Privacy Policy

Last updated: May 2026

This Privacy Policy explains how the Global Summit on Biotechnology, Genomics & Bioengineering (GSBG 2027) organising secretariat (“we”, “us”) collects, uses, shares and protects personal data when you interact with GSBG 2027 — whether by browsing this website, submitting a form, registering as a delegate, presenting an abstract, sponsoring, or downloading materials. It applies to data subjects in every jurisdiction and includes specific notices for residents of the European Economic Area (EEA), the United Kingdom, and California.

1. Information We Collect

We collect personal data only when you provide it through one of the forms on this site. The categories below map to the specific touchpoints:

• Registration form (/register) — title, full name, email address, alternate email, phone number, country, affiliation, dietary requirements, accompanying-person details, accommodation preferences, and billing information.
• Abstract submission form (/call-for-abstract-submission) — author name, affiliation, email, co-author details, abstract title and body, uploaded files (Word, PDF) and presenter preferences.
• Contact / Enquiry form (/contact) — name, email, phone and message content.
• Sponsor & Exhibitor enquiry (/sponsor-exhibitor) — company name, contact name, role, email, phone, country and sponsorship interests.
• Brochure / programme download (modal on multiple pages) — name, email, phone, country, area of interest and optional message.
• Technical data — IP address, browser type and version, device information, referring URL, and pages visited, collected automatically via server logs and analytics cookies.
• Bot-protection data — when a form is submitted, hCaptcha collects technical signals (IP, device fingerprint, mouse/keystroke timing) to verify you are a human. We do not see or store this data ourselves.

We do not knowingly collect special-category data (health, race, religious beliefs, etc.). Please do not include such data in free-text fields.

2. Legal Basis for Processing (EEA / UK Residents)

Where the GDPR or UK GDPR applies, we process your data under one or more of these lawful bases:

• Contract (Art. 6(1)(b)) — to deliver the conference services you registered for (badge, certificate, sessions, accommodation).
• Consent (Art. 6(1)(a)) — for optional marketing about future editions and for sharing your details with sponsors. You may withdraw consent at any time without affecting prior processing.
• Legitimate interest (Art. 6(1)(f)) — to secure the site (bot protection, fraud prevention), respond to enquiries, and improve our services.
• Legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(c)) — to comply with tax, accounting and law-enforcement requirements.

3. How We Use Your Information

• Process registrations, abstracts, sponsorships and brochure requests
• Send transactional emails — confirmations, receipts, programme updates and invitation letters for visa applications
• Issue certificates of attendance, presentation certificates and invoices
• Operate the website (security, performance, abuse prevention)
• Plan future editions and improve the delegate experience
• Send marketing about future conferences — only where you have given consent (you can opt out at any time via the unsubscribe link in every email)

4. Third-Party Processors

We do not sell your personal data. We share it only with the following processors, each bound by a written data-processing agreement:

• SCON Conferences CMS — receives every form submission as the system of record for the secretariat.
• hCaptcha (Intuition Machines, Inc.) — bot-detection on every form. See the hCaptcha Privacy Policy.
• PayPal Holdings, Inc. — processes registration payments. We never see or store your full card number or CVV. See the PayPal Privacy Statement.
• Email delivery provider — transactional and (where consented) marketing email.
• Hotel booking partner — when you select an accommodation option on the registration form, the relevant fields (name, dates, dietary needs) are forwarded to the booking partner only.
• Sponsors — your details are only shared with a sponsor where you have explicitly opted in to that sponsor’s programme.
• Competent authorities — where disclosure is required by law, court order, or to protect our rights.

5. International Data Transfers

GSBG 2027 is held in the United States; our processors may be located in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom and other jurisdictions. Where data is transferred out of the EEA or UK, we rely on (i) Standard Contractual Clauses approved by the European Commission, (ii) the UK Addendum where applicable, and (iii) the EU-US Data Privacy Framework where the recipient is certified.

6. Cookies & Analytics

This site uses cookies in three categories:

• Strictly necessary — session, security, CSRF protection, hCaptcha. Cannot be disabled.
• Analytics — aggregated traffic and page-view statistics so we can improve the site. No personally identifiable data is exposed to analytics scripts.
• Marketing — only loaded if you give explicit consent.

You can disable non-essential cookies in your browser settings or via any cookie banner shown on the site. Disabling necessary cookies will break login and form submission.

7. Data Security

We use industry-standard technical and organisational measures: TLS 1.3 in transit, access control on the secretariat CMS, restricted administrative access, audit logging, and isolation of payment data with our PCI-DSS-compliant payment provider. No system is perfectly secure; if we become aware of a personal data breach affecting your rights, we will notify you and the relevant supervisory authority in line with applicable law.

8. Data Retention

• Registration & payment records — 7 years (tax / accounting requirements).
• Abstracts, proceedings & certificates — retained indefinitely as part of the permanent scientific record. Authors retain copyright; we hold a license to publish.
• Enquiry & brochure-request data — 24 months after last contact, then deleted or anonymised.
• Marketing consent records — retained until consent is withdrawn, plus 12 months to evidence the withdrawal.
• Server logs — 90 days.

9. Your Rights

Subject to local law, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Request correction of inaccurate data
• Request deletion (“right to be forgotten”)
• Restrict or object to processing
• Receive your data in a portable format
• Withdraw consent at any time
• Lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority (e.g. your national data-protection regulator)

To exercise any of these rights, email info@biotechnologyconference.com. We respond within 30 days.

10. Notice for California Residents (CCPA / CPRA)

In the prior 12 months we collected the categories of personal information described in section 1 for the purposes described in section 3. We do not “sell” or “share” personal information for cross-context behavioural advertising. California residents may request to know, delete or correct their personal information, and may exercise these rights without discrimination, by emailing info@biotechnologyconference.com.

11. Children’s Privacy

The conference is intended for an adult professional audience. We do not knowingly collect data from children under 16. If you believe a minor has provided us data, please contact us so we can delete it.

12. Updates to This Policy

We may update this policy periodically. The “Last updated” date at the top reflects the most recent revision. Material changes are communicated to registered delegates by email at least 30 days before they take effect.

13. Contact

For any privacy question or to exercise any right described above, contact the GSBG 2027 secretariat at info@biotechnologyconference.com.