This privacy policy sets out how The Association of Photographers Limited (AOP) uses and protects any information that you give to the AOP when you use this website.

The AOP is committed to ensuring that your privacy is protected. Should we ask you to provide certain information from which you can be identified when using this website, then you can be assured that it will only be used in accordance with this privacy statement and with the requirements laid down by law in the Data Protection Act (DPA) 1998, The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations (PECR) 2003 and the new General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) 2018. We are registered as a data controller with the Information Commissioner’s Office under registration number Z464500X.

The AOP may change this policy from time to time by updating this page. You should check this page from time to time to ensure that you are happy with any changes. This policy is effective from 9 February 2018, last reviewed 12 April 2021.

What we collect

We may collect the following information:

• Your name, username or AOP membership number and job title
• Contact information including your email address, postal address and telephone number
• Demographic information such as postcode, preferences and interests
• Other information relevant to customer surveys and/or offers provided by us

What we do with the information we gather

We require this information to understand your needs and provide you with a better service, and in particular for the following reasons:

• Internal record-keeping and to administer any account that you might have with us.
• We may use the information to improve our products and services to you.
• We may periodically send promotional emails about new products, special offers or other information which we think you may find interesting using the email address which you have provided and given us consent to use.
• From time to time, we may also use your information to contact you for market research purposes. We may contact you by email, phone, fax or post but only in accordance with your expressed consent for such contact. We may also use the information to customise the website according to your interests.

The legal basis for processing your data

We collect this data from you on at least one of the following legal bases:

• That you have provided your explicit consent for us to do so.
• That we need to in order to fulfil our contractual obligations to you (which includes the provision of quotations or estimates as a result of a request from you).
• That we have a legitimate interest in doing so for our own commercial marketing activities where our use of your data is proportionate, has a minimal impact on your privacy and is an activity that you might reasonably expect us to be engaged in.

How long do we keep your personal information for?

We will only retain your personal information for the minimum time that is necessary. For some purposes such as our business accounting obligations, this length of time will be determined by legislation.

Controlling your personal information

You may choose to restrict the collection or use of your personal information in the following ways:

• Whenever you are asked to fill in a form on our website(s), look for the box or boxes that you can choose to tick to indicate that you agree or opt-in, so that the information can be used by us for direct marketing purposes. 
• Right to withdraw consent, data retention and the right to be forgotten – If you have previously agreed to us using your personal information for direct-marketing purposes, you may change your mind at any time by writing to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org. We will comply with your request within one month of receiving it. Please note, there may be certain circumstances such as a legal obligation we may have, that mean the right to be forgotten cannot be implemented but we will inform you of this should you contact us on this basis.
• Right of data portability – You have the right to request a copy of the data that we hold about you in order that you can reuse it for your own purposes across different services. This right is only applicable if you have given us explicit consent to process your data or if we have used it for the performance of any contract(s) we may have (had) with you. If you wish to do this, please write to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org. We will provide the information in a commonly used and machine-readable format free of charge.
• Right of access to your data – You may request details of personal information which we hold about you. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org.
• Right to rectification of inaccurate data – If you believe that any information we are holding on you is incorrect or incomplete, please write to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org as soon as possible. We will promptly rectify any information found to be incorrect.
• Right to object to processing of your data – You have a right to object to us using your data for marketing under the basis of ‘legitimate interests’ and if you wish to do so, please write to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org.

We will not sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required by law to do so. We may use your personal information to send you promotional information about third parties which we think you may find interesting but only if you tell us that you wish this to happen.

You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Data Protection Act 1998 and the GDPR 2018. This is free but in the case of manifestly unfounded or excessive/repetitive requests we reserve the right to charge a small administration fee of £10 + VAT.
If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to us at AOP, FAO: The Data Controller, The Association of Photographers Limited, 2nd Floor, 201 Haverstock Hill, London NW3 4QG or email us on info@the-aop.org

Security

We are committed to ensuring that your information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure, we have put in place appropriate physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect online. All your information is stored either electronically on our secure servers or in the case of paper documentation, in secured cabinets only accessible by the Data Controller or those nominated as AOP Data Processors.
Any password(s) which you might use to access the website or other platforms that are operated by the AOP using third-party providers (such as Posthaven and Groups.io) are your own responsibility and you undertake not to share them with anyone else, save as to making provisions in your will. If you believe your password(s) has/have been compromised, you must inform us straightaway and change it. 

Links to other websites

Our website may contain links to other websites of interest. However, once you have used these links to leave our site, you should note that we do not have any control over those other websites. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for the protection and privacy of any information which you provide whilst visiting such sites and such sites are not governed by this privacy statement. You should look at the privacy policy statement applicable to the website(s) in question.