Anonymity & Privacy

Our public relations policy is based on attraction rather than promotion; we need always maintain personal anonymity at the level of press, radio, [TV,] and films.

Thus we respectfully ask that no A.A. speaker — or, indeed, any A.A. member — be identified by full name in published or broadcast reports of our meetings. ..

The assurance of anonymity is essential in our effort to help other problem drinkers who may wish to share our recovery program with us. And our Tradition of anonymity reminds us that A.A. principles come before personalities.

Copyright A.A. World Services, Inc. Reprinted with permission.

Online Anonymity

The fundamental principles and traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) apply for all member communications using electronic media, such as the Internet, phone, websites, email, etc. The tradition of anonymity is explained in depth in AA publications such as The Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions, and the pamphlet “Understanding Anonymity.” This Online Advisory Statement is intended to clarify some special situations that arise for electronic-based AA meetings and communications, to help individuals retain privacy regarding their membership in the fellowship, and ensure no single member speaks for the whole of AA.

Members who accept electronic-based service positions sacrifice some of their privacy in order to serve best. If personal circumstances prevent such openness, the member should decline or step down from the position.

The AA community connects online by using chatrooms, email, message boards, phone conferencing, and video conferencing. These technologies, when used properly, can effectively ensure individuals can work together while preserving anonymity. For example, last names are typically not required for chatroom group members, and internet meeting attendees may alter their name and hide their video.

Where the common good requires further identification (e.g., a private email address or last name to register a website), further identification should be provided or the member should perform other service that permits a higher degree of privacy.

It is the responsibility of the administrators, group leaders, and other electronic-media owners to guard the confidentiality of any messages or communications shared with them and that online messages remain as private as the sender intends.

Your Privacy

OIAA., Inc., also known as Online Intergroup of Alcoholics Anonymous©, (“OIAA”) respects the privacy of every individual who visits this site. This privacy statement provides notice of the standards and terms under which OIAA protects the privacy of information supplied by visitors. This privacy statement provides notice of our information collection practices and of the ways in which your information may be used. This policy may change from time to time, so please check back periodically to review this information.

The Information We Collect

OIAA may collect personally identifiable information in a variety of ways, including through online forms and other instances where visitors are invited to volunteer such information. OIAA may also collect information about how visitors use our website, for example, by tracking the number of unique views received by the pages of the web site or the domains from which visitors originate.

We may use “cookies” to track how visitors use our website. A cookie is a small file that a web server can store on the visitor’s computer and use to identify the visitor should they visit the web site again.

Use of Cookies

Like many websites, OIAA may use cookies, which are files stored on your device that help OIAA identify users and optimize their website experience. Most browsers accept cookies automatically but allow you to disable them. We recommend that you leave cookies enabled so we can offer you a better experience. OIAA will not drop cookies or other tracking methods that are persistent and cannot be erased from your device. Your IP address, searches, and other usage information may be collected by Google analytics, but only to generate aggregated data to help us improve our website. You can disable the use of cookies on your browser. If you disable the use of cookies on your browser, you may not be able to access certain functions of our website. To learn more about our use of cookies, please consult our Cookie Policy.

How We Use Information

OIAA may use personally identifiable information collected through our web site to contact visitors regarding new activities and services. OIAA also may use information collected to improve the effectiveness of the web site.

Retention of Information

We delete your personal information as soon as we no longer need it in connection with the purpose for which it was submitted or collected, unless we are required by law to retain it for a longer time and we only retain it in accordance with this Privacy Policy.

Disclosure of Information

OIAA does not lend, lease, sell, or otherwise intentionally transfer visitors’ personal information to any third party.

Maintenance of Information

Information about visitors and members that is maintained on our systems is protected using industry standard security measures. We use appropriate technical and organizational measures to keep your personal information secure. However, we cannot guarantee that the information submitted to, maintained on, or transmitted from our systems will be completely secure.

Notice to Persons Outside of the United States

Please note that:

• the personally identifiable information you provide to OIAA will be transferred to the United States for processing in accordance with this Privacy Policy, for which we will obtain your express consent, to the extent required by law;

• you have the right to access your personal information upon request, to have it corrected as necessary, to have it deleted when you no longer want to use our website or communicate with us, or to have it transmitted to anyone you choose;

• you also have the right to share your concerns if you have any about how we use and protect your information.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at privacy@aa-intergroup.org

If you are not satisfied with our response, you may file a complaint with your national data protection authority.