Maintaining Your Privacy and Anonymity

Al-Anon's Traditional Anonymity Commitment

Confidentiality

· You can browse our Web site in complete confidence. We know the importance of protecting the identity of one another, and providing a safe place in which to mutually exchange our experience, strength and hope. Our Traditions affirm this as an important  part of promoting and maintaining unity and harmony among members. Our Concepts of Service which bind our fellowship through the World Service Conference assures it while offering hope and recovery to all people everywhere affected by a drinking problem.

How does the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office maintain the anonymity of those who only search or read the pages on this website?

Unless you have contacted the San Antonio Al-Anon Information Service Office:

· No e-mail addresses are recorded or maintained by the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office website computer.

· No unsolicited responses are sent to anyone who searches or reads the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office website.

· No one will receive any advertisements or unsolicited email as a result of searching or reading the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office website.

· No one will receive any surveys as a result of searching or reading the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office website.

· E-mail addresses will not be forwarded to any organization.

When you contact the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office:

· When you contact SAAIS through the website, you are giving permission to the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office to respond to your request. They will read and distribute your message only to those people who might be able to respond to your message, including your return e-mail address in order to properly reply to you.

· Once the message is returned, the body of the question and answer may be archived, but your email return address will then be removed.

When you click on the address of a meeting or the Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters World Service Office site from the San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service Office site:

· By connecting to a linked meeting address, or any other linked information resource you are accepting their method of maintaining anonymity.

· By connecting to the Al-Anon Family Group Headquarters World Service Office address, you are accepting their method of maintaining anonymity.

Confidentiality On The Internet

General

· Others on the Internet only know what you allow them to know about yourself. Internet Service Providers ask that your User ID include your name and other information about yourself. Most e-mail software programs have a set-up process, which includes a place for your full name and/or organization. This results in e-mail messages sent by you that display this information to the receiver.

Maintaining anonymity for all messages

· To avoid displaying this information to the person who receives your message, and maintaining your anonymity while communicating with the SAAIS website , you have several options. First, you can go into the Mail Preferences or Options of your e-mail software, and change or remove the information identifying you by your full name and organization.

Maintaining anonymity in your e-mail address.

· If your Internet Service Provider automatically supplies you with an address, this will likely identify or locate you. Most Internet Service Providers will allow you to select your own anonymous name. In selecting an anonymous name, avoid a word or phrase that may allow you to be identified by the name itself. If your Internet Service Provider does not allow you to choose your own anonymous name, you may need to select another Internet Service Provider.

Maintaining anonymity within your Internet Service Provider

· A more secure way to maintain anonymity is to subscribe to a free anonymous e-mail service available on the Internet. Typically, you can make up any User ID you wish, as long as no one else already has it. Mail sent to the new anonymous address will be forwarded by the anonymous e-mail service to your actual e-mail address. The results are an e-mail address that will not identify you or even your local Internet Service Provider.

· To find other anonymous e-mail services that will allow you to create one of these anonymous e-mail addresses, use any search engine and search for the term "free+email."

The SAAIS - San Antonio Al-Anon Alateen Information Service is the focal point for Al-Anon and Alateen programs in the Greater San Antonio and surrounding Texas Hill Country areas of Texas providing group meeting schedule, event, contact, literature, and general information. Serving the Al-Anon / Alateen family groups in Al-Anon District 12 and 13 communities of San Antonio, Bandera, Boerne, Bulverde, Canyon Lake, Fredericksburg, Floresville, Ingram, Junction, Kerrville, Mason, New Braunfels, Seguin, and Universal City, and the counties of Atascosa, Bandera, Bexar, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Kimble, Kinney, Mason, Maverick, Medina, Real, Uvalde, and Wilson of the Al-Anon East Texas Area 53.