Privacy Policy

1. Information We Collect

1.1 Personal Information

We collect information that you provide directly to us, including:

• Name and email address when you submit forms or contact us
• Information provided in photographer applications and accreditation requests
• Organization details and event information for accreditation purposes
• Newsletter subscription email addresses
• Portfolio and professional information from photographers

1.2 Automatically Collected Information

When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain information, including:

• IP address and approximate geographic location
• Browser type, device type, and operating system
• Pages visited, time spent on pages, and navigation patterns
• Referring website and exit pages
• Date and time of your visit

1.3 Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience and analyze site traffic. You can control cookies through your browser settings. Our cookie consent banner allows you to accept or decline non-essential cookies.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To respond to your inquiries and process accreditation requests
• To manage photographer applications and communicate with contributors
• To send newsletters and updates (with your explicit consent)
• To improve our website functionality and user experience
• To analyze website traffic and user behavior
• To prevent fraud and enhance security
• To comply with legal obligations
• To maintain records of communications and transactions

3. Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR)

If you are located in the European Economic Area (EEA), our legal basis for collecting and using your personal information depends on the specific context:

• Consent: When you provide explicit consent (e.g., newsletter subscription)
• Legitimate Interests: To operate and improve our website and services
• Contractual Necessity: To fulfill our obligations to photographers and partners
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations

4. Data Sharing and Disclosure

We may share your information in the following circumstances:

• Event Organizers: We share accreditation request details with event organizers and promoters
• Service Providers: With third-party service providers who perform services on our behalf (analytics, hosting)
• Legal Requirements: When required by law or to protect our rights
• Business Transfers: In connection with a merger, sale, or acquisition

We do not sell or rent your personal information to third parties for marketing purposes.

5. Third-Party Services

Our website uses the following third-party services:

• Vercel Analytics: Website performance and usage analytics
• Ahrefs Analytics: SEO and traffic analysis (loaded only with consent)
• Supabase: Database services for storing submissions and logs
• Instagram: Embedded Instagram content

Each of these services has its own privacy policy. We encourage you to review their policies to understand how they handle your data.

6. Data Security

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal information, including:

• Encryption of data in transit (HTTPS/TLS)
• Secure database storage with access controls
• Regular security audits and monitoring
• Rate limiting to prevent abuse
• HttpOnly and Secure cookies for session management

However, no method of transmission over the internet or electronic storage is 100% secure. While we strive to use commercially acceptable means to protect your personal information, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

7. Data Retention

We retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy, unless a longer retention period is required or permitted by law:

• Newsletter subscriptions: Until you unsubscribe
• Accreditation requests: Up to 2 years after the event date
• Photographer accounts: While the account is active
• Security logs: Up to 1 year
• Contact inquiries: Up to 1 year

8. Your Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

Depending on your location, you may have the following rights:

For EEA Residents (GDPR):

• Right to Access: Request a copy of your personal data
• Right to Rectification: Request correction of inaccurate data
• Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data
• Right to Restrict Processing: Request limitation of data processing
• Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a structured format
• Right to Object: Object to processing of your data
• Right to Withdraw Consent: Withdraw consent at any time
• Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

For California Residents (CCPA):

• Right to Know: What personal information we collect and how we use it
• Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
• Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell data)
• Right to Non-Discrimination: Not be discriminated against for exercising your rights

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at media@afterstage.pl

9. Cookies and Tracking

We use the following types of cookies:

• Essential Cookies: Required for website functionality (authentication, security)
• Analytics Cookies: Help us understand how visitors use our website (with consent)
• Preference Cookies: Remember your settings and preferences

You can manage cookie preferences through our cookie consent banner or your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect website functionality.

10. International Data Transfers

Your information may be transferred to and processed in countries other than your own. We ensure appropriate safeguards are in place to protect your data in accordance with this Privacy Policy and applicable data protection laws.

11. Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 16 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe we have collected information from a child, please contact us immediately.

12. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new policy on this page with an updated "Last updated" date. We encourage you to review this policy periodically.

13. Contact Information

If you have questions about this Privacy Policy or wish to exercise your rights, please contact us:

14. Data Protection Officer

For data protection inquiries, you can reach our team at media@afterstage.pl