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Privacy policy

Privacy Policy 

Privacy Symposium aims and ambition 

The Privacy Symposium conference (hereafter referred to as the “Conference”) aims at supporting international dialogue, cooperation and knowledge sharing on data protection, compliance and innovative technologies. The Conference is co-organized by several partners and intends to support dialogue and cooperation among experts and stakeholders engaged in data protection through regular conferences and meetings.

Data Controller and Users 

The Conference is organized by an Organizing Committee that gathers several organizations, including the foundation Mandat International located in Geneva, Switzerland (hereafter referred to as the “Controller”) that serves as data controllers of the privacy symposium website and registration process on behalf of the Organizing Committee. 

The term “Users” refers to any user of the website and/or participant to the Conference. 

The term “Services” refers to the Conference and related activities, including the registration process and communication with the Users. 

Purpose and Legal Basis 

The Controller processes personal data for the sole purposes of the Conference aims, activities and Services, including: 

  • Registration, invoicing and billing of participants to the Conference.
  • Membership applications and management, including membership fees invoicing.
  • Enabling Users and Controller to interact and communicate with each other.
  • Informing Conference participants on related events and activities.
  • Improving users experience on our website.
  • Authenticating, securing and collecting statistics on remote connections. Personal Data is collected on the legal basis of prior informed consent, and where applicable on legitimate interest basis, such as security of the online services.

Data Minimization 

The Controller avoids collecting unnecessary personal data and follows “data protection by design” and “data minimization” policies for data processing and retention. 

How Data Can Be Collected 

The Controller can receive information and personal data through its websites, email notifications, and other interactions means, and may include:

  • Information Users provide about themselves.
  • Information collected automatically and shared by Users devices for connectivity, such as IP addresses. Such data may be logged for security reasons.
  • The Controller does its best effort to limit and avoid the use of “cookie” technology, except when required for technical or security reasons. More information on the cookies can be found below under the ‘Cookie Policy’.

Policy Towards Children 

In principle, our Services are not directed to persons under 16 years of age. Any participant to an Controller event who is a minor of age shall have a parental agreement before sharing any personal data with us. Anyone who becomes aware that someone under 16 years of age has provided us with personal data without a parental agreement should contact us. 

Data Storage and Retention Period 

Controller stores its data in Europe (mainly Switzerland). The data retention period is minimized and data that are not useful anymore are deleted. The data retention period is determined by taking into account the legal, security, management and other legitimate Service requirements. 

Recipients, Sharing and Transfer of Information 

Personal data are processed with care and strict rules are applied to avoid any unnecessary data transfers to third parties or to geographic locations that may expose the data at risk. We may share personal data in the following cases:

  • With data processors and partners for our Services and activities, such as online payment solutions, onsite registration process, or data storage infrastructure. The list of data processors is available by simple request to the Controller.
  • When required by law or for legitimate purpose, such as: protecting the legal rights and safety of the Controller, its partners, and the users of its Services.
  • For reporting: We usually use aggregated and anonymized data when reporting on the participants to our events. However, names and affiliations of participants attending Controller as keynote speakers, chairs, moderators, speakers or officials may appear in public reports, press releases and through other information means.

Privacy Symposium Newsletter 

Visitors can voluntarily register to the newsletter of the Privacy Symposium. The newsletter service is provided by the company Infomaniak. There’s no third-party tracking in messages we send through Infomaniak besides Infomaniak’s own analytics, which may aggregate how many subscribers open a message or click the links inside. Infomaniak stores your email addresses in Europe. Infomaniak’s privacy policy is available at the following link

You can cancel subscriptions to our newsletters at any time. To do so, either send us an e-mail or follow the link at the end of the newsletter. 

Security 

We use physical, technical, and administrative measures to safeguard information in our possession against loss, theft and unauthorized use, disclosure, or modification. Please note, however, that no data transmission or storage can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. As a result, while we strive to protect the information we maintain, we cannot ensure or warrant the security of any information that you transmit to us. If you identify any weakness in our security, please inform us. 

Data Subject Rights 

Users have rights on their personal data. You may contact the data protection officer of the Controller in order to assert your rights as a Data Subject, including the right to access, rectify, erase your personal data; the right to withdraw consent and to restrict or object to the processing of your personal data; and the right to portability of your personal data. Data Subjects also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority in case their rights would be violated. 

Information on Data Processing 

The Controller does not use the personal data collected on this website to perform automated decision making (as defined in Art. 22 of the GDPR) or to profile the data subjects. Some online services and tasks can be automated, such as registrations to our events or newsletter, but they are not based on analysing the personal data or profile of the data subject. 

Changes to this Policy 

We reserve a right to revise this Privacy Policy and make amendments at our sole discretion. The most current version of the policy will govern our use of your information and will be available on the Conference website: https://www.privacysymposium.org. By continuing to access or use the Services after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Privacy Policy. 

Data Controller Contact Details 

The foundation Mandat International (hereafter “Controller”) is located in Switzerland at 15 Avenue de Secheron, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland. The Controller and its data protection officer can be reached by regular post mail or through the following contact form.   

Cookies Policy 

Cookies we use on the Privacy Symposium website

We aim at avoiding and minimizing the use of any cookies. Therefore this website does not use any first party cookies and does its best effort to avoid any third party cookies except if required for specific services such as online payments. We invite our users to report any issues to us. 

General Information about Cookies 

The following is a general overview of what Cookies are and is for informational purposes only. 

A cookie is a small text file that a website, app or other platform stores on your device with information on your browsing and use. Cookies were initially developed to improve user experience online, for instance to remember the Users login, preferences and other customization functions. They also help in understanding Users’ interaction with the website and learning what can be improved. 

There are two types of cookies depending on its lifespan: 

  • Session cookies are temporary cookie files and are erased after the Users close their browser. Once they restart their browser and come back to the same site, they will not be recognised by the website and a new session cookie will be generated for them.
  • Persistent cookies are lasting cookie files and stay in the browser of the Users for the time period contained within the cookie’s file or until they delete them manually.

Cookies can also be classified depending on the cookie owner: 

  • First party cookies are placed by the Controller of the website in order for the website to function properly and to ensure the best possible experience for its users.
  • Third party cookies, which are owned by sites and web servers different from the main website.

Depending on its purpose, cookies can be divided into the following groups:

  • Essential cookies (technical) that are necessary for the proper functioning of the site. An example of such cookie can be login cookies or shopping cart cookies.
  • Functional cookies, which are needed to recognise returning users’ and remember their preferences like a language choice.
  • Analysis cookies used to collect aggregate information on the number of visitors and the pattern of visits to the Services. The data controller may use such aggregate information to identify security threats, analyse trends and information on visitors, and administer the Services.
  • Behavioural advertising cookies, which gather information on users’ behaviour to, for example, allow for the most effective advertisement management.

User’s Consent 

According to the European General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), users must be informed about the cookies used by the websites they visit. Users must provide their prior informed consent, except for some technical cookies, such as: 

  • Cookie analytics insofar as they are used directly by the website manager to collect aggregate information on the number of visitors and the pattern of visits to the website.
  • Browsing or Session cookies used to log-in to the website.
  • Functional cookies, which allow users to navigate as a function of certain pre-determined criteria such as language.

For Profiling cookies, namely those aimed at creating user profiles and used to send advertising messages in line with the preferences shown by the user during navigation, the user’s prior consent is necessary. 

Changes to this Policy 

We reserve a right to revise this Cookie Policy and make amendments at our sole discretion. The most current version of the policy will govern our use of your information and will be available on the: https://www.privacysymposium.org. By continuing to access or use the Services after those changes become effective, you agree to be bound by the revised Cookie Policy.

Privacy Policy