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Privacy Policy

Our Privacy Policy is committed to ensuring the transparency and protection of your data. We adhere strictly to the European and national legislation, especially the General Data Protection Regulation (EU 2016/679), also known as GDPR, and the Personal Data Protection Act. This policy is designed to inform you about how we collect, use, and protect your data - any information that can identify you directly or indirectly. This could include but is not limited to, your name, email, contact details, or any other data that can be linked back to you. We collect and process your data only when necessary and do so in full compliance with legal obligations and your explicit consent. The data we collect helps us enhance our services and better understand your needs and preferences.

You have the right to access, rectify, delete, or restrict the processing of your data. If you have concerns or wish to exercise your rights related to your data, please don't hesitate to contact us at pap@deaf.bg.

Who Are We?

We are the Listen Up Foundation, a committed advocate for the deaf community, operating under the VAT number 176786514. Our headquarters are situated at 33 Alexander Malinov Blvd., Campus X, Building 3, 2nd Floor, Sofia. We are dedicated to fostering a more inclusive and accessible world for the deaf and hard of hearing. For any inquiries or further information, please feel free to contact us at +359 896 544 365.

Ways of Collecting Personal Data

Directly from You:. We collect personal data directly from you when you engage with our services. This can be when you express an interest in our programs, register for an event, make a donation, or communicate with us via social media, email, phone, or other personal interactions. Typically, this information includes but is not limited to your name, email address, and telephone number, all of which are stored securely in our contact database.

From Third Parties:. We gather information about the browser you use, your IP address, and computer operating systems to enhance our service quality. This information is collected via third-party services and analytics tools.

We understand the importance of handling sensitive personal data with extra care. Such data may include information about your health, racial or ethnic origin, religious beliefs, and political opinions. We collect this category of information only when it's essential, such as for processing adjustments in our program to accommodate specific needs, for monitoring purposes, or when you choose to share your experiences with us.

In any case where sensitive personal data is collected, we ensure to inform you about what is being collected and why, maintaining the highest level of transparency and adherence to data protection laws.

Cookies

Our website, Deaf.bg, utilizes cookies to enhance user experience, improve site functionality, and tailor services to your preferences. Cookies are small data files stored on your device that contain unique identifiers, distinguishing your browser from others and enabling a more seamless navigation experience.

How We Use Cookies: By employing cookies, we aim to simplify interactions with our site. For instance, cookies can remember your login details, so you don't have to re-enter them each time you visit.

Managing Cookies: You have control over cookie settings. Through your browser settings, you can refuse some or all cookies or delete them after they have been set. However, please be aware that some cookies are essential for the website's operation, and disabling them may affect the functionality and access to certain parts of our site.

Essential Cookies: Some cookies are necessary for the website to function correctly and provide services you've requested. These cannot be disabled if you want to use our site.

How We Use Your Personal Data 

Our handling of your personal data is determined by the purpose of our relationship with you. We process personal data on the following legal grounds:

Necessity to Perform a Contract:  

We often need to process your personal data to enter into or fulfill a contract with you. This includes taking preparatory steps for contractual agreements or fulfilling our obligations under an existing contract. For instance, if you participate in one of our programs, we will use your personal data to provide the services agreed upon.

Consent:

For certain activities, we rely on your explicit consent to process your personal data. This is typically the case for sending marketing communications or sharing your data with third parties to fulfill our objectives. Consent is a voluntary, specific, informed, and unambiguous indication of your agreement to the processing of personal data related to you.

Legitimate Interests:

We may process your data when it's necessary for the pursuit of our legitimate interests or those of a third party, provided that your rights and interests do not override these interests. This may include processing donations, internal administrative tasks, enhancing program participant selection processes, or ensuring the security of our network and information.

Legal Obligations:

Sometimes, we process personal data as required by law or other regulatory requirements. This ensures our compliance with legal obligations and the proper conduct of our operations.

Marketing Information

We are committed to delivering relevant and timely information about the Listen Foundation, tailored to your interests and preferences. It is important to us that our communication is both convenient and welcomed by you. Your preferences are paramount in determining the type and frequency of the marketing information you receive from us. If you're interested in our programs or simply interested in our work, we want you to know that our communication aligns with your expectations and preferences.

Email Marketing

With your explicit consent, we may send you marketing emails. By subscribing to our newsletter, you authorize us to use your email address for sending updates, news, and other marketing-related content.

You have complete control over receiving marketing communications from us. This includes: Opting Out - you can unsubscribe at any time using the "unsubscribe" link found in every marketing email; Changing Preferences - at any time, you can adjust your communication preferences or inform us if you prefer not to receive marketing communications via email or post.

Our goal is to keep you informed and engaged with our work without overwhelming you. Your privacy and preference matter to us, and we are committed to upholding them in all our communications. If you have any questions or need to update your preferences, please contact us at the designated email address.

Sharing Your Personal Data

We take your privacy seriously and may share your personal data with third parties under specific circumstances:

Affiliated Service Providers: We work together with related companies and service providers to deliver the services you'd like. This includes schools and universities for training and qualification programs, as well as other partners essential to our operations.

Trusted Third Parties: We work with reliable third parties who provide us with support in information processing, marketing, and other services. Our partnerships are guided by your marketing preferences and adhere strictly to our internal policies and procedures. All third parties are required to follow our stringent data protection standards.

Legal Obligations: Occasionally, we may need to disclose your personal data to comply with legal obligations or to protect the Listen Foundation's rights. This could include responding to lawful requests from law enforcement agencies.

Consent-Based Sharing: We will not share your personal data for third-party marketing purposes without your explicit consent.

International Transfers: If we transfer data to third-party companies in other countries, we ensure that the data is transferred according to internationally recognized secure standards and that there is a legitimate basis for such transfer.

Our Site may integrate Social Media Features, such as the Facebook "Like" button, and Widgets, such as the "Share This" button, along with other interactive mini-programs. These features may collect information like your IP address and which page you are visiting on our site, and they may set a cookie to ensure proper functionality. A third party may host these Social Media Features and Widgets. Interactions with these features are governed by the privacy policy of the company providing it, not by our Privacy Policy. Please be aware that we do not control these integrated tools and are not responsible for the privacy or security practices of such third parties.

We may also use third-party services such as:

  • Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors engage with our site. This service collects information and reports website trends without identifying individual visitors. You can view their privacy policy for further details.
  • MailChimp: For our email marketing, we use MailChimp. When you subscribe to our newsletters or provide your email for communication, your information will be transferred to MailChimp for processing in accordance with their Privacy Policy and Terms. This helps us manage and send communications more effectively.
  • The following plug-ins:
    • “Insert Headers and Footers” by WPBeginner.
    •  “MailChimp for WordPress” by ibericode.
    • “Cookie Notice” by dFactory.
    •  Yoast SEO.
    • “Contact Form 7” by Takayuki Miyoshi.
    • “Disable Comments” by Samir Shah.
    • “User Profile Picture” by Ronald Huereca.
    • “Force HTTPS (SSL Redirect & Fix Insecure Content)” by LittleBizzy.
    • “Loco Translate” by Tim Whitlock.
  • Facebook Pixels.
  • Google Remarketing Tag.

Protection of the Rights of Minors

At the heart of our mission is the commitment to the well-being and rights of children and youth, particularly those from the deaf community. Recognizing the vulnerability and unique needs of individuals under 18 years of age, we are dedicated to safeguarding their privacy and ensuring a secure and respectful environment. This commitment extends to all our programs, events, and collaborative efforts with partner schools and organizations. We adhere strictly to legal standards and ethical practices in all our interactions with minors, ensuring that their engagement with our foundation is safe, empowering, and respectful of their rights and individuality.

Data Retention

We want you to know that we are committed to retaining your personal data only for as long as you need to fulfill the specific purposes for which it was collected. This includes meeting any legal, accounting, or reporting requirements.

To determine the appropriate retention period, we evaluate factors such as the amount, nature, and sensitivity of the data, the potential risk of harm from unauthorized use or disclosure, the processing purposes and if these can be achieved through other means, and the applicable legal requirements.

Security of Processing

Recognizing the importance of your personal data's security, we have implemented robust technical and organizational measures to protect it. These measures are designed to secure your data against accidental or unlawful destruction, loss, alteration, unauthorized disclosure, or access. Our commitment ensures the safeguarding of your data with the most up-to-date and effective security protocols.

Your Rights Regarding Personal Data

At Deaf.bg, we ensure you have comprehensive rights over your personal data, consistent with data protection regulations. Here are the rights you can exercise:

Right of Access: You're entitled to request access to your personal data we hold at any time. This includes the right to be informed about the categories of personal data we process, the purposes of processing, storage periods, and the sources of the data if not collected directly from you.

Right to Rectification: If you find that the personal data we hold is inaccurate or incomplete, you have the right to have it corrected.

  • Right to Erasure: You may request the deletion of your personal data when it is no longer necessary for the purposes it was collected or otherwise processed.
  • Right to Restriction of Processing: You have the right to restrict the processing of your personal data under certain circumstances, such as if you contest the accuracy of the data or have objected to the processing.
  • Right to Object: You can object to the processing of your personal data, particularly in cases where we process data based on legitimate interests or for direct marketing.
  • Right to Withdraw Consent: If you have given consent for specific data processing activities, you have the right to withdraw your consent at any time.

Fulfilling Requests: We commit to addressing all valid requests promptly and within the legally required time frame. In certain complex situations or during times of numerous requests, this period may be extended within legal limits, about which you will be informed.

Data Retention and Deletion: We store personal data as required by law or for legitimate business purposes. We delete data when it's no longer necessary or if you request its deletion, provided there are no legal grounds for its retention.

Reporting Concerns: If you believe your data rights have been breached, please get in touch with us immediately. We take these concerns seriously and will look into it as soon as possible.

Filing a Complaint

Your satisfaction with how we handle your personal data is paramount to us. If you have any concerns about the use of your personal data, please let us know via the email I've included. We are committed to addressing and resolving any issues promptly and effectively.

If you believe that your data protection rights have not been adhered to, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the Commission for Personal Data Protection (CPDP). If you would like guidance on filing a complaint and to understand more about your rights, please visit the CPDP's official website at https://www.cpdp.bg/. As the supervisory authority, the CPDP oversees compliance with data protection regulations and ensures that your rights are protected.

Disclaimer

  • Please be aware that continuous operation of our site, Deaf.bg, is not guaranteed. There may be interruptions or periods of downtime, either scheduled or unforeseen, for which we are not liable for any resultant damage to users.
  • We may occasionally suspend access to specific content or the entire website for indefinite periods. While we regret any inconvenience this may cause, we do not assume liability for any resultant impact.
  • At times, we might redirect users to other websites under our control. Users should be prepared to agree to the terms and conditions of these websites when they follow such links.
  • Additionally, we might direct users to third-party websites. Just so you know, we do not control these external sites and, therefore, cannot be held responsible for their content or reliability. We'd like to suggest that users exercise caution and consult the third-party site's terms and policies.
  • The content provided on our site is meant for general information purposes and should not be used as professional advice or consultation. We recommend that users seek specialist advice before they take any action based on the information provided on our site.
  • The information on the Site may be general and only cover some specifics or legal nuances of a particular situation. Therefore, we are not liable for the application of this information in complex situations or unique scenarios that may lead to adverse outcomes for the user. It's always best for you to consult with a professional or specialist for advice tailored to your particular situation.

Privacy Policy Changes

We reserve the right to update or modify the terms of this privacy policy at any time. Our commitment is to maintain clarity, accuracy, and transparency, ensuring that our policy reflects any changes in relevant legislation or operational practices. We regularly review and revise our privacy policy to stay aligned with new regulations and user needs. By continuing to use our website and services after these changes are posted, you are acknowledging and accepting these updates. We'd like to encourage you to review our privacy policy periodically to stay informed about how we are protecting the personal information we collect. Your continued use of our site and services is your agreement with this privacy policy and any updates.