Information We Collect
To help enhance the Virtual Houston ARTCC experience, we collect information across a series of products and services all to enhance the end user's experience. We collect information in the following ways:
- Information you give us. When you register an account with VATSIM and transfer to Virtual Houston ARTCC, login to the Virtual Houston ARTCC service, take a quiz, use our Computer Based Training (CBT) system, or participate in the forums, information that is generally considered personal is given to us from you and VATSIM to include, but is not limited to: your name and email address.
- Information we get from you. Some other information is passed by your computer or electronic device, web browser, and VATSIM client. Information can include: your IP address, web browser type and version, device specific information (such as operating system, unique device identifiers and mobile network information). This information may be linked to your account.
- Log Information. Each time you perform an action on Virtual Houston ARTCC services, your action is logged. Information logged can include: type of action, data being sent and received, IP address the request originated from, software used to make the request, identification cookies, and the reslits of the request.
- Location Information. Your location information may be associated with each request through geolocation against the originating IP address, information given to us by you or given to us by you through VATSIM.
- Analytical Information. Via Google Analytics, we may collect anonymized statistical information to include: age, gender, location, device information, web browser type and version, ISPs, mobile network provider information, etc. for the purposes of identifying trends and better target our platforms.
- Storage Location. Data is stored and encrypted on services owned or leased by Virtual Houston ARTCC within the United States.
Information Usage
To help enhance the Virtual Houston ARTCC experience, we collect information across a series of products and services all to enhance the user experience.
We use the information collected to provide, maintain, protect and improve our services.
The information we collect is maintained with confidentiality to the extent possible. The following information is shared with Virtual Houston ARTCC associated facilities:
- VATSIM CERT Identification Number (CID)
- Your name
- Your VATSIM achievements and ratings
- Your VATSIM associated email address
- Virtual Houston ARTCC facility associations, VATSIM region and division associations
- Virtual Houston ARTCC staff associations and Virtual Houston ARTCC staff email addresses
The following information may be shared publicly:
- VATSIM CERT Identification Number (CID)
- Your name
- Virtual Houston ARTCC staff associations and Virtual Houston ARTCC staff email addresses
- Virtual Houston ARTCC facility associations, VATSIM region and division associations
- VATSIM achievements and ratings
The following information is collected and may be used to protect our services, up to and including cooperation with legal requests for information from Law Enforcement agencies:
- The above listed public information,
- All IP addresses used and associated with your account
- Geolocation against aforementioned IP addresses
- Activities performed with the Virtual Houston ARTCC web services
- We may store identification tokens and other limited information on your electronic device through web storage or cookie usage.
We may store identification tokens and other limited information on your electronic device through web storage or cookie usage.
Who We Share With
The information we collect may be shared, in limited capacities, with the following:
- Virtual Air Traffic Simulation Network (www.vatsim.net)
- VATUSA (www.vatusa.net)
- Other Virtual Houston ARTCC partners
- Law Enforcement agencies
- Google Analytics
For more information on what is shared with whom, please see "How We Use Information".
Cookie Usage
We use various technologies to collect and store information when you visit and use a Virtual Houston ARTCC service. This may include a cookie or other similar technologies to identify your browser or device. We also use Google Analytics to help analyze the traffic to our websites and the information may be linked, by Google Analytics, with customers for information across multiple websites.
Our cookies are mainly used as a means of tracking virtual users across the Virtual Houston ARTCC domain. This allows us to know who is requesting and using our services, provide authentication and authorization checks to restricted areas.
You may choose to disable cookie usage via your browser, but know that doing so will prevent access and use across restricted areas of the website and severely degrade your experience.
Opt Out
Given the nature of our services, it is not possible to opt out of data collection and use our services. But if you desire to opt out and no longer desire to use our services, we will purge all information we have collected upon written request.
The first step is to deactivate and request VATSIM to purge your data. Please head to membership.vatsim.net to do so.
After VATSIM has purged your data, please send a written request to Virtual Houston ARTCC's Air Traffic Manager by emailing [email protected]. It is a manual process, so please allow up to 30 days for information to be purged. You will receive an email response once the data has been purged.
Note Virtual Houston ARTCC cannot guarantee that information collected by parties outside of Virtual Houston ARTCC will be purged in the process.