Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy explains how the North Dorset Tourism Committee, Visit Dorset, Dorset County Council, and participating town councils (collectively referred to as "we," "us," or "our") collect, use, and protect your personal information when you use our website for the North Dorset Tourism Photo Competition (the "Competition"). We are committed to protecting your privacy and complying with applicable data protection laws.

1. Information We Collect:

When you participate in the Competition, we may collect the following information:

• Personal Information You Provide: This includes information you provide when registering for the Competition, such as your name, email address, postal address, phone number (optional), and any other information you choose to share in your profile or photo submission.
• Photo Submissions: This includes the photos you upload to the Competition website, along with any associated metadata (e.g., date, time, location) and captions you provide. Please be aware that photos you submit may be publicly visible on the website and potentially shared on social media or other platforms as part of the Competition promotion (see section 4).
• Technical Information: When you visit our website, we automatically collect certain technical information, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring website, pages viewed, and the date and time of your visit. This information is used for website administration, analytics, and to improve your user experience.
• Cookies: We may use cookies (small text files placed on your device) to collect information about your website usage. You can control cookies through your browser settings, but disabling cookies may affect the functionality of the website. We will provide a clear cookie notice on the website.
   

2. How We Use Your Information:

We use your information for the following purposes:

• Competition Administration: To manage the Competition, including registration, photo submissions, judging, prize awarding, and communication with participants.
• Photo Display and Promotion: To display your submitted photos on the Competition website, in online galleries, and potentially in marketing materials (e.g., social media, brochures, exhibitions) related to the Competition and North Dorset tourism. We will credit you as the photographer where possible.
• Communication: To contact you regarding the Competition, including updates, notifications, and prize information.
• Website Improvement: To analyse website usage and improve the functionality and user experience.
• Legal Compliance: To comply with applicable laws and regulations.

3. Sharing Your Information:

We may share your information with the following parties:  

• Competition Judges: Your photos and relevant information will be shared with the judges for the purpose of selecting winners.
• Participating Town Councils/Chamber of Commerce: Your photos and relevant information may be shared with participating town councils/Chamber of Commerce for promotional purposes related to the Competition and their respective areas.
• Service Providers: We may engage third-party service providers to assist with website hosting, data storage, email communication, and other services. These providers will have access to your information only to the extent necessary to perform their services and are contractually obligated to protect your privacy. 
• Legal Authorities: We may disclose your information to legal authorities if required by law or legal process.

4. Public Display of Photos:

By submitting photos to the Competition, you acknowledge and agree that your photos may be publicly displayed on the Competition website, in online galleries, in physical galleries, on the Visit Dorset website, and potentially in marketing materials related to the Competition and North Dorset tourism. This may include sharing on social media platforms. We will credit you as the photographer where possible. If you do not wish for your photos to be used in this way, please do not submit them to the competition.

5. Data Retention:

We will retain your information for as long as necessary to administer the Competition, promote the results (including potentially indefinitely for promotional purposes related to North Dorset tourism), and comply with legal obligations.

6. Your Rights:

You have the right to access, correct, or delete your personal information. You may also have the right to object to the processing of your information or request that we restrict the processing. To exercise these rights, please contact us at help@dorset.tech.

7. Children's Privacy:

Our website is not intended for use by children under the age of 16. Please ensure that a responsible adult supplies their contact details. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 16. If you become aware that a child under 16 has provided us with personal information, please contact us.

8. Changes to this Privacy Policy:

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. Any changes will be posted on this website.

9. Contact Us:

If you have any questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy, please contact the webmaster at: help@dorset.tech 

This Privacy Policy is effective as of 7th February 2025.