Privacy policy

The Future is Public (FIP) respects your right to privacy. Any personal information you provide is only known to FIP) and you, unless we state otherwise at the time of collecting data.

This Privacy Policy (hereafter: the Policy) outlines the personal data collection and processing practices related to the FIP website, communications and community building objectives.

The Policy does not cover all of the personal data processing operations by FIP, for example data processed in connection to staff and human resourcing, which is covered by internal policies and procedures.

Data controller

The data controller for data collected and processed in accordance with this Policy is the Transnational Institute (TNI).

TNI is a Foundation under Dutch law (Algemeen nut beogende instelling (ANBI)). TNI’s address is:

Transnational Institute
De Wittenstraat 25
1052 AK Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Any questions regarding this Policy or any other data protection issue related to FIP should be submitted in writing to the above address or by email to webmaster@tni.org

Guiding principles

FIP respects fundamental rights to privacy and data protection accordingly.

FIP is also committed to disseminating the information it produces as widely as possible and wants to build a community of change that supports its work and broader struggles for social justice in which it is involved.

To meet these objectives FIP needs to collect and process some personal data. In accordance with these guiding principles, FIP limits the amount of data it collects to that which is needed to meet these objectives, and only ever uses the data that it collects for purposes that are related to those objectives.

FIP also engages third party service providers to help it meet its objectives. As far as possible FIP only uses service providers that are equally committed to protecting personal privacy.

FIP will never sell the personal data it collects, and does everything it can to protect that data against unauthorised access and misuse.

Data collection and processing

In order to meet its communications and community-building objectives, FIP collects and processes data from the following data subjects (you are the “data subject” if you fall into any of these categories):

• • • Web users
    • Email list subscribers
    • Conference registrants

FIP collects as little personal data as is possible to meet its objectives and serve the needs of its web users and supporters. This is illustrated in the following table, which shows the data collected by FIP and who it is collected from.

Not all the data listed below is collected systematically. For example, TNI staff members may look at information relating to social media users who engage with FIP on Twitter or Facebook, but does not routinely collect such information.

Data use

FIP collects and processes personal data for the following specific purposes:

• • • To send emails about its work to its email subscribers;
    • To administer its websites and monitor aggregate usage;
    • To provide conference registrants with updates;
    • To respond to communications received via its website;
    • To respond to requests for information about its services from data subjects;
    • To conduct occasional surveys regarding its work or services;
    • To tailor communications to data subjects’ interests and preferences;
    • For related accounting and auditing purposes.

Information security

FIP takes all reasonable steps to ensure that personal data is treated securely and in accordance with this Policy. Unfortunately, the transmission of information via the internet is not completely secure. Although TNI (as data controller for FIP) does its best to protect personal data, it cannot guarantee the security of personal data transmitted to any of its websites. Any such transmission is therefore at the data subject’s own risk.

For personal data in its possession, FIP implements various technical and organisational measures in order to prevent unauthorised access. Wherever possible it encrypts the data it collects, transmits and stores. Access controls within the organisation limit the number of people with access to personal information to those that need it in connection with their job responsibilities or contractual obligations.

FIP uses email service providers in the Netherlands. As a result its emails are susceptible to lawful access by the Dutch authorities, and possibly through unlawful means by the Dutch Government and by other governments and entities.

Data sharing

In order to meet its objectives, FIP works with a carefully chosen group of third party service providers to perform tasks on its behalf.

This includes the following service providers, who perform the following tasks.

FIP may also engage additional third-party service providers to provide services such as information technology support or work with partners on campaigns. These activities may involve access to the personal data held by FIP. In these instances we will seek to ensure as far as possible that any such data processing is carried out in accordance with this Policy. This includes conscientiously selecting service providers and only working with trusted partners.

Jurisdiction

As far as possible, the personal data that FIP collects is stored within the European Economic Area and therefore processed in accordance with EU data protection law. However, because FIP works globally, there may be occasions where personal data is processed outside of this jurisdiction, for example by staff or contractors working for FIP from other parts of the world. In these cases FIP takes appropriate steps to ensure that the recipients of personal data are bound by a duty of confidentiality.

Data retention

FIP retains personal data only for as long as necessary in accordance with the above purposes and applicable laws.

When personal data is no longer necessary for these purposes it is securely deleted.

Where financial information is concerned, FIP may be required to retain some personal data for up to seven years in order to satisfy legal or contractual obligations, or in order to establish, exercise or defend legal claims.

For consent-based services from which the data subject can opt-out at any time such as email updates, FIP keeps personal data until it receives instructions to the contrary.

Tracking and cookies

The FIP website does not include Facebook, Twitter or Google+ buttons (these enable “likes” and/or “shares” but also allow these companies to track users across websites that install these features).

FIP does however point from its website to these and other internet services that use cookies and other forms of tracking. This is the case with many multi-media services, and particularly the links that FIP posts on its Youtube, Twitter and Facebook accounts.

FIP’s internet service provider may also process traffic data to support the provision of its services.

FIP also collects data on how people use its websites in order to understand the impact of its work and improve its communication and dissemination. This data processing is primarily concerned with recording the specific pages of the website that people enter and leave the site from, the sections of the website they visit, as well as the items they download.

FIP uses this data to report to staff, funders, its Board and partners about the impact of particular reports, campaigns and workstreams.

FIP also makes limited use of services provided by Google Analytics, which uses “cookies”. These are small files which are placed on web users’ computer devices to administer content for visitors to a website. For more information about cookies see allaboutcookies and EFF’s guide.

Social Media

FIP uses social media and social networking to increase the reach and impact of its work. These applications require the use of third party service providers.

The YouTube account FIP links to is administered by YouTube, in accordance with YouTube’s Privacy Policy.

FIP, TNI and Transformative Cities social media accounts and pages are managed by TNI staff members. TNI does not import or export information on its followers or subscribers from or to the aforementioned platforms.

TNI may occasionally use direct messaging over social media if it is contacted this way by individuals or organisations. TNI aims to delete these messages as soon as it has responded to the queries.

Data subjects rights

Individuals whose personal data is processed by FIP have the following rights:

• • • The right to be informed as to whether FIP or TNI holds data about them;
    • The right of access to that information;
    • The right to have inaccurate data corrected;
    • The right to have their data deleted;
    • The right to opt-out of particular data processing operations;
    • The right to receive their data in a form that makes it “portable”;
    • The right to object to data processing;
    • The right to receive an explanation about any automated decision making and/or profiling, and to challenge those decisions where appropriate.

To make a subject access request or complaint contact webmaster@tni.org or write to:

Transnational Institute
De Wittenstraat 25
1052 AK Amsterdam
The Netherlands

Requests can be submitted at any time. TNI will provide a response to any such requests in accordance with Dutch data protection law.

Data subjects covered by EU law may also be entitled to lodge complaints in regard to data processing or the handling of subject access requests with data protection supervisory authority in their country of residence. Relevant supervisory authority names and contact details are listed here. In the Netherlands the relevant supervisory authority is the Dutch DPA.

Changes to the Policy

In the event that the Policy is changed at any time, the date and nature of the change will be clearly indicated in this document.

In the event that the change has a material impact on the handling of personal data, TNI will contact the data subjects to inform of the changes and where appropriate seek their consent.

Revisions

Last update 2 October 2019.