This Privacy Policy explains how the International Student Society at ATU Galway-Mayo (“ISS”, “we”, “our”, “us”) collects, uses, and protects your information when you use our website and mobile application (ISS Hub). We are committed to processing your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Google Play Developer Policies.

Who We Are

Our website address is: https://atuiss.com. We are the International Student Society at ATU Galway-Mayo, committed to protecting your privacy and ensuring that your personal data is always processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently.

Information We Collect

We may collect the following types of information:
• Information you voluntarily provide (name, email, profile details, comments, posts, event bookings).
• Login information (processed securely and never stored in plain text).
• Media you upload (photos, files).
• Technical information such as IP address, device type, operating system, browser type, and usage logs.
• Cookies and usage data.
• Information processed by third-party services, such as analytics tools, spam detection systems, push notifications, and payment processors.

Comments

When visitors leave comments on the site, we collect the data shown in the comments form, the visitor’s IP address, and browser user agent string to help spam detection. An anonymized string (hash) created from your email address may be provided to the Gravatar service to check if you are using it. The Gravatar Privacy Policy is available here: https://automattic.com/privacy/. After approval, your profile picture becomes visible to the public in the context of your comment.

Media

If you upload images to the website, please avoid uploading images with embedded location data (EXIF GPS). Visitors may download and extract location data from images on the site.

Cookies

We use cookies to store information such as your personal preferences when visiting our site. This may include remembering your settings or login sessions. You may disable cookies through your browser settings, although some site features may not function correctly.

Embedded Content From Other Websites

Articles or pages on this site may include embedded content (e.g., videos, images, articles). Embedded content from other websites behaves exactly as if you visited the external website. These websites may collect data, use cookies, embed third-party tracking, and monitor your interactions with the embedded content.

How We Use Your Data

Your data may be used to:
• Manage your account or profile
• Provide website and app services
• Process event bookings and payments
• Detect and prevent spam or fraudulent activity
• Improve performance, security, and user experience
• Send notifications or respond to support requests
If you request a password reset, your IP address may be included in the reset email for security purposes.

Third-Party Services

We may share limited technical information with trusted third parties that help us operate our services, such as:
• Spam detection services
• Analytics providers
• Payment processors (e.g., Stripe)
• Push notification services (e.g., Firebase Cloud Messaging)
These services have their own privacy policies and may process data such as IP address or device identifiers.

How Long We Retain Your Data

We retain comment data indefinitely to recognise and approve follow-up comments automatically. User profile data is retained for as long as the account remains active. Technical logs may be stored for security and diagnostic purposes for up to 12–24 months.

Your Rights Over Your Data

Under GDPR, you have the right to:
• Access your personal data
• Correct inaccurate information
• Request deletion of your data
• Restrict or object to data processing
• Withdraw consent at any time
You may request an exported file of the personal data we hold about you. Please submit any requests in writing to iss@atuiss.com.

Data Deletion (Google Play Requirement)

You may request the deletion of your personal data at any time by emailing iss@atuiss.com. Upon verification, we will delete:
• Your account
• Profile information
• Posts, comments, and uploaded content
• Booking history (unless required for legal or financial purposes)
Local app data will also be removed when you uninstall the app.

Where Your Data Is Sent

Your data may be processed by automated spam detection services or analytics tools. Data may be stored in secure servers located within the European Union.

Children’s Privacy

Our website and app are not directed toward individuals under the age of 16 (“Children”). We do not knowingly collect personal data from children. If we discover such data, we will delete it immediately.

Legal Basis for Processing

We process personal data under the following lawful bases:
1. With your consent
2. As necessary to perform a contract (e.g., event bookings)
3. For our legitimate interests in providing and improving our services

Security

We implement appropriate technical and organisational measures to protect your data, including encrypted connections (HTTPS), secure authentication, and access controls. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.

Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Updated versions will be posted on this page with a revised “Last Updated” date.

Contact Us

If you have questions, concerns, or a privacy-related request, please contact us at:

Email: iss@atuiss.com
Website: https://atuiss.com