Privacy Policy
This Policy explains what AIITE collects, why, and who sees it, with particular care for the material you submit to the independent Review Panel.
AIITE Services LLC, operating as the American Institute for Information Technology & Engineering ("AIITE," "we," "us," or "our"), respects your privacy. This Policy explains what information we collect through theaiite.org and our related services (the "Site"), how we use and share it, and the choices available to you. By using the Site or applying for Ambassador or Fellow status, you agree to the practices described here.
Information we collect
Information you provide directly
- Contact and account details — your name and email address when you apply to become an Ambassador, submit an inquiry, or apply for Fellow status.
- Application materials — nomination and Endorser endorsement details, evidence of achievement against the Fellow eligibility criteria, a professional biography, and any supporting documents or links you submit for Panel review.
- Payment information — if you pay a Fellow assessment fee or an optional Review Panel Reviewer Package online, payment is handled by our third-party payment processor, Stripe, Inc. ("Stripe"), under Stripe's privacy policy. We do not receive or store your full card or bank account number.
- Communications — anything you send us directly, such as messages through the inquiry form or correspondence with staff or the Panel.
- Certificate Program submissions — if you participate in the AIITE Certificate Program, we collect the course-completion screenshots or similar records you submit for each course in a track, and the review decision and any note associated with your submission. Please do not include sensitive personal data (such as government ID numbers or financial account details) in a screenshot beyond what the course provider's own completion screen shows.
Information from Google Sign-In
If you sign in with Google, we receive the basic profile information Google shares with us for authentication purposes — typically your name, email address, and profile photo. We use this only to create and secure your Ambassador/Fellow dashboard account; we do not receive your Google password.
Information collected automatically
Like most websites, our hosting and analytics tools automatically log standard technical data when you visit the Site — such as IP address, browser type, device information, pages viewed, and referring URLs. We use this in aggregate to keep the Site secure and understand how it's used.
How we use information
- To operate the Ambassador and Fellow membership programs, including reviewing nominations and applications.
- To route Fellow application materials to the assigned members of the independent Review Panel for confidential review.
- To communicate with you about your application, membership, Council activity, or Institute updates, and to send the Ambassador newsletter (which you may opt out of at any time).
- To process payments for the Fellow assessment fee and the optional Review Panel Reviewer Package.
- To review Certificate Program submissions and issue, verify, or revoke AIITE Certificates.
- To maintain, secure, and improve the Site and our internal operations.
- To comply with legal obligations and enforce our Terms of Service.
We do not use your information to make automated decisions about your Fellow application. Fellow determinations are made by human members of the Review Panel.
Public Fellow information
If your Fellow application is approved, your name and a professional biography you provide will be published in the Fellow Gallery, consistent with AIITE's published transparency standards. You will have the opportunity to review what is published about you before it appears, and you may request reasonable updates or removal after your Fellow status ends by contacting us (see Contact us).
Data retention
We retain Ambassador account and Fellow application information for as long as needed to operate the membership programs, maintain the historical Fellow Gallery, meet legal and audit obligations, and resolve disputes. If you withdraw an application or close your account, we will delete or anonymize information that we are not required to retain for these purposes.
We retain Certificate Program submissions (course-completion screenshots and review records) for as long as reasonably necessary to issue, verify, audit, or, where warranted, revoke the associated AIITE Certificate. See the Certificate Program terms for how submissions are reviewed.
Your rights and choices
Depending on where you live, you may have rights to access, correct, delete, or receive a copy of your personal information, or to object to or restrict certain processing. You can exercise these rights, or opt out of newsletter emails, by contacting us at support@theaiite.org. We will respond within a reasonable time and in accordance with applicable law.
International data transfers
AIITE welcomes Ambassadors and Fellow applicants globally. Because we use infrastructure providers such as Firebase/Google Cloud, your information may be processed or stored in countries other than your own, including the United States. Where required, we use appropriate safeguards for these transfers.
Security
We use reasonable administrative, technical, and organizational safeguards designed to protect your information, including restricting access to Fellow application materials to your assigned review panel. No method of transmission or storage is completely secure, and we cannot guarantee absolute security.
Children's privacy
The Site is intended for working professionals and is not directed to, and should not be used by, anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children.
Changes to this Policy
We may update this Policy from time to time. If we make material changes, we will update the "Last updated" date above and, where appropriate, provide additional notice. Continued use of the Site after changes take effect constitutes acceptance of the updated Policy.
Contact us
Questions about this Policy or your information can be sent to support@theaiite.org.