The Albanian Society of Trauma and Emergency Surgery (“ASTES”, “we”, “us”, or “our”) is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal information when you visit our website https://astes.org.al (the “Site”).
1. Information We Collect
1.1 Personal Information You Provide
- Name, title, and professional affiliation
- Email address, mailing address, and telephone number
- Membership application details and qualifications
- Payment information (processed via secure third-party gateways)
1.2 Automatically Collected Information
- IP address and device information (e.g., browser type, operating system)
- Usage data (pages visited, links clicked, time spent on pages)
- Cookies and similar tracking technologies (see Section 4)
2. How We Use Your Information
We use the information we collect for the following purposes:
- Membership Management: To process applications, verify eligibility, maintain membership records, and deliver membership-related communications.
- Service Delivery: To enable access to conference registrations, journal subscriptions, endorsed courses, and other member benefits.
- Communications: To send newsletters, updates, event notifications, and respond to inquiries.
- Improvement & Analytics: To understand usage patterns, optimize our Site, and improve our services.
- Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws, respond to legal requests, and enforce our terms and policies.
3. Sharing and Disclosure
We do not sell or rent your personal data. We may share information with:
- Service Providers: Third-party processors who assist with payment processing, email distribution, analytics, and IT hosting.
- Professional Advisors: Legal and accounting firms for compliance and audit purposes.
- Regulatory Authorities: When required by law or to protect our rights.
4. Cookies and Tracking Technologies
We use cookies and similar tools to enhance your experience and collect usage information. You can control cookies through your browser settings; however, disabling cookies may affect Site functionality.
5. Third-Party Links and Services
Our Site may contain links to third-party websites or services (e.g., payment gateways, social media platforms). This Privacy Policy does not apply to those services. Please review their respective policies.
6. Data Retention
We retain personal information only as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy, comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.
7. Security
We implement reasonable technical and organizational measures to protect your data, including encryption, access controls, and secure data storage. However, no method of transmission or storage is completely secure.
8. International Transfers
Data may be processed in countries other than your own, including Albania. We ensure that any such transfers comply with applicable data protection requirements.
9. Children’s Privacy
Our Site is not intended for individuals under the age of 16. We do not knowingly collect personal information from minors. If you believe we have collected such data, please contact us for deletion.
10. Your Rights
Depending on your jurisdiction, you may have the right to:
- Access, correct, or delete your personal data.
- Restrict or object to processing.
- Withdraw consent at any time (where processing is based on consent).
- Request data portability.
To exercise these rights, please contact us using the details below.
11. Changes to This Policy
We may update this Policy periodically. The “Last updated” date at the top will reflect any changes. We encourage you to review this page regularly.
12. Contact Us
If you have questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy or our data practices, please contact us