FICPA Web Site Policies

FICPA E-Commerce Business Policy
The Florida Institute of CPAs asserts the following for electronic commerce transactions on its Web site:

• We have disclosed our business practices for electronic commerce transactions and executed transactions in accordance with these disclosed business practices.

• We have maintained effective controls to provide reasonable assurance that customers' orders placed using electronic commerce were completed and billed as agreed.

• We have maintained effective controls to provide reasonable assurance that private customer information obtained as a result of electronic commerce was protected from uses not related to our business. 

Kathy Anderson, CAE
FICPA Executive Director
Florida Institute of CPAs, Inc.

Use of Mailing Lists
While the FICPA does offer membership mailing lists for sale to members and nonmembers, absolutely no member information gathered from the web site is ever sold or disseminated to outside parties.

The mailing list that the FICPA sells is generated from the Institute's internal membership database. Members may choose not to be included on the FICPA mailing list by selecting that option on the annual dues renewal form or membership application. Members may also directly notify the FICPA Member Service Center at (800) 342-3197.

Use of Cookies
A "cookie" is a small piece of information sent by a web server to a client's computer so it can later be read back from that computer. This is useful for helping the web server remember a returning web site visitor.

A cookie cannot be used to get data from your hard drive, get your email address or steal sensitive information about you. The cookies used for all FICPA web services store very basic information in order to allow the web database to function within an application. This information includes the member's FICPA number and an encrypted computer code that can only be read by the FICPA web database. For security reasons and as part of FICPA policy, cookies do not store names, personal information, or credit card numbers.

The services on the FICPA web site use cookies specifically as a convenient, time-saving mechanism that recognizes you as a returning visitor. During your first visit, the server assigned a number to your machine, much like taking a number when waiting in line at a store. When the user returns to the same area of the web site, the server will recognize that assigned number.

You may set your browser to alert you every time a cookie is offered. Then you may decide whether to accept that cookie. However, refusal of certain cookies used in FICPA web applications will cause the web application not to work.

Copyright and Trademark Notice
The contents of all material available on this Internet site are copyrighted by the FICPA unless otherwise indicated. Copyright is not claimed as to any part of an original work prepared by a U.S. or state government officer or employee as part of that person's official duties. All rights are reserved by the FICPA and content may not be reproduced, downloaded, disseminated, published, or transferred in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of the FICPA, or as indicated below.

Members of the FICPA may download pages or other content for their own use, consistent with the mission and purpose of the FICPA on a single computer. However, no part of such content may be otherwise or subsequently reproduced, downloaded, or disseminated, published, or transferred, in any form or by any means, except with the prior written permission of, and with attribution to the FICPA. Copyright infringement is a violation of federal law subject to criminal and civil penalties. FICPA, FLORIDA INSTITUTE OF CERTIFIED PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS, FLORIDA CPA NETLINK, and VALUEPLUS are registered service marks of the FICPA.

Legal Notice and Disclaimer
Any technical information contained herein provided to the FICPA by FICPA members makes every effort to present accurate and reliable information on this Internet site. The FICPA does not endorse, approve, or certify such information, nor does it guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness, or correct sequencing of such information. Use of such information is voluntary, and reliance on it should only be undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, efficacy, and timeliness. Reference herein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the FICPA.

The FICPA (including its employees and agents) assumes no responsibility for consequences resulting from the use of the information herein, or from use of the information obtained at linked Internet addresses, or in any respect for the content of such information, including (but not limited to) errors or omissions, the accuracy or reasonableness of factual or scientific assumptions, studies or conclusions, the defamatory nature of statements, ownership of copyright or other intellectual property rights, and the violation of property, privacy, or personal rights of others. The FICPA is not responsible for, and expressly disclaims all liability for, damages of any kind arising out of use, reference to, or reliance on such information. No guarantees or warranties, including (but not limited to) any express or implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular use or purpose, are made by the FICPA with respect to such information.

Links to Other Internet Sites
At certain places on this FICPA Internet site, live 'links' to other Internet addresses can be accessed. Such external Internet addresses contain information created, published, maintained, or otherwise posted by institutions or organizations independent of the FICPA. The FICPA does not endorse, approve, certify, or control these external Internet addresses and does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, efficacy, timeliness, or correct sequencing of information located at such addresses. Use of any information obtained from such addresses is voluntary, and reliance on it should only by undertaken after an independent review of its accuracy, completeness, efficacy, and timeliness. Reference therein to any specific commercial product, process, or service by trade name, trademark, service mark, manufacturer, or otherwise does not constitute or imply endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by the FICPA.

Listserv/Discussion Board Policies
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Attribution: Jeffrey S. Tenenbaum, Esq., Attorney, Kharasch, Morse & Garfinkle, P.C., is a member of the ASAE Finance & Administration and Legal sections.