Privacy policy

At FIBEr, we value your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us through our website, which is hosted on the Wix platform. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your information when you visit our website ("the Site") or interact with us through various services offered via the Site. By accessing or using the Site, you consent to the practices described in this Privacy Policy.

​

1. Information We Collect

We collect different types of information from you in order to improve your experience with our website and provide you with the best services. The data we collect can be divided into two categories: personal and non-personal information.

​

1.1 Personal Information

Personal information refers to any data that can be used to identify you personally. This may include:

• Contact Information: Your name, email address, phone number, and physical address.

• Account Information: If you create an account with us, we may collect information such as your username, password, and account preferences.

• Payment Information: If you make purchases or donations through the Site, we may collect payment details such as credit card or bank account information, although we do not store payment information directly. Third-party payment processors (such as Wix Payments) handle the secure processing of payment data.

• Communication Data: Any communication you send to us via email, online forms, or other methods.

​​

1.2 Non-Personal Information

Non-personal information refers to data that does not directly identify you. This may include:

• Usage Data: Information about how you access and use the Site, such as your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring URLs, pages visited, time spent on pages, and other diagnostic data.

• Cookies and Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar technologies to track your activity on the Site and collect information that helps us analyze trends and improve our services.

​​

2. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used for various purposes, including:

​

2.1 To Provide and Improve Services

• To deliver and personalize the content, services, and features you request from the Site.

• To process payments for transactions, subscriptions, or donations.

• To improve, update, and enhance the Site’s functionality and performance.

​​

2.2 To Communicate with You

• To respond to your inquiries, comments, and requests.

• To send you transactional and service-related emails (e.g., order confirmations, updates, and security notices).

• To send you marketing communications, newsletters, or promotional materials, if you have opted in.

​​

2.3 To Enhance User Experience

• To analyze and monitor usage data to improve the overall user experience on the Site.

• To customize content, advertising, and recommendations based on your interests.

​​

2.4 For Legal Compliance

• To comply with applicable laws, regulations, or legal processes.

• To detect, prevent, or address fraud, security breaches, or technical issues.

​​

3. How We Share Your Information

We do not sell, rent, or lease your personal information to third parties. However, we may share your information in the following circumstances:

​

3.1 With Service Providers

We may share your information with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating the Site, conducting our business, or providing services to you. These service providers are obligated to protect your data and use it only for the purposes for which we have engaged them.

Examples of third-party service providers include:

• Payment processors (e.g., Wix Payments, PayPal).

• Email marketing services (e.g., Mailchimp).

• Analytics providers (e.g., Google Analytics).

• Hosting and server services (e.g., Wix platform).

​​

3.2 For Legal and Security Reasons

We may disclose your personal information if required to do so by law, such as to comply with a subpoena, court order, or other legal processes. Additionally, we may share your information to protect the rights, property, or safety of FIBEr, our users, or others.

​

3.3 Business Transfers

In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of assets, your information may be transferred as part of the transaction. We will notify you of any such change in control and update this Privacy Policy accordingly.

​

4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience on the Site. Cookies are small files stored on your device that help us track your activity and preferences.

​

4.1 Types of Cookies We Use

• Essential Cookies: These cookies are necessary for the basic functionality of the Site, such as logging in and processing orders.

• Analytics Cookies: These cookies help us analyze how visitors use the Site, which pages are most visited, and how we can improve user experience.

• Advertising Cookies: These cookies allow us to serve personalized ads and measure the effectiveness of our advertising campaigns.

​

4.2 Managing Cookies

You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Most browsers allow you to block or delete cookies, but please note that some features of the Site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

​

5. Data Security

We implement reasonable security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, or disclosure. These measures include encryption, firewalls, and secure data storage practices. However, no data transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure, and while we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee its absolute security.

​

6. Your Data Rights and Choices

As a user, you have certain rights regarding your personal data. These rights may vary based on your jurisdiction.

​

6.1 Access and Correction

You have the right to access the personal information we hold about you and request corrections if the information is inaccurate or incomplete.

​

6.2 Deletion

You can request that we delete your personal information, subject to applicable legal obligations and legitimate business purposes.

​

6.3 Opt-Out of Marketing Communications

You can opt-out of receiving marketing communications from us at any time by clicking the "unsubscribe" link in any promotional email or contacting us directly at FIBEr@kuleuven.be.

​

6.4 Data Portability

In some cases, you may request to receive your personal information in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and you may transmit that data to another service provider.

To exercise your rights, please contact us at FIBEr@kuleuven.be.

​

7. Children’s Privacy

Our Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If we become aware that we have inadvertently collected personal information from a child under the age of 16, we will take steps to delete that information as soon as possible. If you are a parent or guardian and believe that your child has provided us with personal information, please contact us immediately.

​

8. International Data Transfers

As a company based in Belgium, your personal information may be processed and stored in countries other than your own, including countries outside the European Economic Area (EEA) or outside the jurisdiction in which you reside. By using the Site and submitting your personal information, you consent to the transfer of your data to other countries, which may have different data protection laws than those in your country of residence.

 

9. Links to Third-Party Websites

The 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 external sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policies of any third-party sites you visit.

 

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We reserve the right to update or modify this Privacy Policy at any time. Any changes will be posted on this page with an updated "Effective Date." We encourage you to periodically review this Privacy Policy for any updates or changes. Your continued use of the Site after the posting of changes constitutes your acceptance of those changes.

 

11. Contact Us

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us at:

FIBEr@kuleuven.be
 

​​​​​

​

GDPR Compliance

​

We are committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This section outlines how we collect, process, and safeguard your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) (EU) 2016/679.

​

1. Data Controller

For the purposes of the GDPR, the data controller is FIBEr ("we," "our," or "us"). 

​

2. Personal Data We Collect

We may collect and process the following types of personal data when you visit our website or use our services:

• Personal identification information (name, email address, etc.)

• Usage data (IP address, browser type, pages visited, etc.)

• Communication data (contact forms, support queries, etc.)

​

3. Legal Basis for Processing

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

• Consent: You have given consent for us to process your personal data (e.g., when you sign up for newsletters or submit contact forms).

• Contractual necessity: Processing is necessary for the performance of a contract (e.g., providing goods or services you have requested).

• Legitimate interests: Processing is based on our legitimate interests (e.g., improving our website, marketing activities, etc.), provided these interests do not override your rights and freedoms.

• Compliance with legal obligations: We may need to process personal data to comply with applicable laws or regulations.

​

4. Purpose of Data Processing

We collect and process your personal data for the following purposes:

• To provide and manage our services

• To respond to inquiries and customer support requests

• To improve our website and services

• To send marketing communications (with your consent, where required)

• To comply with legal obligations and enforce our terms of service

​

5. Your Data Protection Rights

Under the GDPR, you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

• Right to access: You have the right to request a copy of the personal data we hold about you.

• Right to rectification: You have the right to request corrections to inaccurate or incomplete data.

• Right to erasure (Right to be forgotten): You may request the deletion of your personal data, subject to certain conditions.

• Right to restrict processing: You have the right to request that we limit the processing of your personal data under specific circumstances.

• Right to object to processing: You have the right to object to the processing of your personal data, especially in cases where we rely on legitimate interests.

• Right to data portability: You have the right to receive your personal data in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format.

• Right to withdraw consent: If we are relying on your consent to process your data, you can withdraw your consent at any time.

​

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at FIBEr@kuleuven.be. We will respond to your request as soon as possible and, in any case, within one month.

​

6. Data Retention

We retain your personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this privacy policy, or as required by law. Once the data is no longer necessary, it will be securely deleted or anonymized.

​

7. Sharing Your Data

We do not sell or rent your personal data to third parties. However, we may share your data with trusted third-party service providers who assist us in operating our website and delivering services. These providers include:

• Web hosting services

• Analytics providers

• Marketing platforms

• Payment processors

​

All third parties we share your data with are bound by contractual agreements to ensure your data is protected in accordance with the GDPR.

​

8. International Data Transfers

Some of the third-party service providers we use may be located outside the European Economic Area (EEA), in countries that may not have the same level of data protection laws as those within the EEA. In such cases, we ensure that adequate safeguards are in place to protect your personal data, such as the use of standard contractual clauses approved by the European Commission.

​

9. Security of Your Data

We take the security of your personal data seriously and implement appropriate technical and organizational measures to protect it from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction.

​

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this privacy policy from time to time to reflect changes in our data processing practices or legal obligations. We will notify you of significant changes via our website or email, if applicable.

​