Effective Date: March 04, 2024

V1 Studio, a non-profit organization based in Montreal, Quebec, is devoted to advancing entrepreneurial success while ensuring the privacy and security of personal information under the standards set by Quebec’s Law 25. V1 Studio manages the QcSE website and all programming related to QcSE Our Privacy Policy is crafted to give you a comprehensive understanding of how we collect, use, process, protect, and share your data, reflecting our commitment to transparency, accountability, and data protection excellence.

Compliance with Law 25

V1 Studio rigorously adheres to Quebec’s Law 25 to protect personal information, implementing the following measures to ensure compliance:

• Detailed Transparency: We provide clear information about the collection, processing, and purpose of the personal data we handle, ensuring our users are well-informed of their data rights and our privacy practices.
• Robust Accountability: A designated Data Protection Officer oversees our data protection strategy, ensuring alignment with Law 25 and serving as a point of contact for any privacy-related inquiries.
• Principle of Data Minimization: We limit the collection of personal information to what is strictly necessary for the services provided, ensuring no excess data is processed.
• Enhanced Security Protocols: We deploy advanced security measures, including encryption, access control, and continuous monitoring, to safeguard personal data against unauthorized access, disclosure, or loss.

Information Collection and Purposeful Utilization

• Extensive Data Collection:

• • Personal Identification Information: Names, email addresses, contact numbers, and professional affiliations enable us to offer tailored communication, and support.
  • Engagement and Usage Data: We track interactions with our services, including website visits, resource utilization, and communication patterns, to enhance our offerings and user experience.

Web Analytics Partner Information Collection

The QcSE website utilizes the web analytics tools Google Analytics, which is provided by Google.

This partner collects information through cookies or similar technology. It uses this information to generate statistics and reports on website navigation. This data helps V1 Studio to understand how you use our website, to better know your interests, and to provide you with services that meet your needs. Where applicable, they also assist V1 Studio in personalizing promotional campaign efforts and enhancing their performance measurement.

Data, including your IP address, is stored by Google on servers located in the United States and elsewhere.

You can install the Google Analytics opt-out browser add-on on your computer. This add-on prevents Google Analytics from recording data about your visits. It is important to note that even if the add-on is installed, some data may still be stored by V1 Studio. To opt out of Google Analytics, please visit: https://tools.google.com/dlpage/gaoptout?hl=en.

For more information on the use of Google Analytics, please visit: http://www.google.com/analytics/.

Comprehensive Cookie Usage:

• We categorize our cookies for clarity and user choice:
  • Essential Cookies: Crucial for website functionality and security, facilitating user authentication, and session management.
  • Performance and Optimization Cookies: Enable us to analyze website performance and user interaction, aiding in optimizing our services for better user engagement.
  • Functional Preferences Cookies: Remember user preferences and settings to provide a customized experience.
  • Advanced Analytics Cookies: Collect comprehensive data on service usage to guide our strategic planning and improve service relevance.
  • Targeted Advertising Cookies: Utilized judiciously to present users with relevant advertising based on their interaction with our services.

Data Retention, Security, and Integrity

• We maintain personal data only for the duration necessary to fulfill the identified purposes or as mandated by law, after which it is securely disposed of or anonymized.
• Our data protection measures are designed to ensure the integrity, confidentiality, and availability of user data, regularly reviewed and updated to combat emerging security threats.

Access to Collected Personal Information

By V1 Studio Staff Members

Information collected via email or web forms on the website is stored by V1 Studio and may be used by employees to respond to your inquiry or, when you subscribe to the newsletter, to provide you with information via email related to their mandate of communication with the scientific community and mobilization of research knowledge.

Only staff members who require access to personal information as part of their duties have access to it. The following categories of individuals may have access to this information:

• V1 Studio employees capable of addressing your inquiry or request (administrative technician or program manager)
• Communications department employees
• Privacy officers (persons responsible for access to information and protection of personal information)

By Certain Service Providers

When necessary, some of the identification and website usage information may be disclosed to service providers. V1 Studio currently collaborates with a newsletter manager (Mailchimp). This service provider has access only to the information required to provide the requested services. They are prohibited from using this information for any other purpose and from disclosing it to any other individuals.

User Empowerment and Rights

• Users are entitled to access, correct, delete, or port their data, object to its processing, and withdraw consent, in line with Law 25’s provisions.
• Automated Decision-Making Disclosures: If employed, we clearly outline our use of automated decision-making systems, including their scope, purpose, and implications for user data.

International Data Transfer Compliance

• Should data transfer across borders be necessary, V1 Studio ensures such actions comply with Law 25, employing strict safeguards to maintain data protection equivalency.

Data Breach Notification Protocol

• In alignment with Law 25, we have instituted rigorous mechanisms for detecting, reporting, and addressing data breaches, ensuring timely communication with affected individuals and regulatory bodies.

Policy Review and Modification

• Our Privacy Policy is subject to periodic evaluation and amendments to reflect changes in legal regulations, operational practices, or technological advancements, with substantive modifications communicated to our users.

Inquiries and Grievance Redressal

• For detailed inquiries, exercising user rights, or addressing grievances related to privacy, please contact our dedicated Data Protection Officer via privacy@v1.studio.

By utilizing V1 Studio’s services, you acknowledge having read, understood, and agreed to the stipulations outlined in this detailed Privacy Policy, affirming our collective commitment to data privacy and protection.