privacy policy

At The Expat's Lounge, we are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your personal data with the utmost care. This privacy policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website www.theexpatslounge.com, in compliance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The protection of your personal data is a priority for The Expat's Lounge. This privacy policy explains what information we collect, why we collect it, and how we use it. By using our website, you agree to the terms of this policy.

We collect several types of data when you interact with our website. This data may include personal and technical information, collected in the following ways:

- Cookies: We use cookies to enhance your experience on our website. These cookies help us analyze website usage, improve website performance, and remember certain user preferences. For more information on cookie management, please refer to the Cookies section in the Legal Notice.

- Technical data: When you browse our website, we may automatically collect certain technical information, such as your IP address, browser type, operating system, and the pages you visit. This data is collected for security purposes, statistical analysis, and to improve the website’s functionality.

- Contact communications: When you contact us via the contact form or email links available on the website, we collect the personal data that you voluntarily provide, such as your name, email address, phone number, and the content of your message. This information is used solely to respond to your inquiry and manage our communications with you. You are free to choose which information you provide.

This data is collected exclusively for the purpose of responding to user requests, managing communications, ensuring website security, and improving the quality of our services.

The website www.theexpatslounge.com does not offer user account creation or any service requiring authentication. As a result, no personal data related to user accounts is collected or stored.

The data collected is used for the following purposes:

- To improve website navigation: By collecting information on how you use our website, we can enhance the user experience and optimize site performance.

- To analyze website usage for statistical purposes: We use the collected information to perform statistical analyses to improve the usability, content relevance, and effectiveness of our website and services.

- To personalize the user experience: Cookies allow us to remember your browsing preferences, providing a smoother and more personalized experience during future visits.

- To respond to your requests and inquiries: Personal data provided via the contact form or email communications is used solely to reply to your messages, provide requested information, and manage our communications with you.

The processing of your personal data is based on the following legal grounds:

- Consent: You consent to the use of cookies through the cookie consent banner and to the processing of personal data that you voluntarily provide when submitting a contact form or sending an email via the website.

- Pre-contractual measures: The processing of personal data provided via the contact form or email communications is necessary to respond to your requests for information or services. These communications are initiated by you, and the information you choose to share is provided at your discretion.

We are committed to not selling, renting, or transferring your personal data to third parties for commercial purposes. Personal data collected via the website is used exclusively within the scope defined in this Privacy Policy.

However, we may share certain data with trusted external service providers as part of the operation, maintenance, and improvement of the website. These providers are carefully selected and are authorized to process personal data only to the extent necessary to perform their assigned tasks, in accordance with our instructions.

All service providers comply with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR), particularly with regard to confidentiality, security, and data protection. They are bound by contractual obligations that ensure the secure and lawful processing of personal data.

The categories of service providers with whom data may be shared include:
- Website hosting providers;
- Website analytics services (such as Google Analytics, where applicable);
- Technical service providers involved in website maintenance and security.

No personal data is shared with third parties for advertising or marketing purposes.

We retain personal data only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes described in this Privacy Policy and in accordance with applicable legal requirements.

- Contact data (name, email address, message content) collected via the contact form or email communications is retained only for the time necessary to process and respond to your request, and may be archived for a limited period for legal or administrative purposes.

- Technical and usage data collected for statistical and security purposes is retained for a limited period, in accordance with applicable regulations and best practices.

- Cookies are stored on your device for a maximum duration defined by law or until you delete them via your browser settings. No cookie data is stored permanently on our servers.

We implement appropriate technical and organizational security measures to protect your personal data against unauthorized access, alteration, loss, or disclosure.

These security measures include:

- SSL encryption: The website uses an SSL (Secure Socket Layer) certificate to encrypt data transmitted between your browser and our server.

- Access controls: Access to personal data is strictly limited to authorized persons and service providers who require this information to perform their specific tasks, in accordance with their contractual obligations.

- Regular backups: We perform regular backups of the website and its data to ensure data recovery in the event of accidental loss, technical failure, or security incidents.

Despite the security measures implemented, no method of transmission over the Internet or method of electronic storage is completely secure. We therefore cannot guarantee absolute security.

We encourage users to adopt appropriate security practices, such as using strong passwords, keeping their devices and software up to date, and ensuring the security of their own Internet access.

In accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you have the following rights regarding your personal data:

- Right of access: You may request confirmation as to whether or not personal data concerning you is being processed and, where that is the case, access to that data.

- Right of rectification: You may request the correction of inaccurate or incomplete personal data.

- Right to erasure: You may request the deletion of your personal data in certain circumstances, in particular when the data is no longer necessary for the purposes for which it was collected.

- Right to restriction of processing: You may request that the processing of your personal data be restricted in certain situations provided for by law.

- Right to object: You may object to the processing of your personal data for legitimate reasons, unless the processing is required for legal or contractual obligations.

- Right to data portability: You may request to receive the personal data you have provided in a structured, commonly used, and machine-readable format, and to transmit it to another data controller where technically feasible.

- Right to determine the fate of your data after death: You may define instructions regarding the storage, deletion, or communication of your personal data after your death, in accordance with applicable law.

Response time: We are committed to responding to your request within one month from receipt. This period may be extended by up to two additional months if necessary, depending on the complexity or number of requests. In such cases, you will be informed of the extension and the reasons for the delay within the initial response period.

To exercise your rights, please contact us at: nberkeley.consult@gmail.com

A proof of identity may be requested where necessary to verify the identity of the requester.

Cookies are small files stored on your device (computer, smartphone, or tablet) when you browse our website. They allow us to recognize your device and improve your browsing experience by analyzing how the website is used and enabling certain functionalities.

Cookies are used in particular to:
- ensure the proper functioning of the website;
- analyze website traffic and usage for statistical purposes;
- remember certain user preferences to improve navigation.

You may configure your browser at any time to accept or refuse cookies. Please note that refusing certain cookies may limit access to some features of the website and affect your user experience.

For detailed information on the types of cookies used, their purposes, and how to manage your preferences, please refer to the “Cookies” section of our Legal Notice available on the website.

This Privacy Policy may be updated at any time to reflect legal, regulatory, technical, or operational developments.

Any changes will be published directly on this page. We encourage users to consult this Privacy Policy regularly in order to stay informed of any updates.

For any questions regarding this Privacy Policy or to exercise your rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), you may contact us by email at:

nberkeley.consult@gmail.com

If you believe that your rights regarding the protection of your personal data are not being respected, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the competent supervisory authority.

In France, the supervisory authority is the CNIL (Commission Nationale de l’Informatique et des Libertés).

You may contact the CNIL at the following address:

CNIL
3 Place de Fontenoy
TSA 80715
75334 Paris Cedex 07
France

Website: https://www.cnil.fr