Privacy and Cookies policy

Last updated: 21st September, 2020

Thanks for visiting SandStories.org! This Privacy and Cookies Policy describes what information we collect and how it's used and shared. Note that any capitalized terms not defined in this Privacy Policy have the meanings set forth in our Terms of Service. Before we go ahead, it’s important for us to say that when it comes to your personal information, we believe in transparency, not surprises. We want to share with you a few of our core privacy principles. First, we don’t sell your personal information to anyone. It’s just not the type of business we’re in. Second, we started this website so that we can break down information barriers and work together as a community to address an urgent, yet ignored environmental matter. That is why this site exists. We don’t ask for your personal information unless we need it to provide or improve the Services for you. Third, we don’t share your personal information unless you’ve specifically allowed it, or for the very limited purposes described below. Finally, we appreciate that when you use our Services, you trust us with your information, and we take that responsibility very seriously.

1. What information do we collect?

SandStories.org strives to offer its visitors the many advantages of Internet technology and to provide an interactive and personalized experience. How we collect and store information depends on the page you are visiting, the activities in which you elect to participate and the services provided.

1.1 Personal information:

SandStories.org collects and securely stores the personal information that you provide such as name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, and date of birth (where appropriate) in order to satisfy the expectations and requirements of our users, e.g. by communicating with them or registering them for specific events. SandStories.org does not keep credit card details.

We collect the information only in connection with specific activities, such as, petitions, campaigns, feedback or email newsletter subscriptions, etc. You don't have to disclose any of this information if you do not wish to. We keep a log of the amounts and dates of your financial support for our own financial auditing records.

1.2 Non-personal information:

For each visitor to our website, our web server automatically recognises only the visitor's domain name (its IP address), but not the email address. This information helps us generate broad demographic statistics on what types of organisations are visiting the site, which pages they visit and for how long. This helps us to determine how many individuals use our site, how many people visit on a regular basis, which pages are most popular, and which pages are least popular. This information doesn't tell us anything about who you are, it simply allows us to monitor and improve our service.

2. Who is responsible for the personal information that we collect?

We are the data controller for the purpose of data protection law, in respect of your personal information collected and used through your use of the Website and the Services.

3. Cookies

3.1 The Website uses cookies. Cookies are small data files created by a web server and stored on your computer when you access the Website. Cookies cannot read your hard disk or make any information collected by use of a cookie available to any third party. A cookie can only be read by the organisation that installs it. The Website uses cookies to track user traffic patterns. We do this in order to determine the usefulness of our website and to see how effective our navigational structure is. We do not release this information to unauthorised third parties.

3.2 If you prefer not to receive cookies while browsing our website, you can set your browser to refuse all cookies that are stored on your computer. You do not need to have cookies turned on to use or navigate through many parts of our website. But if you do restrict cookies, you may be unable to access certain portions of the site or may be asked to re-enter your user name and password, and we may not be able to customize the site’s features according to your preferences.

3.3 If you are a registered user of the Website and wish to sign in to password protected sections, you will need to allow “per-session” cookies. These are only stored on your computer for the duration of your visit and are deleted when you close your browser or sign out of the Website.

4. What do we do with the information we collect?

4.1   Like other web publishers, we collect information to enhance your visit and deliver more individualized content. We respect your privacy.

4.2   Aggregated Information (information that does not personally identify you) may be used in many ways. For example, we may combine information about your usage patterns with similar information obtained from other users to help enhance our site and services (e.g., to learn which pages are visited most or what features are most attractive). Aggregated Information may occasionally be shared with our corporate partners. Again, this information does not include any Personally Identifiable Information about you or allow anyone to identify you individually.

4.3  We may use Personally Identifiable Information collected on SandStories.org to communicate with you about your registration and customization preferences; our Terms of Service and privacy policy; services and products offered by us and other topics we think you might find of interest.

4.4   Personally Identifiable Information collected by SandStories.org may also be used for other purposes, including but not limited to site administration, troubleshooting, processing of e–commerce transactions, administration of contests, and other communications with you.

5. Who may we disclose your personal information to?

The information we gather is not sold, given to, or otherwise shared with other organisations so that they can market to you. We will use your information only as permitted by law. Authorised third parties who provide technical support for the operation of our site (our Web hosting service for example) may access such information. We may also share this information with professional advisers including accountants, lawyers and other professionals that assist us in carrying out our business activities. If we're involved in a reorganization, merger, acquisition or sale of our assets, your information may be transferred as part of that deal. We may also disclose your information in response to a court order, at other times when we believe we are reasonably required to do so by law, in connection with the collection of amounts you may owe to us, and/or to law enforcement authorities whenever we deem it appropriate or necessary. Please note we may not provide you with notice prior to disclosure in such cases.

6. Where is this information held?

Personal information submitted through the forms on this site is held only in the SandStories.org database.

International Transfers

We may need to transfer your personal data to suppliers based in the US or other countries outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) to allow them to perform services on our behalf. In doing so, your data may be stored or otherwise processed outside of the EEA.

Whenever we transfer your personal data out of the EEA, we ensure a similar degree of protection is afforded to it by ensuring at least one of the following safeguards are in place:

  • the country has been deemed to provide an adequate level of protection for personal data by the European Commission;

  • a specific contract which is approved by the European Commission and gives personal data the same protection it has in EEA, has been entered into with the supplier; or

  • Where we use service providers based in the USA, it is accredited under the EU-US Privacy Shield which requires them to provide similar protection to personal data shared between Europe and the USA.

Social media

Depending on your settings and the privacy policies for social media and messaging services like Facebook and Twitter, you might give us permission to access information from those accounts or services. For example, we occasionally participate in Facebook’s “Custom Audience” program which enables us to display adverts to our existing or potential supporters via Facebook. We provide personal information such as your email address to Facebook to enable them to determine if you are a registered account holder with Facebook. Our adverts may then appear when you access Facebook and on your Facebook feed. Your data is sent in an encrypted format that is deleted by Facebook if it does not match with a Facebook account. For more information please read the Facebook Business page about Custom Audiences and Facebook’s Data Policy.

7. How long will we keep your personal information?

We will retain your personal information for as long as is necessary for purposes for which it was collected. The precise period will depend on the reason why it was collected. Those periods are also based on the requirements of applicable data protection laws, applicable legal and regulatory requirements and periods relating to the commencement of legal actions.

8. What are your rights?

The following is a summary of the data protection rights available to individuals in the European Union and the European Economic Area in connection with their personal information. The rights may only apply in certain circumstances and are subject to certain exemptions. Please see the table below for a summary of your rights. You can exercise these rights using the contact details at the end of this Privacy Policy.

Summary of your rights

Right of access to your personal information

You have the right to receive a copy of your personal information that we hold about you, subject to certain exemptions.

Right to rectify your personal information

You have the right to ask us to correct your personal information that we hold where it is incorrect or incomplete.

Right to erasure of your personal information

You have the right to ask that your personal information be deleted in certain circumstances. For example (i) where your personal information is no longer necessary in relation to the purposes for which they were collected or otherwise used; (ii) if you withdraw your consent and there is no other legal ground for which we rely on for the continued use of your personal information; (iii) if you object to the use of your personal information (as set out below); (iv) if we have used your personal information unlawfully; or (v) if your personal information needs to be erased to comply with a legal obligation. To have your information erased, please contact us at info@sandstories.org.

Right to restrict the use of your personal information

You have the right to suspend our use of your personal information in certain circumstances. For example (i) where you think your personal information is inaccurate and only for such period to enable us to verify the accuracy of your personal information; (ii) the use of your personal information is unlawful and you oppose the erasure of your personal information and request that it is suspended instead; (iii) we no longer need your personal information, but your personal information is required by you for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; or (iv) you have objected to the use of your personal information and we are verifying whether our grounds for the use of your personal information override your objection.

Right to data portability

You have the right to obtain your personal information in a structured, commonly used and machine-readable format and for it to be transferred to another organisation, where it is technically feasible. The right only applies where the use of your personal information is based on your consent or for the performance of a contract, and when the use of your personal information is carried out by automated (i.e. electronic) means.

Right to object to the use of your personal information

You have the right to object to the use of your personal information in certain circumstances. For example (i) where you have grounds relating to your particular situation and we use your personal information for our legitimate interests (or those of a third party); and (ii) if you object to the use of your personal information for direct marketing purposes.

Right to withdraw consent

You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time where we rely on consent to use your personal information.

Right to complain to the relevant data protection authority

You have the right to complain to the relevant data protection authority where you think we have not used your personal information in accordance with data protection law.

In respect of exercising your rights, please note:

What we may need from you

We may need to request specific information from you to help us confirm your identity and ensure your right to access your Personal Information (or to exercise any of your other rights). This is a security measure to ensure that Personal Information is not disclosed to any person who has no right to receive it. We may also contact you to ask you for further information in relation to your request to speed up our response.

Time limit to respond

We try to respond to all legitimate requests within one month. Occasionally it may take us longer than a month if your request is particularly complex or you have made a number of requests. In this case, we will notify you and keep you updated.

9. Information from under 18s

We do not knowingly collect information from minors. To use the Website, you must be the age of legal majority in your place of residence. By using the Website, you hereby represent that you are at least the age of legal majority in your place of residence. We do not use an application or other mechanism to determine the age of users of the Website. We will use commercially reasonable efforts to delete information associated with a minor as soon as practicable if we learn that a minor has submitted information to us.

10. How do we keep your data safe?

We have appropriate physical, technical and managerial controls in place to protect your personal details. Only select personnel trained in data handling are allowed access.

Despite all of our precautions however, no data transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be 100% secure. So, whilst we strive to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee the security of any information which you disclose to us and so wish to draw your attention that you do so at your own risk.

11. External links

SandStories.org expects its partners, advertisers and affiliates to respect the privacy of our users. Be aware, however, that third parties, including our partners, advertisers, affiliates and other content providers accessible through our site, may have their own privacy and data collection policies and practices. For example, during your visit to our site you may link to, or view as part of a frame on SandStories.org pages, certain content that is actually created or hosted by a third party. Also, through the Website you may be introduced to, or be able to access, information, websites, features, contests or sweepstakes offered by other parties. SandStories.org is not responsible for the actions or policies of such third parties. You should check the applicable privacy policies of those third parties when providing information on a feature or page operated by a third party.

While on our site, our promotional partners or other third parties may use cookies or other technology to attempt to identify some of your preferences or retrieve information about you. Other features available on our site may offer services operated by third parties and may use cookies or other technology to gather information. SandStories.org does not control the use of this technology by third parties or the resulting information, and are not responsible for any actions or policies of such third parties.

You should also be aware that if you voluntarily disclose Personally Identifiable Information on message boards or in chat areas, that information can be viewed publicly and can be collected and used by third parties without our knowledge and may result in unsolicited messages from other individuals or third parties. Such activities are beyond the control of SandStories.org and this policy.

12. Changes to this Policy

SandStories.org reserves the right to change this policy at any time. Please check this page periodically for changes. Your continued use of our site following the posting of changes to these terms will mean you accept those changes.

For more information, please contact us at info@sandstories.org.

Our Postal Address is

SANDSTORIES.ORG
86 - 90 Paul Street,
London EC2A 4NE

Thank you for your time and we look forward to working with you!