TechShift

Privacy Policy

Last updated: 09/11/2024

1. Introduction

Welcome to techshift.community ("TechShift"). By accessing or using TechShift, you agree to comply with this Privacy Policy ("This Policy"). This Policy outlines how TechShift handles the information and personal data you provide to us, enabling us to effectively manage our relationship with you.

This Policy applies to our website techshift.community ("Site"), including any other media form, media channel, mobile website, or mobile application related or connected thereto (collectively, "Our Services"). This policy aims to give you a clear understanding of the data we collect, why we collect it, how we process it, the entities with whom we share your personal data, your rights regarding your data, and other pertinent matters related to privacy and security.

By using our Site, you acknowledge and agree that your personal data may be processed in the manner set out in this Policy. If you do not agree with the terms of this Privacy Policy, please do not use the Site or provide us with your Personal Data.

TechShift is a non-profit community dedicated to fostering collaboration and innovation within the tech ecosystem. We do not operate as a commercial entity.

All processing of Personal Data performed by TechShift as outlined in this Privacy Policy shall be carried out in accordance with:

  • The Maltese Data Protection Act (Chapter 586 of the Laws of Malta) and any subsidiary legislation issued under the DPA, as amended from time to time; and
  • Regulation (EU) 2016/679 of The European Parliament and of The Council of 27 April 2016 on the Protection of Natural Persons with Regard to the Processing of Personal Data and on the Free Movement of Such Data (General Data Protection Regulation) ("GDPR").

The DPA and the GDPR are collectively referred to as the “Data Protection Laws.”

TechShift determines the means and purposes of processing Personal Data and therefore acts as the “Data Controller” under the applicable Data Protection Laws.

2. Definitions

2.1 The Data Controller

The “Data Controller” means the natural or legal person, public authority, agency, or other body which, alone or jointly with others, determines the purposes and means of the processing of personal data.

2.2 Personal Data

“Personal Data” means any information that identifies you individually or relates to an identified or identifiable natural person.

3. Security

We have implemented appropriate security measures to prevent your personal data from being accidentally lost, used, or accessed in an unauthorized way, altered, or disclosed. Additionally, we limit access to your personal data to those individuals who need access to perform their duties. We have procedures in place to deal with any suspected personal data breach and will notify you and any applicable regulator of a breach where we are legally required to do so.

4. Personal Data Protection

Personal Data held by us is protected using industry-standard security processes and systems. Our commitment to protecting personal data is upheld through high standards and the most efficient application of the law. We are bound to process personal data only based on a legitimate and lawful reason as established in the GDPR.

5. Processing on the Basis of Our Legitimate Interests

A legitimate interest exists when we have a community or operational reason to process your personal data. In such cases, we ensure that your personal data is protected and that the processing does not unfairly impact your rights or interests.

When we process your personal data based on legitimate interests, we will inform you of such, explain the legitimate interests we rely on, and provide a process for you to raise any questions or objections regarding such processing. Please note that we are not obligated to stop processing if our legitimate interests outweigh your right to object.

6. Data Retention Policy

We retain your Personal Data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, considering the purpose for which it was originally obtained. The criteria used to determine the retention period include:

  • The length of our relationship with you.
  • The nature and purpose of the data.
  • Legal requirements.

Generally, we retain data for the duration necessary to provide our services and comply with legal obligations. Once your Personal Data is no longer required, we will securely delete or anonymize it.

Failure to provide necessary Personal Data may prevent us from fulfilling our obligations and providing requested services.

7. Information We Collect, Purpose of Processing & Legal Basis

Since TechShift does not require user registration or login, the data we collect is minimal and primarily through Google Analytics. Below is an outline of the data we collect, the purposes for which we collect it, and the legal basis for processing.

7.1 Personal Data Collected

Currently, we do not collect Personal Data through registration or user accounts. The only Personal Data we may collect includes:

  • Contact Information: If you reach out to us via contact forms or email (e.g., name, email address).

7.2 Non-Personal Data Collected

We collect non-personally identifiable information through Google Analytics, including:

  • Usage Data: Information about how you use our Site, such as pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation paths.
  • Device Data: IP address, browser type, operating system, device identifiers.
  • Log Data: Server logs, error reports, diagnostic data.

7.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to track activity on our Site and hold certain information. For more detailed information, please refer to our Cookies Policy.

8. Processing on the Basis of Consent

Since we do not currently collect Personal Data through user registration or login, processing based on consent is limited. However, if we collect Personal Data through contact forms, we may process it based on your consent, which you can withdraw at any time.

If you withdraw your consent, we will determine whether we can continue processing your Personal Data based on another legal ground, such as compliance with a legal obligation. Any withdrawal of consent will not affect the legality of processing conducted prior to the withdrawal.

9. Cookies

When you visit our Site, we collect certain categories of Personal Data automatically through the use of cookies and similar technologies.

For more detailed information, including what cookies are and how and why we process such data, please read our detailed Cookies Policy.

10. Other Purposes

We may be required to use and retain personal information for loss prevention, and to protect our rights, privacy, safety, or property, or those of other persons, in accordance with our legitimate interests.

11. Authorized Disclosures of Personal Data to Third Parties

Without prejudice to anything else in this Privacy Policy, personal data relating to you may be shared with authorized third parties located in or outside of the EU/EEA where such disclosures are permitted or required under Data Protection Laws and/or other applicable legislation. These authorized third parties may include:

  • Service Providers: Such as Google Analytics, who assist us in analyzing how users interact with our Site.
  • Legal Authorities: If required by law or in response to lawful requests by public authorities.

When transferring personal data outside of the EEA, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as the use of Standard Contractual Clauses or reliance on adequacy decisions by the European Commission.

Your Personal Data will never be shared with third parties for their marketing purposes unless you give your consent.

12. Sharing of Personal Data with Other Categories of Recipients

Personal Data will also be disclosed or shared as appropriate and in compliance with Data Protection Laws to:

  • TechShift Team Members: Limited to those who need access to perform their duties.
  • Affiliated Entities: Within TechShift or with partners who assist in providing our services.

We ensure that any third parties with whom we share your data are contractually bound to protect your Personal Data in accordance with Data Protection Laws.

13. Internet Communications

Data transmitted via the Internet may be transferred across international borders even where sender and receiver are located in the same country. We cannot be held responsible for actions done by you or third parties in connection with Personal Data before we receive it, including any transfers of Personal Data through insecure means.

We do not guarantee the security of data transmitted through the Internet unless it results explicitly from a law having effect in Malta.

14. Accuracy of Personal Data

We strive to keep your Personal Data accurate and up-to-date. If you find any inaccuracies, please contact us to correct them. We will take reasonable steps to rectify any incorrect or incomplete Personal Data.

15. Links to Third-Party Sites

Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services that are not operated by us. We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these third parties. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

16. Transfer of Data Outside of the EEA

Your personal data may be transferred outside of the European Economic Area (EEA) to countries that may not offer the same level of data protection as within the EEA. In such cases, we ensure that appropriate safeguards are in place, such as:

  • Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs): Ensuring data protection equivalent to the EEA standards.
  • Adequacy Decisions: Relying on countries deemed by the European Commission to have adequate data protection measures.

If you wish to know more about the safeguards in place, please contact us using the information provided below.

17. Data Subject Rights

As a data subject, you have the following rights regarding your Personal Data under the GDPR:

17.1 Right of Access

You have the right to request access to the Personal Data we hold about you and to obtain information about how we process it.

17.2 Right to Rectification

You have the right to request that we correct any inaccurate or incomplete Personal Data we hold about you.

17.3 Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten")

You have the right to request that we delete your Personal Data under certain conditions, such as when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

17.4 Right to Restrict Processing

You have the right to request that we restrict the processing of your Personal Data under certain conditions, such as when you contest the accuracy of the data.

17.5 Right to Data Portability

You have the right to request that we transfer the Personal Data we have collected to another organization or directly to you, under certain conditions.

17.6 Right to Object

You have the right to object to our processing of your Personal Data under certain conditions, including processing based on legitimate interests.

17.7 Rights Related to Automated Decision-Making and Profiling

You have the right not to be subject to decisions based solely on automated processing, including profiling, which produce legal effects concerning you.

17.8 Exercising Your Rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the contact information provided below. We may require you to verify your identity before responding to your request.

18. Contact Information

If you have any questions or comments about privacy or wish to exercise any of your rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at:

19. Cookies Policy

When you visit our Site, we collect certain categories of Personal Data automatically through the use of cookies and similar technologies. This section provides detailed information about the cookies we use, their purposes, and your choices regarding cookies.

19.1 What are Cookies?

Cookies are small text files that are placed on your device (computer, tablet, smartphone) when you visit a website. They are widely used to make websites work more efficiently, as well as to provide information to the owners of the site.

19.2 Types of Cookies We Use

We use the following types of cookies on our Site:

  • Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the operation of our Site. They enable core functionalities such as security, network management, and accessibility. Without these cookies, our Site cannot function properly.
  • Analytical/Performance Cookies: These cookies help us understand how visitors interact with our Site by collecting and reporting information anonymously. This data helps us improve the functionality and performance of our Site. We use Google Analytics for this purpose.
  • Functional Cookies: These cookies allow our Site to remember choices you make (such as your language or region) and provide enhanced, more personalized features.
  • Advertising Cookies: While we do not use advertising cookies as a non-profit community, this category is included for informational purposes.

19.3 How We Use Cookies

We use cookies for the following purposes:

  • To Provide Essential Services: Ensuring our Site operates correctly and securely.
  • To Analyze Site Usage: Understanding how users interact with our Site to enhance user experience and improve our services.
  • To Personalize Content: Tailoring content to better suit your preferences based on your interactions with our Site.

19.4 Managing Your Cookie Preferences

You have the right to decide whether to accept or reject cookies. You can set or amend your web browser controls to accept or refuse cookies. If you choose to reject cookies, you may still use our Site, but your ability to use some features or areas of our Site may be limited.

To learn more about how to manage cookies, please refer to your browser’s help section. Below are links to the cookie management pages for some common browsers:

19.5 Changes to Our Cookies Policy

We may update our Cookies Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Cookies Policy on this page with an updated revision date. You are advised to review this Cookies Policy periodically for any changes.

19.6 Contact Us About Cookies

If you have any questions about our use of cookies or other tracking technologies, please contact us: