Eckankar has a firm commitment to your privacy. You can visit our websites (e.g., www.Eckankar.org or www.ECKBooks.org) without telling us who you are or sharing any personal information. However, for you to place an order for spiritual materials, sign up for regional event information, request enrollment, or make certain other choices, we ask you to input some personal information. The following questions and answers explain when and how we do that and the measures we have in place to keep the information private.
What personal information does Eckankar collect?
Eckankar collects personally identifying information, such as your name, mailing address, email address, telephone number, and/or credit-card information, if you choose to provide that information to Eckankar by
- requesting a free book to be mailed to you (no credit-card information requested);
- ordering books and study materials from www.ECKBooks.org;
- applying for or renewing enrollment in Eckankar;
- preregistering for a seminar;
- signing up to receive an internet broadcast;
- making an online donation; or
- signing up to receive email from Eckankar or our regional church affiliate in your area (no credit-card information requested).
Does Eckankar sell or rent my personal information?
Absolutely not.
Will I receive unsolicited email from Eckankar?
Eckankar does not send unsolicited email.
Only those who have signed up for email from Eckankar will be sent email from Eckankar or our regional church affiliates.
When signing up for an online ECK event, your email address may be used to send information about the event including the event password and a follow-up survey you may opt out of receiving.
At www.ECKBooks.org, the email address you provide when you place an order is used only to send your order confirmation and contact you about your order if we have any questions. It will not be used for any other purposes.
You may unsubscribe from email from us at any time by clicking on the unsubscribe link provided in the email. If we have shared your email with our regional church affiliate in your area, it will also be notified to unsubscribe you from their email list.
How is my personal information protected?
Safeguarding the information you give us is a priority.
The information collected when you submit a web form to us is encrypted, downloaded, and removed from our web server. We do not store any personal information on our web server longer than it takes to download your request for processing by the Eckankar Spiritual Center.
We then take appropriate security measures to protect against loss, misuse, unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction of your information.
How long is my personal information retained?
Eckankar keeps your information as long as needed for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, to resolve questions, and as necessary to comply with legal obligations.
Does Eckankar share my personal information with others?
Eckankar does not share your personal information with others except in these cases:
- As needed with third-party companies for the sole purpose of providing services that help us fulfill your request (e.g., a company specializing in mailing services). They are contractually required to provide strict security to the handling of personal information.
- To share contact information with our regional church affiliate in your area, which is required to keep and use it only for the purposes given in this Privacy Policy and according to local law.
How can I tell when my online transactions are secure?
Your browser will show you when you are making a secure transaction in two main ways. When you visit www.ECKBooks.org or access a form at www.Eckankar.org, a secure connection is indicated when “https” is in the address bar of your browser. Somewhere in your browser window, you may also see a locked-padlock icon. These indicators tell you that all information entered on that page will be encrypted when you submit the form (e.g., by clicking “Submit,” “Send,” or “Place Order”).
How is my credit-card information protected?
Eckankar keeps your credit-card data secure with end-to-end encryption and tokenization.
Our credit-card processor, TSYS Merchant Solutions, LLC, is legally responsible for the security of cardholder data.
Is there any automated data processing on Eckankar’s website?
Cookies
A cookie is a small text file that is stored on your computer when you visit a website.
Eckankar’s cookies identify your browser, which sends the cookie to our web server.
Cookies help us understand how the website is used. This is purely statistical information and does not track your personal information or your web usage once you leave the Eckankar site. This information helps us provide a better experience for all users of our website.
A cookie is not harmful to your computer in any way. It cannot be used to spread viruses, nor can it read your hard drive to obtain personal information about you. It is a text file that you can delete at any time. When you revisit our website, we do not access the cookie from the previous session.
You can navigate the Eckankar websites even if you disable cookies in your browser (most browsers allow cookies by default). However, in order to add items to your shopping cart and place an order at www.ECKBooks.org, you must have cookies enabled. If you prefer not to allow cookies, you can contact us to place your order by phone, fax, or mail.
Access logs
Like all web servers, Eckankar’s web server automatically creates access logs for every visit to our site. Access logs include the time of your visit, the type of browser you are using, the IP address for the computer you are visiting from, and the web page you came from. We analyze these logs to help us improve the user experience. We also use Google Analytics for the same purpose.
The IP address is not associated with other personally identifying information unless (1) you have filled out any forms on the website and (2) it is necessary to research possible harmful or illegal conduct in connection with the use of our websites, or to comply with the law.
Does Eckankar collect information from children?
No, we do not knowingly collect information from visitors age 17 and under. If you believe your child has provided Eckankar with their personal information without your permission, please contact Eckankar so the information can be removed.
What are the bases for collecting and using my personal information?
- Your consent so that we and our church affiliates can inform you about Eckankar news and events
- As necessary to fulfill your requests and transactions
- As a nonprofit religious organization and church to administer membership records and matters
- If required by law or pursuant to legal process or other legal obligation
- When it is necessary to protect the vital interests of you or another person
What are my rights regarding personal information I give to Eckankar?
Eckankar provides you with reasonable access to the personal information you give us as well as the ability to review, correct, and delete such personal information to the extent required by law.
Who do I contact with privacy questions or requests?
Eckankar
Att: Privacy Inquiries
PO Box 2000
Chanhassen, MN 55317
privacy@eckankar.org
+1 (952) 380-2200
For European Union residents
Eckankar’s parent church is located in the United States. The United States has not sought nor received a finding of “adequacy” from the European Union (“EU”) under Article 45 of the General Data Protection Regulation (“GDPR”). Therefore, Eckankar relies on authorized derogations as set forth in Article 49 of the GDPR. Specifically, Eckankar collects personal data with your consent, to process purchases and donations, to perform services you requested, to use only as needed per your relationship with Eckankar and its church affiliates, and as further described in this Privacy Policy. EU residents have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if they believe their information has been used in a manner inconsistent with their privacy rights.
