Since the launch of the Fb website in 2002 we have had many internal discussions about whether or not to have a log in process. In the early years, before the advent of sites like MySpace and Facebook, few people were comfortable logging on to websites, so we held off. Over the past few years, however, there has been a shift in how people use the internet. This shift has impacted our work too, and has led us to new offerings such as our online Fb Gathering support group tool (Jan 10).

As we consider new programs and resources, we feel we will be more able serve our visitors well if we have a better sense of the audience we are talking to. Knowing more about our audience also helps us secure sponsors, which is what makes it possible for us to provide so much free content to you.

So we've come up with just a few questions, mostly generic (i.e. non-personal), such as what age range you’re in, why you’re here (i.e. for yourself or someone else) and whether you’re a professional or a layperson. Upon registering, you will have a login and a password to allow you full access to most parts of the site, and first dibs at premium content which we will be continually expanding over time.

And in case you’re wondering, please know that your personal information will NEVER be shared with any third party. Your privacy is of utmost importance to us.

If you have further questions about this new policy, please let us know.