Terms of Use

Personal Information

HIAS is committed to protecting your privacy. HIAS does collect personal information from users, including, but not limited to, an individual’s name, address, telephone number, credit card information, or email address, in association with donations, user registration, newsletters, and other activities, when relevant. Additionally, when a user visits the HIAS website some information is automatically collected, including, but not limited to, the user’s computer operating system and browser type, version, and capabilities. HIAS also uses personal information to communicate with registered users. For example, HIAS might use your personal information to send you newsletters or to solicit funds.

HIAS does not sell or rent personal information to third parties. Occasionally, HIAS does share personal information with similar nonprofit organizations. We are committed to the privacy of our donors. Should you prefer that we not share your information with other nonprofits, you may opt out at any time by calling us at 212-967-4100 or 301-844-7300 or emailing development@hias.org.

Proprietary Right of HIAS; Website Content

All content on the HIAS website including marks, logos, text, pictures, video, audio, and other materials, and their selection, arrangement, and compilation (“Content”) are the property of HIAS. Content of the HIAS website cannot be downloaded, modified, copied, distributed, displayed, or transmitted other than for your personal non-commercial use without the express, written consent of HIAS. Other than User Materials you have submitted to HIAS, you are granted a limited license to download or print a portion of HIAS Website Content for your own personal, non-commercial use only, provided that: (a) you include without modification all copyright and other proprietary notices contained in the content; (b) you do not modify the content; (c) you do not use the content in a manner that suggests HIAS promotes or endorses your, or any third party’s, causes, ideas, websites, products, or services; and (d) you do not use the content in any way that is unlawful or harmful to any other person or entity. This license is revocable at any time without notice or cause.

Any other use of Content requires express prior written permission from HIAS.

User Materials

Throughout the HIAS website, including, but not limited to, myStory.hias.org, HIAS’ Facebook Application, the Contact Us page, and commenting options found throughout hias.org and its related subdomains and sites, users may post, upload, transmit and/or otherwise submit comments, messages, other text, photos, images, stories, essays, videos, audio files, and other content and materials (“User Materials”). You acknowledge that User Materials may be routed through our servers, the servers of one or more third parties on our behalf, and the Internet, and may be viewed by HIAS staff and by the general public.

We reserve the right to screen, refuse to post, remove, or edit User Materials at any time and for any or no reason in our absolute and sole discretion without prior notice, although we have no duty to do so. If we elect to screen User Materials, there may be a delay in the posting of such content to allow for a review process. If we have questions about your User Materials, we have the right, but not the duty, to contact you for further information, including, for example, to verify that you own the copyright or otherwise have the rights to post the User Materials.

You retain the copyright and other ownership rights in any User Materials that you submit on or through the HIAS website. However, by submitting User Materials on or through the HIAS website, you hereby grant HIAS a non-exclusive, perpetual, royalty-free, worldwide, transferable license to use, copy, sublicense, modify, transmit, publicly perform, display, create derivative works of, host, index, cache, tag, encode, and/or adapt your User Materials in any and all media formats or channels, whether now known or hereafter devised, including, but not limited to: the HIAS website, applications, and services; third party licensee websites, applications, and services; over the air (on radio or television); and other applications and services; without payment and without further consent or notice to you. You further grant HIAS the right to contact you in connection with your User Materials and to use your name, city, state, and other information that you have provided in connection with the User Materials.

Rules for Use of the Website

By using the HIAS website, including by registering for the HIAS website, participating in online discussions, submitting User Materials, viewing or accessing information from any pages on the HIAS website, or by using any other features of the HIAS website, you agree to the following rules:

1. You may not submit any User Materials anonymously or under a false name or a false email address. You may not impersonate another user or provide any false information about yourself.
2. You may not submit any User Materials or links to material that is libelous, defamatory, false, obscene, indecent, lewd, pornographic, violent, abusive, threatening, harassing, discriminatory, in violation of the law, harmful to children, in violation of third party privacy rights, or that constitutes hate speech or a personal attack.
3. You may only submit User Materials for which you have the copyright or other necessary rights and permission to distribute electronically. You may not violate, plagiarize, or infringe on the rights of third parties, including copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, privacy, personal, publicity, moral, or proprietary rights. You promise and represent that you own or have all necessary rights and permissions to use, distribute, and authorize HIAS, and users of the HIAS website (to the extent permitted by these Terms of Use), to use and distribute any User Materials.
4. The HIAS website can only be used for personal, non-commercial purposes. You cannot submit any material containing any solicitation of funds, advertising, promotion, solicitation for goods and services, or recruiting.
5. You may not submit any software or other material which contains a virus, worm, Trojan horse, or other harmful computer code, files, scripts, agents, programs, or device. You may not use the HIAS website to distribute chain letters, mass mailings, “spam,” or duplicative or unsolicited messages in violation of applicable laws, or to gather usernames and/or email addresses for the purpose of sending unsolicited email or other communications to other users of the HIAS website.
6. You may not interfere with or disrupt the integrity or performance of the HIAS website, any portion or contents thereof, or related systems or networks, or use the HIAS website in any way which degrades its reliability, speed or operation, or its underlying hardware or software. In addition, you may not attempt to gain unauthorized access to the HIAS website or related systems or networks.
7. By submitting any User Materials on or through the HIAS website, you hereby grant HIAS, and users of the HIAS website, applications, and services (to the extent permitted by the Terms of Use), the licenses to use those User Materials as set forth above in the “User Materials” section.
8. You are solely responsible for any User Materials submitted using your account. HIAS does not and cannot review all User Materials submitted by you or others and is not responsible for any User Materials submitted by you or others on or through the HIAS website. However, HIAS has the right (but not the obligation) to review, screen, delete, edit, and/or move any User Materials that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be in violation of the Rules for Use of the website or these Terms of Use, or for any other reason, as determined in HIAS’ sole discretion.
9. HIAS is not responsible or liable for any User Materials submitted by you or a third party on or through the HIAS website. HIAS cannot verify the accuracy of statements that users make or place on or through the HIAS website, and does not guarantee that any User Materials have been submitted with the permission of the copyright or proprietary owner or are otherwise in compliance with the Rules for Use of the website or these Terms of Use.
10. If you access the HIAS website from a location outside the United States, you are responsible for compliance with applicable laws, including local laws regarding online conduct and content and U.S. export laws and regulations.
11. By using the HIAS website, you agree to abide by these rules. You acknowledge that HIAS has the right (but not the obligation) to review, screen, delete, edit, or move content or material that it deems, in its sole discretion, to be in violation of the Rules for Use of the website or these Terms of Use, or for any other reason, in its sole discretion. You further acknowledge that HIAS has the right to limit or terminate your, or any other person’s, access to or registration in the HIAS website for any reason, in its sole discretion, including violation of the Rules for Use of the website or these Terms of Use.

HIAS Provided Content

HIAS uses reasonable efforts to ensure the accuracy and correctness of HIAS provided content, but HIAS makes no representations or warranties as to this HIAS provided content.

Links to Other Websites

The HIAS website might provide links or references to other non-HIAS websites and resources. HIAS is not responsible, and makes no representations, warranties, or commitments, nor does HIAS accept any liability whatsoever, for the policies, practices, or content of these websites. A link to a non-HIAS website does not mean that HIAS endorses the content or use of such website or owner. In addition, HIAS is not a party to, nor responsible for, any transactions you may enter into with third parties, even if you learn of such parties (or use a link to such parties) from the HIAS website.

Disclaimer of Warranties

THE HIAS WEBSITE IS PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” BASIS WITH NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION WARRANTIES OF TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT OF PROPRIETARY AND INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS, OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. HIAS DOES NOT WARRANT THAT ANY INFORMATION IS COMPLETE OR ACCURATE OR THAT THE HIAS WEBSITE WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR FREE, OR FREE OF VIRUSES OR OTHER HARMFUL COMPONENTS.

YOU UNDERSTAND AND AGREE THAT IF YOU DOWNLOAD OR OTHERWISE OBTAIN MATERIALS, INFORMATION, PRODUCTS, SOFTWARE, PROGRAMS, OR SERVICES, YOU DO SO AT YOUR OWN DISCRETION AND RISK, AND THAT YOU WILL BE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, LOSS OF DATA OR DAMAGE TO YOUR COMPUTER SYSTEM.

Limitation of Damages

UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHALL HIAS, OR ITS DIRECTORS, OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, OR MEMBERS, BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES THAT MAY RESULT FROM THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE HIAS WEBSITE OR ANY SITE OR RESOURCE LINKED TO, REFERENCED, OR ACCESSED THROUGH THE HIAS WEBSITE, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, USE OF OR RELIANCE ON INFORMATION AVAILABLE ON THE HIAS WEBSITE OR ANY SITE OR RESOURCE LINKED TO, REFERENCED, OR ACCESSED THROUGH THE HIAS WEBSITE; INTERRUPTIONS; ERRORS; DEFECTS; MISTAKES; OMISSIONS; DELETIONS OF FILES; DELAYS IN OPERATION OR TRANSMISSION; NON-DELIVERY OF INFORMATION; DISCLOSURE OF COMMUNICATIONS; OR ANY OTHER FAILURE OF PERFORMANCE.

Release and Indemnity

YOU HEREBY RELEASE AND WAIVE ANY AND ALL CLAIMS AND/OR LIABILITY AGAINST HIAS ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THE HIAS WEBSITE. YOU ALSO AGREE TO DEFEND, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS HIAS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR LIABILITY, INCLUDING COSTS AND ATTORNEYS FEES, ARISING FROM OR IN CONNECTION WITH YOUR USE OF THIS WEBSITE OR FAILURE TO ABIDE BY APPLICABLE LAW.

Choice of Law

The state and federal courts of the state of New York are the exclusive forum and venue to resolve any and all disputes arising out of use of the HIAS website. Users of the HIAS website consent to personal jurisdiction and venue by the state and federal courts of the state of New York. Furthermore, the laws of the state of New York govern any disputes arising from use of the HIAS website.

Questions and Opting Out

If you have any questions or comments concerning any content on the HIAS website; would like to change, update, or delete your personal information or any other submitted material; or would like to opt out of any future communications, please contact HIAS at: development@hias.org.

You also may write or call HIAS at:

1300 Spring Street, Suite 500
Silver Spring, MD 20910
301-844-7300