Privacy Policy

Privacy

Our privacy policy At National Capital FreeNet (NCF), our policy is to respect and protect member privacy. NCF is under no obligation to monitor the data passing through our network, nor do we track packet destination, content, or type. On occasion, we receive notice of copyright infringement, especially from authorities in the United States, which we forward via email to the appropriate member as per our legal obligation. NCF protects the privacy of its members. NCF does not disclose, rent, or sell a member’s email addresses or personal information unless requested by that member in writing. However, NCF must comply with court orders requiring information disclosure.

General FAQ

What information concerning my IP address and my web browsing does NCF collect?

NCF logs IP addresses assigned to your modem/router as well as information relating to the connection between your modem/router and NCF's equipment.

On our end, NCF does not log any information regarding the sites that you visit or the searches that you make. That said, the websites that you visit may log your assigned IP address and other information. You may wish to contact those sites for information regarding their privacy policies.

What information does NCF store about me, my devices and my account?

NCF maintains information such as name, address, invoices, payments made, trouble tickets, purchased equipment, etc. Modem/router information IP address information may be logged as described above and this will allow linkage to your account.

What geo-locational data does NCF collect?

NCF does not have access to any geo-locational information except your street address, which we use only for billing purposes.

What text messages or multi-media messages does NCF log?

NCF does not provide inter-member text or multi-media messaging services. However, NCF provides a communication service between members and NCF staff (Office Messages) as well as a request tracking system (Request Tracker). Messages using these systems are logged. NCF also provides members access to discussion groups where they can post questions and comments. These postings are public and are logged.

Does NCF log my voice calls?

NCF does not provide any voice services nor do we have access to your call information if you use a VOIP service. If you use NCF's dial-up Internet service, session-related information (such as the calling number, called number, call duration, etc.) is logged.

What information does NCF collect in its mobile device applications?

NCF does not provide any mobile device applications.

What information does NCF collect regarding my services and my usage?

NCF collects and stores usage statistics for the amount of data that has been transmitted to and from your modem/router. This is used for billing and engineering purposes only. NCF does not perform deep packet inspection of traffic and handles all traffic types and sources uniformly.

Does NCF disclose my personal information to third parties, including law enforcement agencies?

NCF does not disclose your personal information nor any information about your account or devices to third parties unless they provide a valid search warrant or court order. In such cases, NCF will provide only the information that is required in order to be compliant with the order.

Does NCF inform me if my data has been disclosed in response a valid search warrant or court order?

NCF is obligated by law to keep these searches confidential. We do not record any information regarding search warrants or court orders.

Does NCF sell member information, even in anonymous or aggregate form, to third parties for advertising purposes or to enhance my browsing experience?

No. NCF does not accept advertising on its site, does not use any personal information to enhance user experience and does not sell any information to anyone.

Bell provides local loop and DSL access services to NCF. Do they have access to my personal information? Bell records your name, address, phone number and DSL service information as well as any Bell orders and trouble tickets opened on your behalf. They do not have access to any personal, financial or other account information unless you have a separate account with them (e.g., for your phone or TV service).

What does the recent Supreme Court of Canada decision mean to my privacy at NCF?

The Supreme Court ruled in R v Spencer that requesting the user information associated with an IP address constitutes a search which requires a valid search warrant to disclose. This means that ISPs such as NCF can only provide this information when a valid search warrant is furnished by the agency seeking the information. This has always been our policy and now has been endorsed by the Supreme Court.

What does Bill C-13 mean to my privacy at NCF?

Bill C-13 negates the Supreme Court decision by providing agencies with broad powers to request information without a search warrant or court order. This would include the user information associated with an IP address. Further information on Bill C-13 and its erosion of your privacy can be found at https://cippic.ca and https://openmedia.ca.

Who can I contact at NCF regarding privacy issues?

You can contact NCF's Executive Director at execdir@ncf.ca