Oceans Conference Online Privacy Statement

OCEANS Conference and its affiliate companies (which will be referred to as “OCEANS”) are concerned about privacy issues and want you to be familiar with how we collect, use and disclose information.  This Privacy Statement describes OCEANS’ practices in connection with information that we collect through our website and other company owned digital assets by OCEANS from which you are accessing this Privacy Statement (respectively, the “Site”, “Social”, “Email”, and “App”, of which will be referred to as “digital assets”).  Only digital assets under the OCEANS Conference brand and affiliate brand companies owned by OCEANS Conference, including third party providers and are specifically used to market OCEANS, its services and value, are subject to this online privacy statement.

By providing Personal Information to OCEANS Conference, you agree to the terms and conditions of this Privacy Statement.

1. DATA COLLECTED AND METHOD OF COLLECTION

In general

OCEANS collects general and personal data concerning you from:

  • You when you provide your details to OCEANS;
  • OCEANS’ two sponsoring societies – IEEE Oceanic Engineering Society (OES) and/or the Marine Technology Society (MTS) (in such cases, societies must ensure they are entitled to disclose such data and that you are aware of the various matters detailed in this Data Protection Statement);
  • Participants at related meetings and events organized by OCEANS;
  • Users of OCEANS’ or Clients’ websites; and third parties (such as online service provider or single sign on authority).

Following the reception of the data, an electronic profile is created in OCEANS’ proprietary tools for each person or entity (the “Contact Profile“).

OCEANS Collects this information for the Contact Profile:

  • Full Name;
  • Email Address;
  • Telephone or fax number;
  • Job title;
  • Your organization or company of employment;
  • Your country location or location of choice;
  • Your choice of services needed;
  • How you heard of OCEANS Conference;
  • And other comments you leave;

Cookies Policy

We use cookies on our Website. By continuing to browse our website or close the cookies banner, you consent to the use of cookies.

Our Cookies Policy explains what cookies are, how we use cookies, how third-­parties we may partner with may use cookies on the Service, your choices regarding cookies and further information about cookies.

What are cookies?

Cookies are small pieces of text sent by your web browser by a website you visit. A cookie file is stored in your web browser and allows the Service or a third­-party to recognize you and make your next visit easier and the service more useful to you. Cookies can be “persistent” or “session” cookies.

How OCEANS uses cookies

When you access our website, OCEANS and OCEANS’ third party service providers may collect data of a technical nature in a variety of ways. We use cookies for the following purposes:

  • to enable certain functions of the website,
  • to provide analytics,
  • to store your preferences and personalize the content,
  • to improve the user experience
  • to enable advertisements delivery, including behavioral advertising
  • to share on social networks

We use both session and persistent cookies on the Service and we use different types of cookies to run the Service: ­

  • Essential cookies

We may use essential cookies to authenticate users and prevent fraudulent use of user accounts.

  • Third­-party cookies

In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third­-parties’ cookies to report usage statistics of the Service, deliver advertisements on and through the Service, and so on.

What are your choices regarding cookies?

If you’d like to delete cookies or instruct your web browser to delete or refuse cookies, please visit the help pages of your web browser:

  • For Internet Explorer™ : https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17442/windows-internet-explorer-delete-manage-cookies
  • For Safari™ : https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201265For Chrome™ : https://support.google.com/chrome/answer/95647?co=GENIE.Platform%3DDesktop&hl=en
  • For Firefox™ : https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/delete-cookies-remove-info-websites-stored
  • For Opera™ : http://help.opera.com/Windows/10.20/en/cookies.html
  • etc…

Please note, however, that if you delete cookies or refuse to accept them, some features of the OCEANS website may not work properly, you may not be able to store your preferences, and some of our pages might not display properly.

Where can you find more information about cookies?

If you do not want information collected through the use of cookies, there is a simple procedure in most browsers that allows you to decline the use of cookies. You can learn more about cookies and the following third­-party websites:

  • AllAboutCookies: http://www.allaboutcookies.org/
  • Network Advertising Initiative: http://www.networkadvertising.org/

2. PURPOSE OF DATA COLLECTION

OCEANS uses the data collected to provide, maintain, protect and improve the overall quality of its services. Data collection is also meant to protect OCEANS and its users. OCEANS does not collect more data than is necessary to fulfill such purposes.

In addition to creating Contact Profiles, OCEANS uses your data for the following purposes and for which you give your consent:

  • To OCEANS’ third party service providers who provide services such as website hosting, data analysis, infrastructure provision, IT services, customer service, email delivery services, and other similar services to enable them to provide services.
  • To third parties such as agents and distributers to facilitate the sale and distribution of OCEANS services which may include marketing communications.
  • To identify you to anyone to whom you send messages through the Site.
  • To a third party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of OCEANS business, assets or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings).
  • By you, when you participate in features on an OCEANS digital asset that provide the opportunity to interact with OCEANS and others (for example a blog, message board, messaging functionality, chat functionality, profile or other social media). When you use these features you should be aware that any information you submit, including your name, location and e-mail address, may be publicly available to others. We are not responsible for any information you choose to submit through these features and we strongly discourage you from disclosing any sensitive Personal Information (such as health or credit card information) through these features.  If you use these features, your Personal Information may remain on the digital asset even after you cease use of the digital asset.
  • OCEANS may use your data to personalize your experience on the OCEANS website by presenting advertisements that are more relevant to you, to send you marketing communications that we believe may be of interest to you, including information about our services, case studies, thought leadership or whitepapers, blog updates, etc. For example, OCEANS uses third party service providers to present services and offers tailored to the preferences and interests demonstrated by your online activity over time. OCEANS may use your data for promotion and marketing purposes for OCEANS’ current or prospective Clients and/or third parties in OCEANS’ industry. OCEANS may use the data to analyze trends in order to propose other services to its Clients, such as new events or other services.
  • OCEANS may use your data as OCEANS believes to be necessary or appropriate: (a) under applicable law, including laws outside your country of residence; (b) to comply with legal process; (c) to respond to requests from public and government authorities including public and government authorities outside your country of residence; (d) to enforce OCEANS’ terms and conditions; (e) to protect OCEANS’ operations; (f) to protect OCEANS’ rights, privacy, safety or property, you or others; and (g) to allow OCEANS to pursue available remedies or limit the damages that OCEANS may sustain.

OCEANS will ask your consent before using data for a purpose other than those that are set out in this Statement subject to mandatory laws.

3. DURATION OF STORAGE

General and personal data will be kept by OCEANS only as long as reasonably necessary taking into consideration its need to answer queries or resolve problems, to provide improved and new services and to comply with legal requirements under applicable laws or with inquiries from Clients on past events or travel activities. OCEANS will retain general and personal data during a maximum period of five years if no specific legal requirement. You may cancel/delete your OCEANS account by sending an email to emily.brown@mci-group.com.

4. LOCATION OF STORAGE AND CONTROLLER OF DATABASE

The Contact Profiles that OCEANS maintains are stored in a cloud-based central database at a third-party provider’s location in Washington, D.C. The purpose and content of OCEANS’ central database are determined by OCEANS.

5. YOUR DUTIES

You must ensure that the data you provide us with are:

  • correct
  • accurate;
  • current;
  • truthful; and
  • compliant with any applicable laws.

In particular, since OCEANS will mainly use email communications with you, you are required to notify us of any modification of your email address. Alternatively, you can directly update your Contact Profile.

OCEANS is committed to protecting the privacy needs of children and we encourage parents and guardians to take an active role in their children’s online activities. OCEANS does not target the digital asset to children less than fourteen (14) years of age or knowingly collect information from children for the purpose of selling products or services.

6. TRANSFER AND COMMUNICATION OF DATA

In general

Your Personal Information may be stored and processed in any country where we have facilities or where we have engaged a service provider, and by using the digital asset, you consent to the transfer of information to countries outside of your country of residence which may have different data protection rules than in your country. You hereby agree and give your consent to OCEANS to transfer and communicate your data as follows:

  1. a) Transfers within OCEANS: Transfers are made throughout OCEANS and its subsidiaries to support its activities and/or services.
  2. b) Transfer to third-parties: OCEANS works with certain third parties to obtain support services in connection with travels, meetings and events services and/or other OCEANS services to its Clients, such as emergency online booking services, hotel booking services, ground transportation requirements or airline ticket issuance, badge provider and, in some cases, personal data will be shared with these third parties in order to pursue OCEANS’ mission and goals. OCEANS may also transfer personal data to third parties at the request of its Clients. For example, for data consolidation or emergency tracking services. OCEANS may transfer your data to third parties for promotion and marketing purposes as outlined above. OCEANS may also transfer your data to a third-party in the event of any reorganization, merger, sale, joint venture, assignment, transfer or other disposition of all or any portion of OCEANS business, assets or stock (including in connection with any bankruptcy or similar proceedings). Prior to a transfer, third-parties (except for travel suppliers and authorized transfers such as within the EU) are required to sign a data transfer agreement with OCEANS that requires them to follow the applicable data protection laws.
  3. c) Regulatory transfers: OCEANS may be required by law to transfer data to governments and regulatory and/or supervisory authorities.

Electronic transfer of data

If you visit OCEANS’ website your data will be transported via an open publicly accessible network. The data might therefore be transmitted across national borders even if you and OCEANS are located in the same country. This involves notably the risk that your data may be intercepted and read by third parties, allowing such third parties to infer an already existing or future business relationship between you and OCEANS.

Furthermore, you are notified that information you transmit or allow to be transmitted to you by OCEANS via an electronic medium, in particular via e-mail, SMS, contact forms, etc. are usually unencrypted and therefore neither confidential nor secure. Even in the event of an encrypted transmission, sender and recipient remain unencrypted in each case. Third parties may therefore be able to infer an existing or future business relationship between you and OCEANS.

If you provide OCEANS with personal information, your personal data may be transferred by OCEANS to countries whose data protection laws may be different from, and less stringent than, those in your country of residence as set forth above. Your personal data may in particular be transferred to the United States. You are hereby notified that your personal data might be accessed by governmental authorities in such countries (in particular by US authorities).

7. SECURITY AND ORGANIZATIONAL MEASURES

To ensure the safety of your data on OCEANS’ website and systems, OCEANS has implemented appropriate technical, contractual, administrative, physical and organizational measures to protect your personal data from loss, destruction, unauthorized access, accidental or unlawful disclosure and manipulation. These measures are subject to continuous development in accordance with technological progress and are periodically reviewed to comply with all applicable privacy laws. However, we cannot and do not guarantee the security of your personal data and therefore cannot assume any liability in this respect.

Only authorized OCEANS staff, third party companies’ (i.e. service providers) staff or our Clients’ authorized staff (who have contractually agreed to keep all information secure) have access to your personal data. All OCEANS staff who have access to your personal data are required to adhere to the staff confidentiality regulations and all third-party employees who have access to your personal data have signed non-disclosure agreements. In addition, data transfer agreements are in place with third-party companies that have access to your personal data to make sure these data remain secure.

8. YOUR RIGHTS

In accordance with applicable data protection laws and regulations, you have a right to request access to, rectification of your Data, or restriction of processing, and to object to said processing, as well as the right to data portability to the extent applicable. Moreover, you have a right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority.

Under certain conditions you also have the right to have your personal data that is stored by OCEANS blocked and deleted, unless OCEANS has to keep these data for legitimate business or legal purposes. For more information, you should contact the Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned e-mail address

To contact OCEANS with questions or issues about OCEANS’ data processing, you should contact the Data Protection Officer at the following e-mail address: emily.brown@mci-group.com.

OCEANS gives you many choices regarding OCEANS’ use and disclosure of your personal data for marketing purposes. By contacting the Data Protection Officer at the above-mentioned e-mail address, you may opt-out from receiving future electronic marketing messages from OCEANS and request that we not share your personal data with unaffiliated third parties for their marketing purposes. OCEANS will try to comply with your request(s) as soon as reasonably practicable. Please note that if you opt-out as described above, OCEANS will not be able to remove your personal data from the databases of unaffiliated third parties with which OCEANS has already shared your personal data (i.e., to which we have already provided your personal data as of the date that we implement your opt-out request). Please also note that if you do opt-out of receiving marketing-related messages from OCEANS, we may still send you important administrative messages, and you cannot opt-out from receiving administrative messages.

9. SENSITIVE INFORMATION

We ask that you not send OCEANS, and you not disclose, any sensitive Personal Information (e.g., information related to racial or ethnic origin, political opinions, religion or other beliefs, health, criminal background or trade union membership) on or through the digital asset or otherwise to OCEANS.

10. UPDATES TO THIS PRIVACY STATEMENT

We may change this Privacy Statement.  Please take a look at the “LAST UPDATED” legend at the top of this page to see when this Privacy Statement was last revised.  Any changes to this Privacy Statement will become effective when we post the revised Privacy Statement on the digital asset.  Your use of the digital asset following these changes means that you accept the revised Privacy Statement.

11. CONTACTING OCEANS

If you have any questions about this Privacy Statement, please contact OCEANS at OCEANS’ marketing & communication team, or please write to the following address:

OCEANS Conference Marketing Team