Privacy Policy

Website Privacy Policy

The Royal British Columbia Museum Corporation (the “Royal BC Museum”) is committed to protecting the privacy of the users of this website (the “Site”) in accordance with British Columbia’s Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act, the Museum Act, and other applicable legislation.  This Privacy Policy (“Policy”) describes the information that the Royal BC Museum collects from or about users of the Site, how it is used and protected, and to whom it is disclosed.

From time to time, the Royal BC Museum may update its policies and procedures, including this one.  Users should review this Policy each time that they visit the Site.

Personal Information

“Personal information” means recorded information about an identifiable individual, including home or personal email address, birthdate, and credit card information.  Personal information does not include contact information which enables an individual at a place of business to be contacted, such as the individual’s name, position name, title, business telephone number, business email or business fax number.

Collection and Retention of Information

The Royal BC Museum only collects personal information when it is voluntarily submitted by users of the Site.  Users may choose not to provide certain personal information when it is requested, although that may impair the ability of the user to use the Site and/or of the Royal BC Museum to address a user’s needs or requests.

Users may visit the Site without telling the Royal BC Museum who they are, or revealing any information about themselves.  However, like many organizations’ websites, our web server automatically collects certain non-identifying information related to the user’s visit to the Site, including the Internet Protocol (IP) address of the user’s computer, the IP address of the user’s Internet Service Provider, the type and version of the browser that the user is using, the date and time the user accessed the Site, the Internet address of the website from which the user linked directly to our Site, the operating system that the user is using, and the pages of the Site that the user has visited.  The Royal BC Museum makes no attempt to link this information with the identity of individuals visiting the Site.  It may, however, review server logs and anonymous traffic statistics for security purposes, for example to detect intrusions into its network, and to monitor the aggregate viewership of the pages.  The possibility therefore exists that server log data, which contains users’ IP addresses, could in instances of criminal malfeasance be used to trace and identify individuals.  In such instances, raw data logs would be shared with appropriate investigative bodies authorized to investigate such security breaches.

The Royal BC Museum retains information in accordance with its various records retention schedules, and will generally retain personal information for only as long as necessary to fulfil the purpose(s) for which it was collected.  However, personal information that is used by or on behalf of the Royal BC Museum to make a decision that directly affects an individual user will be retained for at least one year after it is used, so that the user has a reasonable opportunity to obtain access to his or her personal information.  When destroying personal information, the Royal BC Museum deletes electronically stored personal information and shreds any tangible materials containing personal information.  While the Royal BC Museum will endeavour to destroy all copies of personal information, deleted information may continue to exist on back-up media although it will not be used unless permitted by law.

Purpose – Why Information is Collected, Used and Disclosed

Personal information that the Royal BC Museum collects is used and disclosed only for the purpose for which it was collected, or for a use consistent for that purpose, unless the user consents to another purpose or if another purpose is authorized under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other applicable law.  Purposes for which the Royal BC Museum may collect and use personal information include:

• to provide the user with information and promotional materials regarding the Royal BC Museum;
• to establish, maintain and manage relations with a user relating to the Royal BC Museum’s programs, activities and services;
• to process commercial transactions – such as ticket or merchandise purchases – with a user;
• to plan and evaluate the Royal BC Museum’s programs and activities;
• to operate and administer the Site, and the Royal BC Museum’s other services;
• to obtain feedback regarding the Site and the Royal BC Museum’s programs and services;
• to create a record of the user’s involvement with the Royal BC Museum;
• to protect the Royal BC Museum against error, fraud, theft or damage to its assets;
• to comply with any legal requirements, including reporting requirements, and for law enforcement purposes;
• any other reasonable purpose to which the user provides consent. If the Royal BC Museum transfers any personal information to a third party subcontractor for processing, it will use appropriate contractual or other means to ensure compliance with this Policy and all applicable legislation.

Contests and Surveys

The Royal BC Museum may from time to time run contests or collect information from users using online surveys.  Participation in contests and surveys is entirely voluntary, and users can choose what, if any, information they wish to disclose.  The specific information requested and how it will be used will vary, and will be communicated to users prior to or at the time that the information is requested.

Cookies and Web Beacons

The Royal BC Museum may use cookies, or similar technologies to enhance the efficiency, convenience, and use of the Site.  When a user visits the Site, the Royal BC Museum may place a cookie on the hard drive of the user’s computer to allow us to track and analyze the user’s use of the Site, and to enable the use of certain content management systems.  “Cookies” are a technology that installs small data files on a website user’s computer to permit the web server to differentiate users, and to pass information from page to page during a single user’s website session.  Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but if a user does not wish to have cookies on the user’s system, the user can adjust browser settings to decline them or to alert the user when cookies are being sent.  If a user declines cookies the user will still be able to use the Site, but that user’s ability to access certain features of the Site may be affected.

Links to other Websites

The Site may contain optional links to third party Internet sites and services that may collect data from users or their computers.  The use of such websites is at the user’s own risk, and the Royal BC Museum cannot assume responsibility for the privacy practices, policies or actions of the third parties who operate those websites.  This Policy applies only to the Royal BC Museum Site, and all users are advised to read the privacy policies contained on each Internet site that they visit.

Feedback

Comments or other feedback provided by a user to the Royal BC Museum become the property of the Royal BC Museum, and the Royal BC Museum may use and disclose them for any purpose provided that it does not associate them with the user’s personally identifiable information.  The Royal BC Museum will only publicly identify users who consent to being identified in connection with their comments or other feedback.

How Information Is Protected

The Royal BC Museum maintains reasonable security safeguards to protect personal information in its custody or under its control from loss and unauthorized access, collection, theft, copying, use, alteration, disclosure or disposal, regardless of the format in which the information is held. The Royal BC Museum maintains its servers and paper files in locked premises, and uses user IDs, passwords, firewalls, anti-virus and other protection against malicious code, as well as appliance-based encryption technology, all in accordance with the highest industry standards for data protection and network security.  Access to personal information is restricted to those authorized personnel having a “need to know” and who are bound by confidentiality obligations.  Any credit card information submitted by a user will not be stored on Royal BC Museum servers, but rather will be sent to a PCI Level 1-compliant payment processor for processing.  When destroying personal information, the Royal BC Museum deletes electronically stored personal information and shreds any tangible materials containing personal information.  While the Royal BC Museum will endeavour to destroy all copies of personal information, under certain circumstances deleted information may continue to exist on back-up media, but will be protected and will not be used unless permitted by law.  The safeguards applied to protect personal information will depend on the sensitivity of the information, with the highest level of protection given to the most sensitive personal information.  Unless permitted by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act or other relevant legislation, all personal information in the custody of the Royal BC Museum or under its control is stored and accessed only in Canada.

The Royal BC Museum will continually review and update its security policies and controls as technology evolves.  Unfortunately, no security technology can be guaranteed to be failsafe.  As a result, while the Royal BC Museum strives to protect its users’ personal information, it is impossible to fully eliminate security risks associated with personal information.  Use of the Site and transmission of any information is at the user’s own risk, and the Royal BC Museum cannot warrant the security of any information that is transmitted to or from it.  Similarly, the Royal BC Museum cannot guarantee that its hosted email will be secure at all times, nor can it be responsible for the actions of any third parties who might receive such information.  As such, users should be very careful about the nature of the information that they provide, and are advised not to provide sensitive personal information through the Site “Contact” form or via subsequent email correspondence with the Royal BC Museum.

Accuracy / Access

The Royal BC Museum will use all reasonable efforts to ensure that any personal information in its custody or under its control that will be used to make a decision that directly affects an individual user will be accurate and complete.  Users may request access to their personal information, and should advise the Royal BC Museum immediately if they discover inaccuracies in their personal information or if their personal information changes.  All notices and requests should be in writing and sent to the Royal BC Museum’s Information and Privacy Officer at the address set out below.  When the Royal BC Museum is contacted by a user, it may ask for further information in order to confirm the identity of the user.

In some circumstances, the Royal BC Museum may not agree to a user’s request to change personal information for legal or other reasons, but will record that a request to change the information has been made.

Governing Law

Access to and use of the Site, including this Policy, is governed exclusively by the laws of the Province of British Columbia and the federal laws of Canada applicable therein (excluding conflicts or choice of laws principles).

Questions, Requests and Complaints – Information and Privacy Officer Contact Information

Any user who wishes to access or correct his or her personal information, or who would like to make an inquiry, suggestion or complaint regarding the Royal BC Museum’s personal information policies and procedures, or to challenge the Royal BC Museum’s compliance with this Policy, should contact the Royal BC Museum’s Information and Privacy Officer by email at privacy@royalbcmuseum.bc.ca, by telephone at 250-356-7457, or by mail at:

Information and Privacy Officer

Royal British Columbia Museum,
675 Belleville Street,
Victoria, B.C.
Canada V8W 9W2 

Users may request that the Information and Privacy Commissioner of British Columbia review any decision, act or failure to act by the Royal BC Museum relating to a user’s request to access a record or to correct personal information.  Any such requests must be delivered to the Information and Privacy Commissioner in writing, in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.