Privacy

Academia Ophthalmologica Belgica vzw-asbl

Privacy

1. Introduction

We are committed to protecting your personal data and complying with all applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). This policy explains how we collect, use, and safeguard your personal data, and outlines your rights under the GDPR.

You can refer to the summary below for a quick overview, or read the full policy for detailed information.

2. Summary

We collect personal data when you:

• Create an account
• Register for events
• Make payments
• Submit abstracts

Collected data may include your name, contact details, email address, registration details, and technical data such as browser type and IP address.

Payments are processed securely by a third-party provider (Worlline). We do not store credit card details.

We use your data to manage events, maintain membership records, and provide services. We do not sell or transfer your data to third parties, except to authorized service providers acting on our behalf.

By using our website or participating in our activities, you agree to the terms of this privacy policy.

3. Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal data based on one or more of the following legal grounds:

• Your consent (e.g., when subscribing to communications)
• Performance of a contract (e.g., event registration)
• Compliance with legal obligations
• Legitimate interests (e.g., website analytics, fraud prevention)

4. Data Collection and Use

We collect and process personal data responsibly and only for the purposes for which it was provided. This includes:

• Website browsing: We collect page visits, timestamps, browser type, and IP address. If logged in, this may be linked to your account ID.
• Account creation: Required for registration, submissions, and participation. Mandatory fields are indicated during registration.
• Payments: Processed via a secure third-party provider. We store transaction metadata (amount, date, ID), but not card details.
• Membership and voting: Voting is anonymized. We only record that you voted to prevent duplicate submissions.
• Event registration: Used to manage logistics, send updates, and provide access credentials.
• Abstract submissions: May include personal data of authors. Ensure you have consent to share third-party data.
• Contacting us: Your contact details may be stored to respond to inquiries.

5. Cookies

We use session cookies to differentiate users and enhance functionality. These cookies are temporary and deleted when you close your browser. No persistent tracking is used.

6. Data Sharing

We do not share your personal data with third parties unless:

• Required by law
• Necessary for service delivery (e.g., IT providers, payment processors)
• You have given explicit consent

All service providers are bound by data protection agreements.

7. Data Retention

We retain personal data only as long as necessary for the purposes stated:

• Account data: Until you request deletion
• Payment metadata: For financial records and audit
• Website statistics: Periodically anonymized and aggregated
• Abstracts and event data: Retained for program archives unless otherwise requested

8. Your Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data
• Rectify inaccurate data
• Erase your data ("right to be forgotten")
• Restrict or object to processing
• Data portability
• Withdraw consent at any time

To exercise these rights, please contact us at info@ophthalmologia.be

9. Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect your data against unauthorized access, loss, or misuse. Our servers are professionally maintained and regularly updated.

Your account is protected by a unique username and password. You are responsible for keeping these credentials secure. If compromised, please update your password immediately or contact info@ophthalmologia.be.

10. Communications

We do not send unsolicited emails. You may unsubscribe at any time by contacting us. We will never share your email address with third parties for marketing purposes.

11. Changes to This Policy

We reserve the right to update this privacy policy. The version published on our website is the applicable version. We recommend reviewing it periodically.