Bits of Freedom defends freedom and privacy on the internet and, accordingly, operates a clear privacy policy, which applies to all its activities, websites and mailing lists, and no additional terms and conditions.

[Old version - 24 October 2018]

Privacy statement

Bits of Freedom has created this privacy statement to explain which (personal) data it collects and processes, and for which purposes.

(Version: 24-10-2018 / previous versions)

Website usage statistics (cookies)

We use the open-source analytics platform MatomoWhat is Matomo? (formerly Piwik) to keep track of website usage. We do this by placing two analytical (first-party) cookies:

• _pk_id: generates a unique number to distinguish one visitor from another. This cookie is stored on your computer for 14 days after your last visit to the website.
• _pk_ref: registers what site a visitor visits our website from. This cookie is stored on your computer for 30 minutes after your last visit to the website.

We have taken the following privacy enhancing measures:

1. We mask the last five hextets of the IPv6 addresses and the last two octets of the IPv4 addresses we collect from visitors (for example:: 2001:db8:7bb:: or 198.51.0.0).
2. We store the collected data on our own servers that we host ourselves and are located in the Netherlands.
3. Visitor logs (containing the data listed below) are stored for 32 days.
4. Our websites will never feature third-party cookies or other trackers.
5. We not only respect but encourage the use of Do Not Track headers and cookie-blockers.

Through Matomo and the abovementioned analytical cookies, we collect the following data:

• The unique number linked to the pk_id cookie (see above).
• Your IP address (masked).
• Pages you visit (titles and URLs) on our website and the date and time the page was visited.
• The URL where you clicked a link that sent you to our site (Referrer URL).
• Links you click on our website that refer to external websites (Outlink).
• Downloads from our website.
• An estimation of your location: country, region, city (we don’t collect your exact geolocation).
• Other data: screen resolution, your local time, website speed, browser language.
• Browser user agent: which browser you use, your operating system, your device (desktop computer, smartphone, etc.).

We process this data insofar this is necessary for our legitimate interest to analyse the use and functioning of our website(s). Due to the privacy enhancing measures we take, the impact on your privacy is limited and we not ask for your consent.

Donations

When we receive donations, we process the personal data that you as a sponsor provide for the purpose of handling the one-time or regular donations to Bits of Freedom, and (optionally) assigning your @freedom.nl address. In case you have signed up for regular donations, we process your bank account number, name and email address, the donation amount, the starting date and the frequency. If you have indicated you would like us to send Bits of Freedom merchandise to you, we will process your address data for this purpose. We do not store your data any longer than is necessary to process the donation, (optionally) assign the @freedom.nl address, (optionally) send out the merchandise and meet the administrative requirements under Dutch law.

Regular donations / sponsorships

Regular donations / sponsorships are processed through (SEPA) direct debits. We allow our bank, Triodos Bank, to collect the amount of the donation. To this aim, we supply Triodos Bank with exactly the data it needs to collect the sums due.

One-time donations

Single donations are processed using Mollie’s payment module. Mollie needs to process personal data when handling the donations in this payment module. In this context, Mollie’s privacy policyMollie's Privacy Policy applies and Mollie acts as the controller. We recommend reading Mollie’s privacy policy before using their payment module.

Donations made in bitcoin
Any donations made in bitcoin are processed by Bitonic. Bitonic needs to process data when handling the donations in this payment module. In this context, Bitonic’s privacy policyBitonic's Privacy Policy applies and Bitonic acts as the controller. Bitonic, and most likely other third parties as well, will be able to link your donation with Bits of Freedom relatively easily. Due to the design and workings of bitcoin, your donation probably won’t be entirely anonymous.

Transferring the money yourself

You can also make a bank transfer directly to our account. If you choose to donate this way, the personal data necessary to transfer the money will be processed by your bank and ours (Triodos BankTriodos Bank).

@freedom.nl email address

Sponsors donating €10 per month or more, if they are interested, are entitled to their own @freedom.nl address. This service is provided by Soverin and comes with its own set of terms and conditions as well as a privacy statementSoverin's terms and privacy statement.

My Data Done Right

The following paragraphs apply only when you visit and use the tool My Data Done Right:

Your contact details

The contact details you provide when using My Data Done Right are temporarily stored in your browser on your device for the duration of generating your request(s). We don't store your contact details on our servers. If you choose to be reminded about your request by email and you provide your email address, then we store the following information on our servers in the Netherlands:

• your email address;
• the type of request you generated (e.g. access request);
• the organisation you sent the request to; and
• the date your request was generated.

We use this information to send you a reminder about your request by email. This information will be deleted after the last reminder mail has been sent.

Feedback form
When you fill in our feedback form we will not ask for any personal data (e.g. your contact details or name). The only data we collect is:

• your answers to the questions (e.g. ‘Did you receive a response?’ Yes/No);
• the type of request you generated (e.g. access request); and
• the organisation you sent the request to.

We will aggregate this data and use the aggregated data to assess whether organisations respond properly to people’s requests and meet their legal obligations.

Mailing lists

No-one will be added to any of our mailing lists without us first obtaining their confirmation to finalize their subscription. Each email we send out to our subscribers contains a link through which it is possible to unsubscribe without further intervention. Bits of Freedom itself manages and updates its mailing lists and ensures the security of related software is kept up to date.

Responses to blogposts

Whenever readers post a response underneath one of the blogs on our website, it is stored along with the poster’s IP address and, if supplied, their email address and name. IP addresses are only stored to prevent spam. Only the WordPress users at Bits of Freedom (the permanent staff and a carefully selected set of volunteers) can view these IP addresses. This data is only stored as long as the response in question stays up on the website.

Forms, emails and customer relations management

If you fill out a (contact) form on our website or send us an email (@bof.nl), the related personal data will be stored and processed for as long as is necessary, depending on the purpose of the form or the contents of your email, for it to be answered or processed properly. In addition, we may store emails we receive if this is necessary for us to properly carry out our regular activities.

If you join a poll posted on our website, your IP address is only logged to prevent multiple votes from being cast from a single IP address. The IP addresses stored in this way are always deleted permanently as soon as the poll is closed.

If, in the context of our work, you voluntarily give us your contact details with the aim of enabling us to reach you this way for instance by giving us your business card or by volunteering for Bits of Freedom we may store this data if this is necessary for us to properly carry out our regular activities, which include customer relations management.

For the purpose of managing the contact information of our contacts and partners, we use the open source system CiviCRMWhat is CiviCRM?. We only operate the software ourselves and run it on our own servers. Our contacts’ mail addresses and PGP keyrings may also be stored locally in the personal address books of Bits of Freedom employees. Of course, if requested, we can remove your contact information from our systems entirely.

Other activities

For all other activities organized by Bits of Freedom, such as the Big Brother Awards or other actions requiring the engagement of interested parties, Bits of Freedom collects as little personal data as possible. If Bits or Freedom collaborates with other organizations in campaigns, for example in a European context, it will insist on a clear privacy policy.

Disclosure to third parties

We will never pass on your personal data to third parties, with the exception of the cases explicitly mentioned in the contents of our privacy statement. The only two exceptions to the rule are:

• If we have explicitly asked for your permission in advance, prior to passing on your personal data to third parties;
• If we are legally required to do so, and only after we have tried our very best to prevent having to pass on your data on the basis of a legal obligation.

Your rights

Under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) you have, among other things, the right to access the personal data we collect about you and in some cases the right to amend it or have it deleted. In certain cases you can ask us to stop processing your data or request us to provide your data to you in a machine-readable format.

You can exercise your rights by sending an email or letter to us with your request; use the contact details listed below. To comply with your request, we might ask you to provide information to verify your identity.

You can find more information about your rights on https://gdprexplained.eu and (probably) on the website of your local data protection authority. You can file a complaint with your data protection authority if you feel we have abused your personal data.

Changes to this privacy policy

We might make changes to this privacy policy. If we change something important, we’ll announce that on our website. The previous versionsPrevious privacy policies of our privacy policy are archived and viewable online.

Our contact details

When processing personal data as described in this privacy statement, Stichting Bits of Freedom (Bof) acts as the controller, unless expressly stated otherwise. Have you just finished reading our entire privacy policy? Then you’re entitled to a free Bits of Freedom T-shirt! Send us an email at info@bitsoffreedom.nll with “privacy statement” in the subject line, and don’t forget to tell us your size, whether you’d like your shirt in a men’s or women’s cut and the address you would like us to post it out to.

Do you have any questions about this privacy policy or do you want to exercise one of your rights under the GDPR? Get in touch! By mail: Stichting Bits of Freedom (Bof), Prinseneiland 97hs, 1013LN Amsterdam. By e-mail: info[at]bof.nl. By phone: +31 20 261 8350.

No terms and conditions

Yes, that's right: no general conditions. We could write a long piece about the legal terms that you agree with when visiting our website. And that Dutch law applies to your visit to our website. But we do not believe you can agree to our terms, just by visiting our website. This requires more, for example, clicking on an 'I accept' button before visiting our site. But we do not want to ask this of you.

Nevertheless, some organisations we work with appreciate it if we summarize all information about Bits of Freedom in one place. Therefore, we have listed the most important information about Bits of Freedom here. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at info@bitsoffreedom.nllMail info@bitsoffreedom.nll.

The Bits of Freedom Foundation (Bof) is located at Prinseneiland 97hs, 1013 LN Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Bits of Freedom is registered in the trade register of the Dutch Chamber of Commerce under number 34121286. The VAT number is: NL808804169B01.

You can donate to Bits of Freedom by transferring money to Bits of Freedom's bank account: IBAN NL73TRIO0391107380. Donations online, via iDeal, PayPal and credit card, are processed by Mollie. You can also authorize Bits of Freedom to periodically withdraw a certain amount from your bank account and you can revoke that authorization at any time. You only need to send an email to info@bitsoffreedom.nllMail info@bitsoffreedom.nll. You only need to provide us with your name, address and account number, and we appreciate it if you would like to indicate why you want to terminate the authorization (but this is not required). Bits of Freedom has been designated a Public Benefit Organisation More about tax advantages aavailable to a Public Benefit Organisation by the Dutch Tax and Customs Administration.

We are great advocates of sharing knowledge and freedom of expression. We therefore offer the opportunity to respond to blogposts on our site. Please, read the internal rules for our blogThe internal rules for our blog.

Bits of Freedom strives for the information on its website to be correct. If you find an error, please let us know. You can reach us at info@bitsoffreedom.nllMail info@bitsoffreedom.nll.

The texts and the design of this website are published under an Attribution-Noncommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International (CC BY-NC-SA 4.0) Creative Commons LicenseAll you want to know about this Creative Commons license. If you want to use our brand or our corporate identity, or if you want to use the texts on our website under conditions other than those of the applicable Creative Commons license, please contact us at info@bitsoffreedom.nllMail info@bitsoffreedom.nll.