The controller responsible for processing personal data on this website is:

For all questions about data protection, and to exercise your rights, please contact us at this address. If you are located in the EU/EEA and would like a local point of contact, write to the same email address and we will arrange it.

We only process personal data that is necessary for running the GCN directory and network. Depending on how you use the site, this includes:

a) Visiting the website. Our web server records technical data (IP address, date and time, pages requested, browser type, referring page). We use this to deliver the site securely and to detect abuse. Legal basis: legitimate interest (Art. 31 FADP; Art. 6(1)(f) GDPR). Server logs are deleted after a short period, normally within 30 days.

b) Creating an account. When you register we collect your first and last name, a username, your email address and a password (stored in hashed form). We use this data to provide your account, let you add and manage listings, and contact you about your account. Legal basis: performance of a contract (Art. 6(1)(b) GDPR). Optional social login (for example Google or Facebook) transfers your name, email address and profile picture from that provider to us; the provider’s own privacy policy applies to its side of the process.

c) Directory listings. If you add an organization, place, event, service, team, initiative, resource or person to the directory, the details you enter (for example name, description, address, email, phone, website, social media links, photos, languages, roles, and for people optionally a date of birth) are published on gcn.live and shown on the public map. You decide what to enter. Please enter only data that you are entitled to publish. Legal basis: your consent and the performance of the directory service (Art. 6(1)(a) and (b) GDPR). If you add a listing about another person, you confirm that this person has agreed to being listed and has been informed of this policy. Listing owners can edit or remove their listings at any time from their account.

d) Contact forms and enquiries. When you use a contact form or write to us, we process your name, email address and the content of your message to answer you. Legal basis: your consent and our legitimate interest in responding (Art. 6(1)(a) and (f) GDPR). Enquiries are deleted once handled, at the latest after 12 months, unless a longer retention is required by law.

e) Saved searches, favourites, claims, reviews and comments. If you save a search and ask for notifications, mark favourites, claim a listing, or post a review or comment, we store this together with your account or email address so that we can provide the function. Legal basis: performance of a contract and consent. You can delete saved searches and favourites yourself; reviews and comments can be removed on request.

f) Shop and orders. If you order something in our shop, we process your name, billing and delivery address, email address, telephone number and order details to fulfil the order and meet accounting obligations. Payment data is processed by the payment provider you choose; we do not store card numbers. Legal basis: performance of a contract and legal obligation (Art. 6(1)(b) and (c) GDPR). Accounting records are kept for 10 years as required by Swiss law.

g) Newsletters and network communication. We only send you news or event information by email if you have signed up for it or are a registered member of the network. You can unsubscribe at any time using the link in each email or by writing to us.

Cookies. The site sets technically necessary cookies, for example to keep you logged in, to remember your chosen location in the directory and to protect forms from abuse. These do not require consent. We do not use advertising cookies. If we introduce analytics or other optional cookies, we will ask for your consent first.

Maps. Directory pages show maps provided by a map service (Google Maps or OpenStreetMap). When a map loads, your browser sends your IP address to that provider. The provider’s privacy policy applies to that transfer.

Spam protection. Some forms use a CAPTCHA service (such as Google reCAPTCHA, hCaptcha or Cloudflare Turnstile) to prevent automated abuse. The service may process your IP address and browser information for this purpose.

Embedded content. Some listings embed videos or other content from external platforms (for example YouTube or Vimeo). Loading such content transfers data to those platforms.

Social media. Links to our profiles on Facebook, X, LinkedIn and Instagram are plain links. No data is transferred to these networks until you click the link.

We share personal data only as far as necessary to operate the site:

• Our web hosting and backup providers, who store the website and its database on our behalf under a data processing agreement.
• Our email delivery provider, for account emails, notifications and replies.
• Map, CAPTCHA and social login providers as described above.
• Payment providers, for shop orders.
• Public authorities, where we are legally obliged to disclose data.

Published directory content (listings, reviews, public profiles) is by nature visible to everyone who visits the site, including search engines.

Some of these providers are located outside Switzerland and the EU/EEA, in particular in the United States. Where this is the case, we rely on an adequacy decision of the Swiss Federal Council or the European Commission (for example the Swiss-U.S. and EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework) or on standard contractual clauses to protect your data.

We keep personal data only as long as necessary for the purpose it was collected for. Account data is kept while your account exists and deleted within 30 days after you close it. Directory listings remain published until you or we remove them. Contact enquiries are deleted once handled, at the latest after 12 months. Order and accounting records are kept for 10 years. Server logs are deleted within 30 days. Backups are overwritten on a rolling basis.

Under the FADP and the GDPR you have the right to:

• obtain information about the personal data we hold about you (access);
• have inaccurate data corrected;
• have your data deleted, unless we are legally required to keep it;
• restrict or object to processing that is based on our legitimate interest;
• receive the data you have provided to us in a common, machine-readable format (data portability);
• withdraw consent you have given at any time, with effect for the future.

To exercise these rights, email info@gcn.live. We may ask you to confirm your identity before acting on a request. We answer within 30 days.

You also have the right to lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority. In Switzerland this is the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner (FDPIC), Feldeggweg 1, 3003 Bern, www.edoeb.admin.ch. If you live in the EU/EEA, you can contact the data protection authority of your country of residence.

The website is delivered over an encrypted connection (HTTPS). Passwords are stored in hashed form only. Access to the administration area is limited to authorised persons. We keep software up to date and make regular backups. Despite these measures, no transmission over the internet can be guaranteed to be completely secure.

The directory is intended for adults and for organizations. Persons under 16 may only register or be listed with the consent of a parent or guardian. If you believe a child’s data has been added without such consent, please contact us and we will remove it.

We may update this privacy policy when the website or the legal requirements change. The current version is always published on this page together with its date. Where changes materially affect registered users, we will inform them by email.