About Us
Our mission is to empower people living with neuromuscular diseases to live longer, more independent lives.
MDA Camp Connections Additional Terms of Use and Privacy Policy
These Additional Terms of Use and Privacy Policy (the “Additional Terms”) are provided in connection with the Camp Connections program (the “Program”) provided by Muscular Dystrophy Association, Inc. (“MDA”) as part of its virtual summer camp offerings.
Please read these Additional Terms along with MDA’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, which also govern your child’s use of the Program. Where the Additional Terms conflict with the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy, the Additional Terms shall control.
You must indicate your consent at the bottom of these Additional Terms so that your child may participate in the Program.
GRANT OF PERMISSION AND RELEASE AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS FOR APPEARANCE IN PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO
Muscular Dystrophy Association, Inc. ('MDA') regularly uses photographs and videos of participants from MDA events for fund-raising and publicity purposes. The following consent form allows MDA to use your child's photograph, film or writings for these purposes.
In consideration of my child's participation in the MDA Camp Connections Program (the 'Program'), I hereby consent to the publication and use of my child's name, likeness, voice, writings, diagnosis and other biographical material (together the 'Likeness') for the purpose of promotion, publicity, advertising, or other manner, by MDA, its agents, licensees or assigns, throughout the world in perpetuity. Use of the Likeness shall include, but not be limited to, photographs, sound and video recordings, films, broadcasts, brochures, publications, reports, web pages, social media posts, promotional materials or any other audio-visual, electronic, printed, tangible work in any media or format, now known or later developed (the 'Materials'). For the avoidance of doubt, MDA may create the Materials, or I may provide the Materials, in whole or part, to MDA.
I acknowledge that neither I, nor my child, shall have any right of review or approval regarding the use of the Likeness and the Materials.
Except for the consideration recited above, I understand that I will not be compensated for my child's services rendered in connection with the Materials, but that MDA will be relying on this Grant of Permission and Release and Waiver of Rights (this 'Release') in determining to use the Materials. Accordingly, I also hereby release and hold harmless MDA along with its respective directors, officers, employees, volunteers, chapters, licensees, cooperating entities, agencies, their representatives, heirs, executors, administrators, successors and assigns from any and all claims, demands, or causes of action arising out of the use of the Likeness and the Materials, in accordance with the terms of this Release.
This Release shall be governed by the laws of the State of New York.
COPPA FORM FOR VERIFIABLE PARENTAL CONSENT
During the course of the Program, MDA will provide the Program to your child through RingCentral or Microsoft Teams, (each the “Third-Party Platform”). MDA does not operate or control the Third-Party Platform, which is subject to the Third-Party Platform terms and policies. Please review these policies (found here: RingCentral Legal Notices, Microsoft Privacy Statement, and Microsoft Services Agreement), specifically the section concerning the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act (“COPPA”), to determine whether the Third-Party Platform’s privacy practices are suitable for your child.
Under COPPA, commercial website operators must obtain parental consent before collecting personal information (“PI”) from children under the age of 13. MDA does not collect PI from children under the age of 13 in the course of its day to day business activities conducted outside of the Program. However, while participating in the Program, your child may disclose PI to other camp participants, and MDA may be required to collect your child’s PI for the very limited purpose of providing the Program to your child. MDA may also record portions of the Program for quality control purposes.
While COPPA does not apply to MDA and its non-profit activities, MDA intends to provide COPPA protections to campers. This form constitutes your consent for MDA to collect and permission for your child to disclose PI (such as name, age, diagnosis, email address, username, image, voice) during the Program and for MDA to share your child’s PI with the Third-Party Platform only to the extent necessary to deliver the Program.
Please contact privacy@mdausa.org with any questions concerning MDA’s collection of PI during the Program.
CAMPER/VOLUNTEER CONTACT OUTSIDE OF THE PROGRAM
MDA has gone through great lengths to select the most trustworthy and appropriate camp volunteers who are well-suited to participate in the Program, and MDA has carefully screened and interviewed each Program volunteer. The Program is a well-supervised community that has many built-in checks and balances, including very clear guidelines on camper—volunteer interactions. Volunteers are specifically instructed not to provide contact information to campers or initiate contact with campers through social media and other forms of communication without explicit parental consent. MDA does not encourage continued volunteer—camper contact outside of MDA programs. If you as a parent or legal guardian permit your child to have continued contact with a camp volunteer outside of the Program, you accept full responsibility for overseeing and monitoring that contact and release MDA from any claims arising from that contact. Beyond the Program, MDA is not responsible for volunteer behavior and actions.
CAMPER/CAMPER CONTACT OUTSIDE OF THE PROGRAM
MDA does not prohibit campers from sharing information with one another, including, but not limited to emails, social media handles and gamer names. Because we have disables private chats during the Program, your child’s contact information may be viewed by all participants. If you do not agree to your child sharing their contact information in this manner, then you should not permit your child to participate in the Program.
MDA CAMP CONNECTIONS CODE OF CONDUCT—PLEASE REVIEW WITH YOUR CHILD
Make sure your environment is camp friendly, ensuring your camper's background is clear of distractions and clutter, in particular:
- No suggestive posters or decorations, alcohol or drug paraphernalia, or firearms.
Position light in front of your camper or to the side (not backlit).
Have your camper wear neat, modest clothing. Avoid t-shirts with slogans or product names that are not camper friendly.
Try to find a quiet space where your camper won't be interrupted by siblings and parents.
Do not use tobacco or marijuana, whether smoking, chewing or vaping during camp.
RULE OF THREES
Two adults (MDA Staff and/or Volunteers) must always be present during any live interactive activity with campers, such as virtual cabin, full camp activity, or a campsite tour. If your camper reports that two adults were not present during the Program, please email camp@mdausa.org.
THE FOLLOWING IS NOT TOLERATED AND WILL RESULT IN IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL FROM CAMP CONNECTIONS.
- Any form of bullying or harassment.
- Direct messaging other campers in private chats or sending private videos during Program activities.
- Sharing graphic images or links to images (pornographic, sexually suggestive, violent, animal cruelty, self-harm) or any content that is not appropriate for children as determined by MDA.
- Sharing images or content without an individual's permission, especially with the intent to bully, shame or embarrass.
- Distributing viruses. Do not engage in or promote phishing activities. Do not threaten another user with digital harm, including but not limited to viruses, hacking, and spying.
Attempting to access another user's account.
STEPS THAT MDA IS TAKING TO ENSURE SECURITY AND PRIVACY
- All volunteers have been screened by MDA, including a criminal background check.
- This year we included training on virtual interactions with minors in our volunteer orientation.
- All groups are by invitation only and password-protected.
- We have selected platforms that do not require volunteers to 'friend' campers to participate.
- We have restricted comments and private chats, and we use firewalls to block inappropriate contact.
For further guidance on children's online safety, we recommend reviewing these rules with your camper: https://www.safekids.com/kids-rules-for-online-safety/