Last modified: March 8, 2022
SXSW, LLC, its agents, subsidiaries and affiliates (“SXSW”) produces the SXSW Conference and Festivals, SXSW EDU Conference and Festival, SXSW Online and SXSW EDU Online (collectively, the “Events”), and is committed to respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy identifies what information is collected about you and how it’s used by SXSW when you use the websites sxsw.com, sxswedu.com, explore.sxsw.com, schedule.sxsw.com, social.sxsw.com, wristbands.sxsw.com, panelpicker.sxsw.com, cart.sxsw.com, volunteer.sxsw.com, id.sxsw.com, merch.sxsw.com, online.sxsw.com, online.sxswedu.com, mentors.sxsw.com, mentors.sxswedu.com, or related sites as well as the SXSW and SXSW EDU OTT apps and SXSW GO mobile app (collectively, the “Site”), purchase goods or services, or communicate with SXSW.
To request a summary of the information that SXSW collects about you, or to request that data be deleted or changed, please email datarequest at sxsw.com. To update your email subscription preferences, please visit https://www.sxsw.com/newsletters and make your updates.
Personal Data Overview
How and Why We Collect Personal Data
Delivering a Customized Site ExperienceCookies. We use cookies to collect the information detailed in the chart above. Cookies are small computer files that we transfer to your computer’s hard drive that allow us to know how often you visit the Site and the activities you conduct while on the Site (e.g., whether you purchase SXSW credentials, referred to here as a “Badge”). Every computer is assigned a different cookie by SXSW.
Deactivating Cookies. You can block collection of your information and Site activity by turning off cookies. You will find further information on how to turn off cookies in the support page of your respective browser. Deactivating cookies may hinder our ability to provide you with certain services or your ability to enjoy certain features of the Site.
Web Beacons. We also may use web beacons to collect anonymous, non-personal information about your use of our Site. Web beacons are tiny graphic image files embedded in a web page or email that provide a presence on the web page or email and send back to its home server information from the users’ browser. The information collected by web beacons allows us to statistically monitor how many people are using our Site, or are opening our emails.
How We Use Cookie and Web Beacon Information. The information collected by cookies and web beacons helps us dynamically generate content on the Site or in emails specifically designed for you, allows us to monitor Site traffic (i.e., where a user is geographically located, device type, browser selection, referring website, Site navigation, demographic information), and provide advertising tailored to you, as discussed in detail in the Marketing and Promotions section. We will not link non-personal cookie or web beacon information to any personal data collected, unless you share that personal data with SXSW through one of the SXSW forms (e.g., subscribing to a SXSW Newsletter).
Location Services. You can opt-in to Location Services on the SXSW GO app, which will enable SXSW to communicate with you about the SXSW event based on your location using push notifications. If you opt-in to location services, SXSW will collect the geofence zones you enter. SXSW may use this information in the aggregate to understand attendee navigation of the Event.
SXSW Recommends. You will have the option to favorite schedule information in order to log the events you are interested in attending. If you favorite items on the SXSW schedule, you will receive schedule, event, and registrant networking recommendations from SXSW based on those favorited items. You can also choose to make your profile in the SXSW GO application public or private. As a default, your SXSW GO profile is public, which means you will receive recommendations for other registrants in the directory based on the other registrants you’ve favorited, and your profile (including your name and photo) may be used in recommendations to other registrants and listed under the header “favorited by” alongside any events in the SXSW schedule that you “favorite.” If you make your profile private, your profile will not be shared with other SXSW registrants or be included in the SXSW schedule.
Public Forums. If you share personal data with others in a forum, such as via SXSW Social, that information will not be private. Please think carefully before disclosing any personal information in any public forum.
Co-branded Channel Partners. SXSW links to co-branded products and/or services to websites hosted and operated by companies other than SXSW, such as YouTube for video content and MeetingMax for hotel reservations (each a “Channel Partner Website(s)”). The co-branded SXSW pages that you may access through a Channel Partner Website may have different registration processes and privacy policies. If you visit a Channel Partner Website, please read the privacy policy that is posted on that site.
SXSW works with third-party service providers to collect information about your Site activity using common tracking technologies, such as cookies, web beacons, and tags. These tools allow SXSW to customize your experience on the Site by analyzing Site traffic and providing you with content and advertising that is tailored to your interests. If you don’t wish to have your activity tracked, learn more about the Do Not Track tool and/or vendor opt-outs.
SXSW also uses linked advertisements and newsletters to deliver information to you that is interest-based or about the Event.
Cookies & Web Beacons. We may use information from cookies and web beacons collected from your use of the Site to target your online activity, browser or apps, with certain advertisements, and/or to determine the popularity of certain content or advertisements. By using the Site, you agree to SXSW collecting and using your behavioral information for those purposes.
Third-Party Tracking. SXSW works with advertisers that use tracking technology (e.g., Facebook Pixel, LinkedIn Insight Tag, Twitter Pixel, etc.) to collect information about your Site activity and third-party website activity that allows us to customize the content and advertising that is delivered to you. We may also use third-party tracking technology to generate analytics reports used to improve our Site, track our success at reaching audiences, and optimize delivery of Site and ad content specifically targeted to your interests based on your use of our Site. We will not combine non-personally identifiable information collected through third-party advertiser tracking with your personal data. We will not attempt to disaggregate data that third-parties report in aggregate.
Google Analytics. We use Google Analytics Demographics & Interests reports to improve our Site, track our success at reaching audiences, and optimize delivery of Site and ad content specifically targeted to your interests based on your use of our Site. We also use Google Display Network Impression Reporting in order to understand the effectiveness of different ad types across various platforms, and remarketing with Google Analytics to deliver relevant ads to you based on your use of our Site. We may use additional Google products and services that require Google Analytics to collect data for advertising purposes. We will not combine non-personally identifiable information collected through Google Analytics with your personal data. We will not attempt to disaggregate data that Google reports in aggregate. The Google Analytics Terms of Service and the Google Privacy Policy govern Google’s ability to use and share information collected through Google Analytics. You can prevent your data from being used by Google Analytics by using the Google Analytics Opt-Out tool.
Linked Advertisements. Our Site or emails may include links to external websites of third-party sponsors, SXSW business partners or advertisers. Third-Parties may use their own cookies, tracking codes, or web beacons when you click on their advertisement or link to their site or service, even if the advertisement simply appears on a page or in an email that you are viewing. In certain situations, you may be temporarily redirected to another website, which may not be apparent to you. We do not control the use of cookies, tracking codes, or web beacons by third-parties, or how they manage personal data you provide to them. You should review the privacy policy of the sites you visit to understand their privacy practices before you share personal data.
Newsletters. You may opt-in to receive email subscriptions that contain content about the Event based on your preferences. SXSW may suggest certain newsletter subscriptions to you based on your Site activity. To opt-in or opt-out from SXSW Newsletters, see the section below: Managing Your Preferences.
Badge Purchase Information. In order to access certain products and services available on the Site (e.g., a Badge), you must register with SXSW and provide personal information, including your name, email address, physical address, phone number. This information is necessary for SXSW to complete the purchase, provide the products and/or services to you, and communicate with you about your purchase. If you connect to the Site or sign up for promotions using your Facebook or other third party credentials, you authorize us to collect your authentication information, such as your username, access credentials, and other information that may be available through your Facebook or other third party account, such as your name, profile picture, country, hometown, email address, and/or date of birth.
Badge Registration Terms. All Badge purchasers must agree to the Participation and Credentials Terms and Conditions (“PCTC”) available here, and the RFID Policy, which is available here and included in the PCTC. Please carefully review the PCTC and RFID Policy before proceeding with a purchase.
Badge Usage
- SXSW scans Badges for RFID at the entrance of official SXSW events to discourage counterfeiting, communicate with you about the Event, and tailor future offerings based on attendance. For example, SXSW may email you asking for feedback based on a panel you attended. RFID does not contain any personal data, however, it contains a unique ID code that may be correlated with your personal data, such as your name, phone number, mailing address and email address. SXSW does not share RFID information with third-parties for their marketing purposes, and SXSW does not track RFID tags after SXSW has ended. For more about the RFID Policy, please visit www.sxsw.com/rfid, and direct questions regarding RFID to rfid at sxsw.com.
- You can also choose to scan your Badge to participate in lead retrieval, which is a program for SXSW official clients to collect information from and to communicate with SXSW badge-holders. If you elect to participate in lead retrieval and have your Badge scanned, you will share your name, email address, phone number, company, title, City, State, and Country with the company scanning your Badge. SXSW may also use this data for aggregate reporting. For more information about lead retrieval, please visit https://www.sxsw.com/lead-retrieval/.
Your Personal Financial Information. When you purchase a Badge or any other goods or services , SXSW does not process your financial information on the SXSW servers or databases. SXSW does store the cardholder name and billing address information for accounting purposes. Your payment information, such as full credit card number, CVV and expiration date), is collected by the third-party payment processor, Chase Orbital (when you make purchases on sxsw.com), Spreedly (when you make purchases on wristband-sxsw.com), PayPal (when you make purchases on sxsw.com), 2CP/TPRO (when paying by credit card for your customer invoice in available) or Shopify (when you make purchases on merch.sxsw.com). The third-party payment processors tokenize your payment information and send the token back to SXSW to complete the payment process. Please review the relevant third-party agreement (Chase Orbital, Spreedly, PayPal, 2CP/TPRO or Shopify) and agree to their Privacy Policy before your purchase from SXSW or before providing your personal information.
Other Purchases. You may be directed to third-party websites to purchase other goods or services. If these third-party sites require that you enter payment information, such as your name, address, and other financial information, please review and agree to the applicable privacy policy for the payment processor before providing them with your personal information.
Applying to Participate in SXSW. If you choose to apply to participate in SXSW as a Speaker, Artist, Filmmaker, or any of the many other ways you can participate in SXSW, you will be asked to complete an application including your name and email address, along with other information necessary for SXSW to review your application, determine whether to select you to participate in the event, and communicate with you about your application.
Participating in SXSW. If you are selected to participate in SXSW, you will have access to tools that allow you to share information with SXSW in order for you to be included in the SXSW schedule and other promotions. The information you share varies on your participation, but generally includes your name and email address, and other contact information to facilitate communication between you and SXSW. SXSW uses cookies within these tools to maintain your session information so you can log out and back into the tool and it will remember you.
Communication with SXSW. If you email SXSW or communicate with SXSW via any chatbots, any information you share with SXSW may be stored on our email servers and elsewhere depending on your request. If you want to keep business information, resumes, ideas, concepts or inventions private or proprietary, do not send them in an email to SXSW.
Sharing Your Personal Data
Generally. SXSW will only share your personal data with a third party for a legitimate business purpose with your consent or as necessary to answer your questions, provide the products and/or services you request or purchase from SXSW, or to comply with governmental, legal, or internal record-keeping requirements as reasonably required. When we disclose personal information for a legitimate business purpose, we enter into a contract that describes the purpose and requires the recipient both keep that personal information confidential and not use it for any purpose except performing the contract.
Subsidiaries. SXSW may also share your personal data with its corporate subsidiaries or entities affiliated with SXSW (“Subsidiaries”) in order to deliver the goods or services you purchased, or to fulfill a request you’ve made. Any personal data provided to SXSW’s Subsidiaries will be handled in accordance with the terms of this Privacy Policy and cannot be used for any other purpose.
Operations and Maintenance Vendors. SXSW’s operations and maintenance vendors may have access to your personal data to the extent reasonably necessary to provide specified products or services to SXSW. These vendors and suppliers provide us with technology, services, and/or content related to operation and maintenance of our Site, the SXSW systems, and the Event. Access to your personal data by these vendors is limited to the information necessary for it to perform its function for SXSW. For example, if you purchase a badge to attend SXSW or SXSW EDU, your name and email address will be used with our online event vendors, Brightcove, Mentorly, and, Grip Technology, and used to create accounts that allow you to access the online event environment. The Brightcove Privacy Policy is located at https://www.brightcove.com/en/legal/services-privacy-policy. The Mentorly Privacy Policy is located at https://mentorly.co/en/privacy-policy. The Grip Technology privacy policy is located at https://www.grip.events/utility-pages/wwe-privacy-cookie-policy. Grip Technology will help used to help badge holders navigate the event via the SXSW Go application and their privacy policy is located at https://www.grip.events/utility-pages/wwe-privacy-cookie-policy. Your name, company, title, city, state and country, email and badge type will be shared with Grip Technology when you link your SXSW badge. If you choose to participate in the NFT program through Blockchain Creative Labs, then the privacy policy may be located at https://www.bcl.xyz/privacy-policy/.
Drawings, Contests, Giveaways, and Promotions. We may offer you the chance to participate in surveys, drawings, contests, giveaways, and promotions (“Special Promotion(s)”) through our Site or our third-party survey provider, Alchemer. If you’ve opted-in to receiving email marketing from SXSW and if we use Alchemer to administer a Special Promotion, we will share your name and email address with Alchemer so that they can email you the Special Promotion on behalf of SXSW. Please review the Alchemer Privacy Policy available here: https://www.alchemer.com/privacy/. By registering for a Special Promotion, you may agree to the use of your name in marketing associated with the Special Promotion, along with the announcement of winners.
Third-Party Promotions. While on our Site, you may have the opportunity to sign up or opt-in to receive information and/or marketing offers from SXSW’s sponsors or partners or to otherwise consent to the sharing of your personal data with a third-party. If you agree to have your personal data shared, your personal data will be disclosed to the third-party and the personal data you disclose will be subject to the privacy policy and business practices of that third-party. If you no longer wish to have your personal data shared with third-parties, you will have the opportunity to opt-out by sending an email to sxsw at sxsw.com.
Necessary Disclosures. We may release your personal data to third parties when we have a good faith belief it is necessary:
(1) to comply with valid legal requirements such as a law, regulation, search warrant, subpoena or court order; or (2) in special circumstances, such as a financial or physical threat to you or others, including, without limitation, if SXSW detects that a fraudulent credit card charge may have occurred.
In the event that SXSW is legally compelled to disclose your personal data to a third-party, we will use our best efforts to notify you unless doing so would violate the law or court order.
Aggregate Information. SXSW may provide third parties with non-personal information about you that does not allow you to be identified or contacted and that is combined with the non-personal information of other users. For example, we might inform third-parties regarding the aggregate number of users of our Site.
Storage. SXSW stores your personal data to provide a backup of SXSW’s systems or as required by applicable law. SXSW uses physical and cloud-based database servers operated by third-party providers zColo by Zayo and Amazon Web Services, respectively. Please review the zColo by Zayo Privacy Policy available here and the Amazon Web Services Privacy Policy available here.
Managing Your Preferences
Opting-In. You may opt-in or sign up for recurring informational / promotional emails from SXSW at www.sxsw.com/newsletters.
Opting-Out. You may opt-out of receiving emails, newsletters or other communications from SXSW at any time by following these steps:
(1) When you have received a newsletter you wish to stop, navigate to the bottom of the email, and select the link “unsubscribe or update your email preferences here.”
(2) You may opt-out of geolocation notifications by visiting your profile in the SXSW Go mobile app, clicking on the setting cog in the right hand corner of the website, and under “Notifications and Alerts” set to “Opt Out.”
(3) You may opt-out of push notifications by disabling notifications in your cell phone settings, or by visiting the SXSW Go mobile app Settings page and disabling the notifications you no longer want to receive.
Accessing and Updating Your Personal Data
To request a summary of the information that SXSW collects about you, or to request that data be deleted or changed, please email datarequest at sxsw.com and you will be directed to fill out our data request form, available at: sxsw.com/datarequestform. To update your email marketing preferences, please visit sxsw.com/newsletters and make your desired updates, or email sxsw at sxsw.com for assistance.
If you have a complaint or problem you may email us at info at sxsw.com and the customer service department will forward your complaint to the appropriate internal SXSW department for a response or resolution. We try to answer every email in a timely manner but are not always able to do so.
Other Important Privacy Information
Updating this Privacy Policy. By using the Site, you agree to this Privacy Policy and the website Terms of Use. If you do not agree to be bound by these terms, please leave the Site. This Privacy Policy may change from time to time, and changes are effective upon posting, so please check back to review any updates.
Where We Store and Process Personal Data. Since the Site is operated in the United States, any information you provide to us will be transferred to the U.S., and you agree to that transfer.
Our Retention of Personal Data. SXSW retains personal data for as long as necessary to provide the products and fulfill the transactions you have requested, or to comply with our legal obligations, resolve issues, or enforce our agreements. Actual retention periods vary depending on the data types and the goods or services you purchased.
Collection of Data From Children. This Site is not intended for use by persons under thirteen (13) years of age and shall not be used without the consent from a parent and/or guardian. SXSW does not knowingly collect personal data from or about children under the age of thirteen (13). If a parent or guardian believes that a child under thirteen (13) years of age has shared personal data with SXSW without the parent or guardian’s consent, please contact us at info at sxsw.com.
Security. SXSW has put in place appropriate safeguards to prevent unauthorized access to your personal data. Although we take such efforts to protect your personal data from loss, misuse, or alteration by third-parties, you should be aware that there is always some risk involved in transmitting information over the Internet.
Notice to California Residents
The California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) provides California residents with rights regarding their personal information. This section describes how to contact SXSW to exercise those rights.
Personal Information Sales Opt-Out and Opt-In.
SXSW does not sell your personal information to third-parties. If you have questions about this policy, please email datarequest at sxsw.com.
Categories of Information We Collect.
SXSW collects the information detailed in the chart at the beginning of this Privacy Policy, which also explains how SXSW uses the information.
Access to Specific Information and Data Portability.
You have the right to request your personal information that SXSW has collected and stored. Once we receive and confirm a verifiable data portability request from you, we will disclose the personal information we collected about you over the prior 12 months.
Deletion Request Rights.
You have the right to request that SXSW delete any of your personal information that SXSW has collected from you and retained, subject to certain exceptions. Once we receive and confirm your verifiable request for deletion of your personal information, we will delete (and direct our service providers to delete) your personal information from our records, unless an exception applies.
We may deny your deletion request if retaining the information is necessary for us or our service provider(s) to:
- Complete the transaction for which we collected the personal information, provide a good or service that you requested, or otherwise perform our contract with you.
- Detect security incidents, protect against malicious, deceptive, fraudulent, or illegal activity, or prosecute those responsible for such activities.
- Exercise free speech, ensure the right of another consumer to exercise their free speech rights, or exercise another right provided for by law.
- Comply with the California Electronic Communications Privacy Act (Cal. Penal Code § 1546 et. seq.).
- Enable solely internal uses that are reasonably aligned with consumer expectations based on your relationship with us.
- Comply with a legal obligation.
Exercising Access, Data Portability, and Deletion Rights.
To exercise the access, data portability, and deletion rights described above, please submit a verifiable consumer request to us by either:
- Emailing datarequest at sxsw.com
- Visiting sxsw.com/datarequestform and filling out the webform
- Mailing your request along with proof of your identity to:
SXSW, LLC Attn: Privacy Officer P.O. Box 685289, Austin, TX, 78768
Only you, or someone legally authorized to act on your behalf, may make a verifiable request related to your personal information. You may also make a verifiable request on behalf of your minor child.
Verification.
You may only make a verifiable consumer request for access or data portability twice within a 12-month period. We’ve created the webform available at sxsw.com/datarequestform to aid in verification by asking consumers to: (1) provide sufficient information that allows us to reasonably verify you are the person about whom we collected personal information or an authorized representative; and (2) describe your request with sufficient detail that allows us to properly understand, evaluate, and respond to it.
We cannot respond to your request or provide you with personal information if we cannot verify your identity or authority to make the request and confirm the personal information relates to you. Making a verifiable consumer request does not require you to create an account with us. We will only use personal information provided in a verifiable consumer request to verify the requestor’s identity or authority to make the request.
Response Timing and Format.
We endeavor to respond to a verifiable consumer request within forty-five (45) days of its receipt. If we require more time (up to 45 additional days for a total of 90 days), we will inform you of the reason and extension period in writing. We will deliver our response to you in the same format we receive the request (i.e., via email if you send in an email request).
Any disclosures we provide will only cover the 12-month period preceding the verifiable consumer request’s receipt. The response we provide will also explain the reasons we cannot comply with a request, if applicable. For data portability requests, we will deliver the data to you via email through a secure attachment. We do not charge a fee to process or respond to your verifiable consumer request unless it is excessive, repetitive, or manifestly unfounded. If we determine that the request warrants a fee, we will tell you why we made that decision and provide you with a cost estimate before completing your request.
Non-Discrimination.
We will not discriminate against you for exercising your CCPA rights. Unless allowed under the CCPA, we will not deny you goods or services, charge you different prices or rates for goods or services, or provide you with a different level of quality of goods or services in response to you exercising your CCPA rights. Please be aware that if you purchase a SXSW registration credential and later request SXSW delete your personal information, we will not be able to provide you with the credential you purchased because the badge lists your name and other information you provide to SXSW.
Other California Privacy Rights.
California’s “Shine the Light” law (Civil Code Section § 1798.83) permits users of our Site that are California residents to request a detailed list of any third-party entities with which SXSW shares personal information for their own marketing purposes. You may opt-out of having your personal data shared with third-parties by sending your request including your full name, email address, and postal address to: SXSW, LLC, P.O. Box 685289, Austin, TX, 78768, USA ATTN: Privacy Officer or by emailing datarequest at sxsw.com. California residents using the Site are entitled to know that they may file grievances and complaints with the California Department of Consumer Affairs, 400 R Street, Suite 1080, Sacramento, CA 95814, by phone at 916-445-1254 or 800-952-5210, or by email to dca at dca.ca.gov.
How to Contact SXSW
You may contact us by U.S. mail with any questions about this Privacy Policy at: SXSW, LLC, P.O. Box 685289, Austin, TX, 78768, USA ATTN: Privacy Officer, or email info at sxsw.com for general inquiries and datarequest at sxsw.com for personal data inquiries.
2020 Archive: 12/21/20 | 2019 Archive: 11/9/2020, 9/21/20, 12/12/19, 5/30/2019 | 2018 Archive: 7/30/2018, 5/24/18 | 2017 Archive: 9/21/17 6/9/17 6/15/16 | 2016 Archive | 2015 Archive
