Your Privacy Matters

Privacy Policy & Data Sovereignty Statement

Last Update: 2025 11 22

1. Introduction

The Kingsville Photo Society (“KPS”, “we”, “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our members and visitors. We are not just a photography society; we are a community built on trust.

This policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information in compliance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. Our Commitment to Data Sovereignty

In an era of global surveillance, KPS has taken specific technical measures to ensure your data remains under Canadian jurisdiction.

Hosting: Our website and member database are hosted on servers physically located in Toronto via WPMU DEV.
Identity: Our domains are managed by NamesPro in British Columbia.
Analytics: We use self-hosted analytics (Matomo) to ensure no third-party tracking data (like Google) leaves our control.
No US Cloud Act Exposure: To the best of our ability, we avoid US-based cloud storage providers to prevent your data from being subject to foreign access requests.

3. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to manage your membership and participation in society activities.

A. Personal Information (Members)

Name and Contact Information (Email, Phone Number).
Mailing Address (for verifying local residency).
Payment Information (Processed securely via Helcim or similar; KPS does not store full credit card numbers).

B. Content (Photos)

When you upload images to our Community Galleries or “Living Map,” you retain the copyright to your work. However, you grant KPS a license to display these images on our website and internal forums.

C. Technical Data

IP addresses and browser types are collected via our self-hosted analytics for security and website optimization purposes.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data for the following purposes:

To process your membership dues and renewals.
To send you critical society updates (e.g., “Meeting Changes,” “Guest Pass Expiry”).
To organize field trips and workshops.
To attribute your photography correctly in our galleries.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We partner with specific Canadian and GDPR-compliant providers to deliver our services. We have vetted these partners for their commitment to privacy:

Payment Processing: Helcim (Calgary, AB) – for membership fees.
Email Delivery: [Insert Provider, e.g., Brevo/WHC] – for sending newsletters.
Content Delivery: Bunny.net (EU-based) – for fast image loading.

6. Your Rights

Under Canadian law, you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.
Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information.
Withdrawal: Withdraw your consent for us to use your data (e.g., unsubscribing from newsletters or resigning membership).

7. Photos and Public Spaces

Please be aware that photography is our core activity.

Events: Photos taken of members at public KPS events (e.g., meetings, photo walks) may be used on our social media or website to promote the Society. If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform the photographer or a Board member.
Galleries: Any photo you upload to the “Public” spaces of our website is visible to the internet. Please do not upload sensitive information.

Your Privacy Matters

Privacy Policy & Data Sovereignty Statement

Last Update: 2025 11 22

1. Introduction

The Kingsville Photo Society (“KPS”, “we”, “us”) is committed to protecting the privacy of our members and visitors. We are not just a photography society; we are a community built on trust.

This policy outlines how we collect, use, and protect your personal information in compliance with Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA).

2. Our Commitment to Data Sovereignty

In an era of global surveillance, KPS has taken specific technical measures to ensure your data remains under Canadian jurisdiction.

Hosting: Our website and member database are hosted on servers physically located in Toronto via WPMU DEV.

Identity: Our domains are managed by NamesPro in British Columbia.

Analytics: We use self-hosted analytics (Matomo) to ensure no third-party tracking data (like Google) leaves our control.

No US Cloud Act Exposure: To the best of our ability, we avoid US-based cloud storage providers to prevent your data from being subject to foreign access requests.

3. Information We Collect

We collect only the information necessary to manage your membership and participation in society activities.

A. Personal Information (Members)

Name and Contact Information (Email, Phone Number).

Mailing Address (for verifying local residency).

Payment Information (Processed securely via Helcim or similar; KPS does not store full credit card numbers).

B. Content (Photos)

When you upload images to our Community Galleries or “Living Map,” you retain the copyright to your work. However, you grant KPS a license to display these images on our website and internal forums.

C. Technical Data

IP addresses and browser types are collected via our self-hosted analytics for security and website optimization purposes.

4. How We Use Your Information

We use your data for the following purposes:

To process your membership dues and renewals.

To send you critical society updates (e.g., “Meeting Changes,” “Guest Pass Expiry”).

To organize field trips and workshops.

To attribute your photography correctly in our galleries.

We will never sell, rent, or trade your personal information to third parties.

5. Third-Party Service Providers

We partner with specific Canadian and GDPR-compliant providers to deliver our services. We have vetted these partners for their commitment to privacy:

Payment Processing: Helcim (Calgary, AB) – for membership fees.

Email Delivery: [Insert Provider, e.g., Brevo/WHC] – for sending newsletters.

Content Delivery: Bunny.net (EU-based) – for fast image loading.

6. Your Rights

Under Canadian law, you have the right to:

Access: Request a copy of the personal information we hold about you.

Correction: Request that we correct inaccurate information.

Withdrawal: Withdraw your consent for us to use your data (e.g., unsubscribing from newsletters or resigning membership).

7. Photos and Public Spaces

Please be aware that photography is our core activity.

Events: Photos taken of members at public KPS events (e.g., meetings, photo walks) may be used on our social media or website to promote the Society. If you prefer not to be photographed, please inform the photographer or a Board member.

Galleries: Any photo you upload to the “Public” spaces of our website is visible to the internet. Please do not upload sensitive information.

8. Contact Us

If you have questions about this policy or our data residency practices, please contact our Privacy Officer (usually the Secretary or President):

Kingsville Photo Society

Email: KPS1(at)kingsvillephotosociety.ca

Mailing Address: TBD