Aug 24, 2020

UNPO Privacy Policy


This website (www.unpo.org) and our programme and the other websites and member-specific instances of BigBlueButton and Element that we maintain are owned by Stichting Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organization, a Netherlands-registered Public Benefit Organization (ANBI) (KvK No: 41156820; RSIN: 8020.03.539).

This policy explains how we use the personal data that we collect from you when you use them or otherwise interact with us online. The policy is regularly reviewed and may change from time to time.

What data do we collect and how do we collect it?

We may collect personal information from you when you use our websites or interact with us online in the following ways:

  • Analytics on the use of our websites via cookies in your browser
  • Your email address and, if provided, your name, if you register for our newsletter via the links provided on www.unpo.org or when you register for our programme or member-specific instances.
  • The email address associated with your PayPal account and, if provided, your name, if you make a donation to us via the links provided on this website.
  • Information provided to us via an online survey, either using an online form or via email.

www.unpo.org and other websites that we maintain contain links to other websites belonging to third parties and we sometimes choose to participate in social networking sites including, but not limited to, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook. We may also include content from sites such as these on our website. However, we do not control the privacy practices of these other sites. You should make sure when you leave our site that you have read and understood that site’s privacy policy in addition to our own.

How do we use your data?

We use your data solely for the purpose for which it is directly given. In other words: to deliver a newsletter to you, to analyze the usage of our website, to acknowledge and thank you via email for a donation, to faciliate access to or participation in our programme or member-specific activities, or (for surveys) to collect and publish information for our reports. We do not use your data for any other purpose and, unless otherwise required by law, will not pass on your information to other third parties, with the exception of those services that are referenced below regarding the storage of data.

When we collect information for our reports via an online survey, this information will be aggregated and presented in an anonymized fashion, unless we have otherwise expressly agreed with you. If we wish to cite information from your survey in a report we will contact you to seek permission, and you are free to decline. Otherwise your name and that of your organisation and community will be anonymised, as will any other identifying information.

How do we store your data?

  • The data for newsletter registrants is stored with Mailchimp, which maintains servers in the United States of America. Mailchimp's privacy policy and its relationship with European Union law on privacy and data protection is available here: https://mailchimp.com/help/about-mailchimp-and-the-gdpr/. This data is periodically backed up on our server, which is located in the European Union. We keep this data until you unsubscribe from the newsletter.
  • Transaction information related to donations to us via PayPal are retained on our PayPal account. PayPal's privacy policy is available here: https://www.paypal.com/uk/webapps/mpp/ua/privacy-full. Transaction records are also stored on our server within the European Union, and are retained in accordance with the law of the Netherlands.
  • Cookies related to use on this website are stored in the United States of America, where our website server is located.
  • Information on your participation on our BigBlueButton and Element instances are retained on our servers, which are located in the European Union. Unless specifically notified in advance, BigBlueButton sessions will not be recorded and no data from those sessions, such as chat histories, will be kept with the exception of session Shared Notes, which may be downloaded and stored on our server. Your registration and information related to BigBlueButton will be kept only for as long as you are participating in an event or training programme hosted on it. We are unable to read encrypted chat histories on our Element instance, though that data is stored on our server.
  • Information collected via an online survey will be stored on the servers of the company that we are using to run the survey (in the past we have used, for instance, Google Forms, Doodle, and SurveyMonkey) and backed up on our server located in the European Union. The company providing the survey infrastructure will be clear when you are directed to an online survey and we encourage you to review the privacy policy of that company and any additional information provided by us regarding the use and purpose of the survey.
  • Information collected via email will be stored on the secure servers of our email provider (located in Switzerland) and backed up on our own server located in the European Union.

For all areas where we collect personal information, we use a secure server. While we cannot 100% guarantee the security of any information you transmit to us, we enforce strict procedures and security features to protect your information and prevent unauthorized access.

What are your rights?

You have a right to:

  • Request a copy of the information we hold about you and update or amend it if it is wrong
  • Ask us to remove your personal information from our records
  • Change your communication preferences (e.g. with regards to our newsletter)
  • Object to the processing of your information for marketing purposes (although, we reiterate that your information will not be used for such purposes).

You can contact us by sending an email to [email protected].

What is our cookies policy?

A cookie is a small file that may be put on your computer or mobile device via its browser when you access our website. Cookies allow us to distinguish you from other users and help us to provide you with a good experience on our website. Information we collect and share via cookies is anonymous and does not personally identify you. We primarily use cookies to analyze usage patterns on www.unpo.org and the other websites that we host or to enable you to log in to our BigBlueButton or Element instances.

Cookies can be set by the website you are visiting (first-party cookies) or by other websites whose content we are hosting (third-party cookies), such as YouTube.

How can you control cookies?

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies and their settings, at least to a certain degree. You can typically prevent the setting of cookies and control the deletion of cookies by adjusting the settings on your browser.