Privacy Policy
of
www.surfing-the-world.com (STW)
Protection of Data
It is important to us that your data is protected and secure. We undertake every reasonable effort to protect your personal data. This privacy policy is intended to explain to you what personal data is gathered and who has access to it. It may be adapted or updated at any time, according to legal requirements. We strongly suggest that you read this document regularly.
Definition of “Personal Data”
Personal data is information that can be used to identify you. Data that does not help reveal who you are, is not considered personal data (e.g. when you write a post in the forum using a pseudonym).
Data that we Gather and Use
For the most part, STW can be visited without disclosing personal data. However, if you register as a user to use services requiring registration, you will be asked to supply some personal data. This data is needed to register you, and you cannot use services that require registration without providing at least some personal data.
Personal data you provide is stored on STW’s server. We store this data for your security and in order to provide individualized services to you. You may be identifiable from this personal data.
What STW Uses Your Data For
STW does not sell your data to third parties. We reserve the right to do statistical analysis using your anonymised data as part of a large set of data. Your pseudonymised personal data may also be used to maintain system security and to improve STW and the services we provide through it.
You are asked to provide your personal data when submitting a rating, forum post or posting other content to this website. Your personal data is shared with suppliers (accommodation providers) once you make an enquiry. STW will only share your data at your request or with your consent to do so.
STW does not use your personal data for advertising purposes prior to your explicit consent. STW may send you information material if you give us permission to do so. You may revoke your permission or consent at any time by sending an email to info@surfing-the-world.com or by visiting the website and using the unsubscribe function.
Data Sharing with Third Parties
By law, legal authorities may require us to disclose your data in order to investigate and prosecute criminal offences, abuse and other crimes. In this case, STW is bound by law to provide your personal data to third parties without consent.
Security Measures to Protect Stored Personal Data
If STW or a supplier (e.g. a provider of surf accommodation) stores your data, we use specially protected servers. We will take all reasonable steps to secure the servers and access to the data they hold.
Please be aware that there are inherent security risks in transmitting data via the Internet, for example in e-mails, because it is impossible to safeguard completely against unauthorized access by third parties, and may be intercepted. Nevertheless, we shall endeavor to safeguard your data, subject to this limitation. In particular, personal information will be transmitted via the Internet only if it does not infringe upon third-party rights, unless the respective party has given its prior consent in view of such security risks. Accordingly, as the Web site provider, we shall not be held liable for any damages incurred as a consequence of such security risks or for any related acts of omission on our part.
We oppose the use of any available contact information by a third party for sending unsolicited advertisements. As the Website provider, we reserve the express right to take legal action against unsolicited mailing or e-mailing of spam and other similar advertising materials.
STW contains links to third party websites. STW cannot guarantee that these third party websites conform with our privacy policy, nor can we warrant that they comply with applicable data protection requirements or best practice.
Google Analytics
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (“Google”). Google Analytics uses “cookies”, which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google on servers in the United States. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.