Effective Date: 1 January 2019

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The European Sociological Essay Olympiad (ESEO) values your privacy and is fully committed to protecting the personal information of all participants, delegation members, assessors, and contributors involved in the competition. This Privacy Policy outlines how we collect, use, store, and safeguard your personal data in compliance with applicable international data protection standards, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) where relevant.

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1. Data We Collect

We collect and process personal data necessary for the effective administration of the ESEO, including:

a) Participant Data:

• Full name

• Date of birth

• Nationality

• Contact email

• Submitted essays and academic submissions

• Affiliated delegation (if applicable)

b) Delegation and Contributor Data:

• Full name

• Professional role and qualifications

• Contact information

c) Technical and Website Data:

• IP address

• Browser type and version

• Pages visited and time spent on the site

• Referral URLs

• Cookies and tracking data (see Section 6)

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2. How We Use Your Information

Your personal information is used solely for legitimate, competition-related purposes including:

• Verifying eligibility and registration

• Coordinating participation and communication

• Organizing assessment, essay evaluation, and result reporting

• Maintaining records for transparency and archiving

• Disseminating anonymized statistical data on participation and outcomes

• Ensuring compliance with ethical and academic standards

Personal data is never sold or shared for commercial purposes.

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3. Data Sharing and Third-Party Involvement

The ESEO may, on occasion, involve qualified external assessors, doctoral candidates, or academic professionals in the assessment process or in the development of marking criteria. These individuals are granted access only to anonymized essays and evaluation materials and are contractually required to maintain strict confidentiality and abide by this Privacy Policy.

No third party will receive personal identifying information without explicit necessity and prior safeguards.

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 4. Data Security and Retention

All personal data is securely stored in encrypted, access-controlled systems managed by the ESEO Executive Board. Data is retained for a maximum of 5 years following the conclusion of each competition year, after which it is securely deleted or anonymized for archival reporting.

Physical and digital security measures are in place to prevent unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction of personal data.

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 5. Your Data Rights

In accordance with international data protection laws, including the GDPR, you have the right to:

• Access your personal data held by ESEO

• Request corrections to inaccurate or outdated information

• Request the deletion of your personal data, where applicable

• Withdraw your consent for data processing (which may affect your eligibility to participate)

To exercise these rights, contact the ESEO Data Protection Officer at privacy@eseo.eu.

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 6. Cookies and Website Tracking

The ESEO website uses cookies to improve functionality, enhance user experience, and gather analytical data on website traffic. Cookies are small text files placed on your device to collect standard internet log information and visitor behavior.

You have the option to accept or refuse cookies when visiting our site. Certain features of the site may not function properly if cookies are disabled.

Types of cookies used:

• Essential cookies: necessary for basic site functionality

• Performance cookies: anonymous analytics on site usage

• Preference cookies: remember language or user settings

By continuing to use our site, you consent to our use of cookies in accordance with this policy.

 

7. Ethical Compliance and Consent

By submitting an essay and participating in the ESEO, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy and the ESEO Code of Ethics. All personal data is processed lawfully, fairly, and transparently for academic and organizational purposes only.

 

8. Contact

For any questions, requests, or concerns regarding your personal data, please contact:

ethicscomittee@eusocolympiad.org