ART takes your privacy seriously
Most of you reading this article will, no doubt, have been bombarded recently with a succession of emails from different organisations seeking your consent to them continuing to send you email communications. As you may have gathered, this flurry of activity has been prompted by the introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) from 25th May this year. The new Regulation extends the rights of individuals to control what happens to the information organisations hold about them. In particular, you should now be asked for your specific consent to receiving marketing emails. There are also much-increased fines for organisations which misuse people’s data or are careless over its security.
ART is keen to comply with the new Regulation and this means we are changing some of the ways in which we work. If you are registered with us as a teacher or member there will be little change. We have updated our Privacy Policy, though, to give you more details of how we use your data. We issue you with a log-on to SmART Ringer, send you occasional emails or issue you with certificates of accreditation on the basis that, by signing up to the ART Training Scheme, ART has a “Legitimate Interest” in offering you these and other services. Please take a moment to read our new Privacy Policy on the ART website at: http://www.ringingteachers.org/about/policies-and-guidelines/privacy-policy
With new ringers joining Learning the Ropes we need to actively seek their consent to provide them with access to SmART Ringer and send them emails. This will be done in our initial email contact with them following their registration by their teacher. A special requirement for children under the age of 13 is that we get their parent’s consent to using their personal details.
Over the next few weeks and months ART will be introducing some minor changes to ensure that we are compliant with the GDPR. We will also be offering training to all our staff and volunteers to ensure that they are aware of the importance of data protection and follow good practice guidelines. ART is proud to say that we take your privacy seriously!
Les Boyce, ART Trustee