ICS Member Terms

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THESE TERMS APPLY TO ALL MEMBERS OF THE IRISH COMPUTER SOCIETY AND INCORPORATE:

  1. GENERAL TERMS OF MEMBERSHIP OF ICS
  2. USE OF THE ICS MEMBERCLOUD PLATFORM
  3. USE OF THE ONLINE DISCUSSION BOARD
  4. PROFILE INFORMATION

PLEASE READ THESE TERMS CAREFULLY BEFORE USING THE SERVICES.

BY CLICKING ‘ACCEPT’, YOU ARE CONFIRMING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO COMPLY WITH THESE TERMS.

Introduction

We are The Irish Computer Society with an address at 20 Harcourt Street, Dublin 2 D02 H364, Ireland (“ICS”, “we”, “our” or “us”).
The mission of ICS is to advance, promote and represent the interests of ICT professionals in Ireland. Membership of the ICS is open to all IT professionals in Ireland.

These Terms apply to all ICS Members, either as a new or existing member of ICS (“Member”). When these Terms refer to “you” or “your” we mean you as a member of ICS, as a user of the ICS MemberCloud Platform (“the platform”) available to all Members and/or as identified in your online Member profile on the platform.

Having conducted an assessment of your application, ICS is satisfied to grant you Membership status, subject to and in accordance with these Terms. The relationship between ICS and you, as a Member, is governed by these Terms and any guidelines provided under your online account.

When we use the term “Services” we mean the online platform services provided without further charge to ICS members, including the online discussion board and other related services such as messaging between members.

These Terms govern your use of the services, except where we expressly state that separate terms (and not these) apply. It is important that these Membership Terms are read and interpreted to incoporate and as supplemental to the privacy notice available https://ics.ie/privacynotice/.

We may change these Terms or any other policies at any time. If we make a change, you will be advised when you next login to your online account. If you do not agree to the updated terms, you will not be able to continue to use the services.

These Terms take precedence over any agreements between you and us regarding your membership and the ICS MemberCloud Platform and replace all previous contracts and understandings between you and us in that respect. If a court with jurisdiction finds a provision of these Terms is invalid or unenforceable, it will be considered deleted, but that does not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining Terms.

The formation, interpretation, and operation of these Terms and all contractual or non-contractual matters and disputes arising in connection with them are governed by the laws of Ireland. The courts of Ireland have exclusive jurisdiction over all contractual or non-contractual matters and disputes arising in connection with these Terms or the services.

Part 1

General Terms Of Membership

Membership of ICS comprises separate categories depending on the stage of a professional career, each offering a profile to suit you. These different categories are as follows:

Student Membership

Student membership provides the full range of professional body benefits to you during your education years. It is available to undergraduates or apprentices in a relevant, technological related field of study.

Affiliate Membership

Affiliate membership is a step on the way to full professional membership. Being a member of ICS is a strategic decision which brings networking, professional development opportunities, and allows members to contribute to opinion and thought leadership activities of the professional body.

Professional Membership

Professional membership of the ICS is the hallmark of an IT professional. It is designed for and differentiates established IT professionals from new entrants embarking on the early stages of career progression. Professional members are respected practitioners, expert in their domain, with significant education and training, and a track-record of relevant employment that demonstrates proficiency and competence in the IT field.

ICS Fellows

ICS Fellows are the most senior and respected professionals in the field of IT. To be awarded this grade you’ll have to display a significant contribution to the IT profession, industry or society.

Upon acceptance of membership as a member of ICS and upon renewal of membership you undertake to pay the requisite membership fee in a timely manner and you agree to comply with the code of professional conduct as set out below.

We may revoke your membership status where:

  • You fail to pay any sums owing to us within the credit term required;
  • You fail to renew your membership within three months of expiry date;
  • You faily to comply with these Terms;
  • ICS is of the opinion that you have brought, or are reasonably likely to bring ICS into disrepute;
  • You are struck off the ICS Membership by the resolution of the ICS Council as described in article 16.1 of the Articles of Association of The Irish Computer Society.

Code of Professional Conduct

Members of ICS shall behave in accordance with the principles set out below, these principles conform to the recommendations of the Council of European Professional Informatics Societies (CEPIS).

Protection of public interest and legal compliance

Members shall:

  • exercise their professional skills in such a way as to safeguard public health, safety and the environment
  • recognise the rights of third parties and not prejudice the intellectual property rights of others
  • recognise the rights of individuals and groups to information privacy
  • take reasonable steps to know and understand the relevant legislation, regulations and standards and comply with such requirements in carrying out their work
  • recognise basic human rights and endeavour to avoid actions that have an adverse effect on such rights

Responsibilities to employers and clients

Members shall:

  • perform professional work that meets the requirements of their employer or client and draw the employer’s or client’s attention to the consequences of ignoring or overruling the member’s professional judgement
  • perform professional work to time and to budget and notify the employer or client early if such requirements are unlikely to be fulfilled
  • not offer or provide any inducement to a third party in return for business secured with a client, unless there is full disclosure of the facts to that client
  • not disclose or authorise the disclosure of confidential information gained in the course of professional work, except with the prior written permission of the employer or client, nor use such information for personal gain

Professional dignity and promotion of professional aims

Members shall:

  • protect the reputation of the informatics profession and strive to improve professional standards through personal participation in their development, use and regulation and avoid actions that will adversely affect the good standing of the profession
  • advance public knowledge and appreciation of informatics and, wherever possible, counter false or misleading statements detrimental to the profession
  • encourage and support fellow practitioners in their professional development and, where possible, provide opportunities supporting the development of new entrants to the profession
  • act with integrity towards fellow practitioners and towards members of other professions who may be engaged in related work and avoid any activity that is incompatible with professional status

Competence, Ethics and Impartiality

Members shall:

  • take reasonable steps to upgrade their personal professional skills and their awareness of relevant informatics developments
  • avoid claims to levels of competence that they do not possess
  • accept professional responsibility for work they perform, or performed under direction and not
    terminate a professional assignment except for good reason and with reasonable notice
  • avoid situations that give rise to conflict of interest and make full disclosure to clients in advance of any such conflict of interest that may arise

Part 2

Use Of The ICS MemberCloud Platform

As long as you comply with these Terms, we give you a limited and non-transferrable right to use the services. The services are protected by copyright and other intellectual property laws and nothing in these Terms grants you any rights in the services or title to same.

You are solely responsible for all activity on your online account and for all material and information that you upload. The quality and bandwidth of your internet service will affect the quality and speed of access to the services.

You shall use the platform only in accordance with these Terms, and all applicable laws and government regulations.

In order to participate on the platform, you must agree for your real name and profile information to be shared, see Profile Information (for viewing by ICS Members) in Part 4 below (Profile Information). The platform is aimed at facilitating interaction and networking between ICS members, so it is not possible to use the service without sharing this information. Do not accept these Terms or access your online account if you do not want to share this information.

You should not permit anyone else to use your online account, or impersonate you. As mentioned above, you are solely responsible for all activity on your account. You must maintain the confidentiality and security of your login details to ensure this. You should notify ICS immediately if you know or suspect that your onilne account has been accessed by an unauthorised third party.

Neither should you:

  • copy, modify or create derivative works or improvements of the platform;
  • rent, lease, lend, sell, sublicense, assign, distribute, publish, transfer or otherwise make available the platform to any person, including on or in connection with the internet or any time-sharing, service bureau, software as a service, cloud or other technology or service;
  • reverse engineer, disassemble, decompile, decode, adapt or otherwise attempt to derive or gain access to the Source Code of the platform, or any other software provided in connection with the services, in whole or in part;
  • bypass or breach any security device or protection used by the platform or access or use the platform, other than through the use of your own account and then valid access credentials;
  • exceed any maximum storage, posting, uploading or usage data restrictions in respect of the platform;
  • do anything which may negatively impact the platform, IT system, environment or availability of the
    platform;
  • use the platform for the purposes of direct marketing or promotion aside from normal communications;
  • circumvent or manipulate any of the restrictions or security-related features within the platform;
  • engage in any deceptive, unfair or misleading practices;
  • access or attempt to access the accounts of other users;
  • input, upload, transmit or otherwise provide to or through the platform any information or materials that contain, transmit or activate any viruses, worms, malware, spyware, trojan horses or other harmful or malicious code;
  • Access, input, upload, store, distribute, transmit or otherwise provide to or through the course of your use of the Platform any material that: (i) is unlawful, vulgar, harmful, threatening, obscene, infringing, harassing, abusive or racially or ethnically offensive; (ii) facilitates illegal activity; (iii) depicts sexually explicit images; (iv) promotes unlawful violence; (v) is discriminatory based on race, gender, colour, religious belief, sexual orientation, disability; or (vi) is otherwise illegal or causes damage or injury to any person or property;
  • damage, destroy, disrupt, disable, impair, interfere with or otherwise impede or harm in any manner any software, the platform, in whole or in part;
  • access or use the platform in any manner or for any purpose that infringes, misappropriates or otherwise violates any Intellectual Property Right or other right of any third party, or that violates any applicable law;
  • access or use the platform for the purposes of competitive analysis, the development, provision or use of a competing software, services or products, or any other purpose that is to the detriment or commercial disadvantage of ICS; or
  • Upload or otherwise transmit any unsolicited material or unauthorised advertising “spam”.

We reserve the right to:

  • suspend or disable your account where we are required to do so for legal reasons.
  • terminate or suspend your account for periods of inactivity in excess of twelve months duration. You will need to contact us to request a suspension be lifted. Upon such request, we may request reasons for any periods of inactivity and it is at our discretion that the suspension will be revoked.
  • disable or delete accounts where in our sole discretion we consider there to be good reason to do so. Any such action may be discussed with you in advance but where we believe that urgent action is required, we reserve the right, without liability to you and without prejudice other rights, to immediately disable your access.

You use the platform and services at your sole risk. We and our affiliates and business partners supply the services on an “as-is” and “as available” basis. This means that we do not guarantee that the services will be uninterrupted, error-free or meet your expectations, and we give no commitments relating to the performance, completeness, security, accuracy, or availability of the services. We do not guarantee that the services will be free from any viruses, bugs, or harmful software. We exclude all express and implied representations, warranties, and other terms (including regarding title, accuracy, quality, non-infringement, or fitness for purpose). We are not responsible for any failures or delays that arise from a reason outside of our control.

The total collective liability of us and our affiliates and business partners arising in connection with these Terms, whether in contract, tort (including negligence) or any other legal theory, will not exceed €10. This section Part 2 applies to the maximum extent the law allows. We do not accept responsibility for losses not caused by our breach of these Terms or otherwise by our acts; any losses that are not reasonably foreseeable at the time of entering these Terms; and events beyond our reasonable control.

If you become aware of any prohibited activity you should notify us immediately.

If someone makes a claim against us (or our affiliates or business partners) because of something you do or say whilst availing of the services (including breaking these Terms) then we may require you to cover some or all of our and their costs and take responsibility for some or all claims and losses that arise as a result of your actions. We reserve the right to defend our own position.

We may update and change the platform from time to time to improve services, reflect changes to our services or the needs of Members. We will try to give you reasonable notice of any significant changes to the platform.

Part 3

Use Of The Online Discussion Board

ICS MemberCloud platform is an online discussion forum for ICS members to share, debate, collaborate and network, to build strong and mutually beneficial connections between all members.

The messaging tool is intended to keep members in touch with one another, to help facilitate networking and to promote common interests. Messaging and use of personal contact information made available through ICS MemberCloud platform, including names and job title for any commercial, advocacy, promotional, or political purpose is prohibited. Prohibited activities include solicitations for business or personal services, fundraising, cold-calling of any kind, mass-mailings, or broadcast e-mails.

We will take action when we see someone violating these community guidelines. Sometimes that just means deleting the post and giving someone a warning; other times it means revoking certain privileges or accounts entirely. Sales posts will be removed by admin. We request that all community members report behaviour that violates our guidelines to info@ics.ie.

In order to meet the goals of the community, it is important members not only engage but also feel they are in a safe and professional environment that is populated with and by people with shared interests and professional standards. Although ICS maintains the site, this is a community that we build together, and your help is required to make it the best it can be. As such, you are expected to adhere to the guidelines below.

Do:

  • Be mindful that this is a professional environment so please keep posts relevant and professional.
  • Treat others online as you would treat them in real life.
  • Be tolerant towards others’ viewpoints; respectfully disagree when opinions do not align.
  • Respect the privacy and personal information of other members. You must ask permission of a member if you wish to share their personal information with anyone else.
  • Communicate with courtesy and respect.

Do not:

  • Make personal attacks on other community members
  • Use defamatory remarks or make false statements against others
  • Post prejudiced comments or profanity
  • Bully or make inflammatory remarks to other community members

Part 4

Profile Information

THIS SECTION IS SUPPLEMENTAL TO THE GENERAL PRIVACY NOTICE AVAILABLE ON THE ICS WEBSITE https://ww.ics.ie/privacynotice/

A “Data Controller” determines the purposes for which, and the means by which, Personal Data (as defined below) is processed. ICS is the Data Controller in respect of information which we collect about Members (“Personal Data”).

We collect Personal Data from Members directly via their use of, and interaction on, the ICS Membercloud Platform either as current, past or prospective members of ICS and also when we are contacted directly by telephone, text or email. Personal Data is collected for the purpose of applying for (and maintaining) membership, and providing the benefits that membership brings.

In order to set up a Member account for the platform, information at application stage is collected and inputted to the platform by us OR requested upon registration by you. Full details of the information that we gather about Members is listed below.

Purposes of information we collect and the legal basis for processing and, where necessary, the basis of legitimate interest

  • To respond to an enquiry from you, provide member support or to otherwise manage our relationship with you we may use your Information (see Information we gather about Members below). This is necessary for our legitimate interests to manage and/or maintain our relationship with you, provide you with important updates. It is also necessary to take steps at your request to provide services to you.
  • To register you as a Member and create an online Member account for you and/or where necessary to register you for an event or webinar. This is required by us to perform a contract with you (or your parent/guardian where you do not have legal capacity to do so).
  • To display details about you on the Members Details page within the platform we will use your “Published Profile Information”, which can be viewed by all ICS Members. This is necessary for our legitimate interests in providing a platform for all Members to network together and influence other IT Professionals. Consent is gathered via the acceptance of these Member Terms upon initial login to the platform (or consent of your parent/guardian where you do not have legal capacity to consent). Please note that the Published Profile Information of all Members is to be respected and not shared without direct consent from the Member in question.
  • To send you communications that may be of interest to you and have not opted out of receiving such communication. We use Basic Information and Contact Information which is necessary for our legitimate interests (to develop membership interests).

Information we gather about Members

  • We only collect and use Personal Data where we are legally entitled to do so for our legitimate interests. Your privacy and personal data are important to us. Any personal data that you provide to us will be dealt with in line with this section and our General Privacy Notice available at https://ics.ie/privacynotice/ which explains what personal data we collect in general from or about any user of the website, how and why we collect, store, use and share such information, your rights in relation to your personal data and how to contact us and the Data Protection regulatory body in the event you have a query or complaint about the use of your personal data.

We collect information, and Personal Data, about our members for the purposes of and in connection with maintaining your membership status and our mission, this information is as follows:

Basic Information

such as your first and last name (including prefix or title);

Contact Information

such as your email address, phone number, home and work postal address;

Profile Information (for ICS only)

includes your username and password (encrypted), profession (job title or role), home and work county, competencies and certifications, CPD Points for events and/or training attended, purchases or orders made by you, interactions and results, preferences you choose and your feedback including any survey responses (where relevant)

Published Profile Information (for viewing by ICS Members)

Full name, Company affiliation, Job title

Financial Information

including your bank account or card details and bank account details for payment processing purposes, details about payments to and from you and other details of products and services you have purchased from us;

Technical Information

such as information from your visits to the platform (including internet protocol (IP) address and login data, browser or client application information, time zone setting and location, language preference, operating system and application version, device type and ID, and device model and manufacturer, and other technology on the devices you use to access the platform) or in relation to materials and communications we send to you electronically

Any Other Information
  • relating to you which you may provide to us
  • Any CPD you partake in is added to your profile on your online account if you use our CPD tool to track your CPD.
  • We may share Personal Data of Members regarding CPD activities, where necessary, with relevant third parties and regulatory authorities and upon your request, to employers or to maintain the Member profile in another jurisdiction for lifelong learning.
  • Personal Data that appears on your “Published Profile” will be seen by all Members of ICS. All Members (including you) agree under these Member Terms not to use or disclose Personal Data of other Members without express consent received directly from the other Member(s).
  • We will not disclose Personal Data to third parties unless required by law to do so, or as otherwise set out in these Terms or the Priviacy Notice at https://ics.ie/privacynotice/
  • We retain Personal Data of Members for the purposes of maintaining your profile and for future events, CPD learning and also for providing verification of your membership, when and if ever requested by you.
  • For further information on Your Personal Data, please refer to the Privacy Notice at https://ics.ie/privacynotice/
  • From time to time, you may be contacted by our Member Services Team for housekeeping purposes. ICS will never contact you to request for your username and password by email or other medium. If you receive any emails purportedly from the ICS requesting for such information, do not respond to such requests. Instead, please contact us by telephone (01-2377788) or email (info@ics.ie) immediately.

End.