Privacy Policy

This privacy policy outlines how the ICGSTD International Conference on Geosciences in the Service of Territorial Development collects, uses, and protects your personal information when you visit and interact with our WordPress‑based website, submit abstracts, and browse our pages. It covers the types of data we collect—including names, affiliations, abstracts, browser metadata, cookies, and analytics data—the purposes for which we process it, our legal bases, how long we retain it, with whom we share it, and your rights under applicable data protection laws.

1. Data Controller

The ICGSTD Conference, hosted by Cotabo and Wordpress, are the data controller responsible for your personal information collected via this website.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Personal and Submission Data

Name and Affiliation
We collect your first and last names and institutional affiliation when you register or submit an abstract to facilitate conference communications and proceedings.
Abstract Content
The text and associated metadata of your submitted abstracts are stored to manage peer review, scheduling, and publication.

2.2 Technical and Usage Data

Browser and Device Data
We automatically collect information such as IP address, browser type, operating system, and referring URLs to monitor site performance and security.
Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar technologies to remember your preferences, analyze site usage, and deliver relevant content.

2.3 Analytics Data

Google Analytics
We employ Google Analytics to track visitor behavior (page views, session duration, etc.) in an aggregated and pseudonymized form.

3. Purposes and Legal Bases for Processing

Conference Administration (Abstract management, registration, and communication)
Processing is necessary for the performance of our contract with you (e.g., to review and schedule your abstract).
Legitimate Interests (Website improvement and security)
We process technical data to enhance user experience, analyze trends, and protect against malicious activity.
Consent (Optional marketing communications)
With your explicit consent, we may send you conference announcements or related materials. You may withdraw consent at any time.

4. Data Retention

We retain personal and submission data for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described (e.g., until publication of conference proceedings), and for an additional period to meet legal and archival requirements, typically no longer than five years.

5. Third‑Party Processors

WordPress Hosting
Our site is hosted on WordPress.com, which may process data as part of website management.
Google Analytics
Google processes analytics data on our behalf under its Data Processing Amendment and privacy principles.
Other Service Providers
We may engage email delivery services, payment processors, or cloud storage providers, all bound by appropriate data protection agreements.

6. Security Measures

We implement administrative, technical, and physical safeguards—such as encrypted connections (HTTPS), access controls, and regular backups—to protect your data against unauthorized access, alteration, or loss.

7. Your Rights

Subject to applicable law (e.g., GDPR for EU residents), you have the right to:

Access, correct, or delete your personal data
Restrict or object to our processing
Obtain a copy of your data in a portable format
Withdraw consent at any time (for processing based on consent)
To exercise these rights, please contact us as detailed below.

8. Cookies and Opt‑Out

You can manage or disable cookies via your browser settings. To opt out of Google Analytics tracking, please visit the Google Analytics Opt‑out Browser Add‑on page.

9. Changes to This Policy

We may update this policy to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. Any update will be posted here with an updated “Last Revised” date.

10. Contact Us

If you have questions or wish to exercise your rights, please contact:
ICGSTD Organizing Committee,
Email: [email protected]

Last Revised: April 18, 2025