ALCDEF Privacy and Data Policy

"Us" and "We" refers to those managing and maintaining the ALCDEF database. "You" refers the end-user of the ALCDEF web site.

We want to keep this simple (plain language and no small print), yet make you fully aware of your options and the policies for storing and distributing data submitted to the ALCDEF database.

Personal Information

When submitting data, the ALCDEF standard asks for the following identifying information in every data submission:

Required
• Your name.
• Your email address and/or a postal address. Try to use those that will be valid for as long as possible, e.g., a personal and not insitutional address.
• The mid-date/time of the observations.
  
  
Optional
• The observatory or facility where observations were made.
• The observatory code assigned by the Minor Planet Center.
• The observatory longitude and latitude.
• The publication and/or Bibcode in which the data were discussed in general or used to generate results.
• Comment lines that may include identifying information.

While you can use "fake" information to satisfy the requirement that something be included, you won't get proper recognition for your work, e.g., credit or even co-authorship of a paper in a journal.

If you opt to provide an alias or, for example, simply enter "Not Provided". In that case, be sure to use information that would be unique to you; it won't do to have ten data submitters with the same name of "Not Provided".

Dual Opt-in

There are two opt-ins. One is required, the other is optional.

Required
• You must give explicit permission to store the data and distribute it according to the distribution policy outlined below. This is done with a single opt-in, i.e., you cannot agree to submit data but not distribute it. It is all or nothing.
• On the ALCDEF data submission page, selecting "Yes" means that ALLOWSHARING=TRUE is used if the keyword is not found. Selecting "Use keyword" means ALLOWSHARING=FALSE is used if the keyword is not found.

  If ALLOWSHARING is found in a metadata block, it's value always takes precedence.

Optional
• You must give explicit permission to have your data automatically sent to the NASA PDS data system.
• On the ALCDEF data submission page, selecting "Yes" means that SUBMITPDS=TRUE is used if the keyword is not found. Selecting "Use keyword" means SUBMITPDS=FALSE is used if the keyword is not found.

  If SUBMITPDS is found in a metadata block, it's value always takes precedence.

Data Sharing

The data submitted to the ALCDEF database, and optionally sent to NASA PDS, will be publicly available via the respective systems. In this sense, there is no control over who can/will download the data and how they use it.

Other than this, your data will not be distributed by any means other than through the ALCDEF and NASA PDS data systems.

By downloading the data from the ALCDEF and/or PDS site, the end-user agrees to use the data strictly for its intended purpose: to aid in scientific research and not for other purposes that include, but are limited to, commercial gain, solicitation, advertising, or actions that could result in civil and/or criminal liability.