the Freeasabird website, but please check your links regularly to avoid broken links in the event of site updates. MFD reserves the right to request the removal of any link.

Endorsement

Several areas of the site may express the views of external individuals or organisations. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of MFD.

Site users contact groups and individuals featured on this site at their own risk as their inclusion on the site does not imply endorsement by MFD.

Site changes

MFD shall have the right at any time to change, modify or discontinue any aspect or feature of this website, including, but not limited to, content, hours of availability, equipment necessary for access or use.

MFD reserves the right to change Site Terms & Conditions and all other policy documents at any time by posting changes online. As a user of this site you agree to regularly review information posted online.

Policy changes

This first version of the Site Terms & Conditions was written in October 2009.