Privacy Policy

This privacy policy notice applies to this website and all websites managed by Modified Ventures Ltd, including Geoweb Forum and Design for Manufacturing Forum. It governs the privacy of those who use these websites.

The purpose of this policy is to explain how we control, process, handle and protect your personal information while browsing or using this website, including your rights under current laws and regulations.

If you do not agree to the following policy you may wish to stop using this website.

Key definitions

'I', 'our', 'us', 'we' or 'me' refer to the business, Modified Ventures Ltd.
'you', 'the user' or 'the member' refer to the person(s) using this website.
GDPR means General Data Protection Act.
PECR means Privacy & Electronic Communications Regulation.
ICO means Information Commissioner's Office.
Cookies mean small files stored on a users computer or device.

Processing of your personal data

Following the rules of the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) we control and / or process any personal information about you electronically under a mix of lawful bases, including consent, contract and legitimate interest.

We will never share your information with any third parties, including sponsors of our events and government agencies. We will never have advertising on our websites. We will never track users on the sites.

Part of our mission has always been, since about 2007, to develop a new business model for independent publishers as an alternative for online advertising. We want to get paid for content, not exploit user data.

Personal information on our systems is stored in mailing lists and in profiles on the membership platforms, Geoweb Forum and Design for Manufacturing Forum.

Information on the mailing lists is limited to name, email address, company, job title and city. This information is not publicly accessible. You can remove yourself from this list by using the unsubscribe link in any email we send out.

Information in profiles on the membership platforms is under total control of the users; members can add, change or remove their own data or accounts. Other members had access to data that members make accessible for public use.

If the lawful basis upon which we process your personal information changes, we will notify you about the change and any new lawful basis to be used if required. We shall stop processing your personal information if the lawful basis used is no longer applicable.

Modified Ventures Ltd is registered with the ICO under the Data Protection Register. Our registration number is: ZA419315.

Your individual rights

Under the GDPR you have:

the right to be informed;
the right of access;
the right to rectification;
the right to erasure;
the right to restrict processing;
the right to data portability;
the right to object; and
the right not to be subject to automated decision-making including profiling.

You can read more about your rights in details on the ICO website.

You have the right to complain to the ICO if you feel there is a problem with the way we are handling your data. However, if you choose to do so, please contact me first to give me a chance to resolve the issue.

We handle subject access requests in accordance with the GDPR.

Internet cookies

We only occassionally use cookies on our websites for user experience purposes.

Cookies are small text files stored in your browser that track aspects of how you use the website, for example to determine if you have seen a particular message that we display or to keep you logged in where applicable.

Modified Ventures Ltd will never use cookies to track your paths and behaviour on our websites to display "relevant" advertising and content or refer you to third party websites.

Some cookies will be saved for specific time periods, where others may last indefinitely. Your web browser should provide you with the controls to manage and delete cookies from your device, please see your web browser options

Data security and protection

We ensure the security of any personal information we hold by using secure data storage technologies and precise procedures in how we store, access and manage that information. Our methods meet the GDPR compliance requirement.

Transparent Privacy Explanations

We have provided some further explanations about user privacy and the way we use this website to help promote a transparent and honest user privacy methodology.

Sponsored links, affiliate tracking & commissions

Our websites will never contain adverts or affiliate links. Modified Ventures Ltd will never work with Google Adsense, Facebook Ads, Amazon Affiliates or similar advertising partners. We do not trust any of these third parties with your information privacy and security.

Email marketing messages

Under the GDPR we use as lawful basis for our marketing email messages consent, contract and legitimate interest. We only collect very limited data about people we contact, as detailed above.

Modified Ventures Ltd does not trust any third party email marketing service (EMS) provider with your information privacy and security. Emails you receive from us are sent by us from a server under our control.

Our email marketing messages will never contain tracking beacons, tracked clickable links or similar server technologies that track subscriber activity or record user data such as opens, IP addresses, location, clicks, etc.

Any email marketing messages we send are in accordance with the GDPR and the PECR. We provide you with an easy method to remove your personal information from our server by using the unsubscribe link.

Resources & further information

Overview of the GDPR - General Data Protection Regulation
Data Protection Act 1998
Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003
The Guide to the PECR 2003

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