Privacy Statement for The Cohere Website

1. Introduction

1.1. This statement sets out how we will use and protect personal information that you provide to us when you use the The Cohere website (http://cohere.open.ac.uk) ('Site') in accordance with UK data protection requirements and in particular the Data Protection Act 1998 ("the Act").

1.2. As we are established and based in the UK we are required to comply with the Act. If you are resident outside the UK then we cannot confirm that our collection and treatment of personal data is compliant with your local data protection/privacy laws. If you do not agree to your data being dealt with in the manner described in this statement then please do not submit your personal details to the Site. However, please note that where you do not submit the personal details that we request, your access to the services/materials offered by this Site may be restricted.

1.3. For your protection The Open University is notified as a Data Controller under the Act.

2. Your personal information

2.1. By default, all of the personal information you upload to this Site is available to everyone who uses this Site, with the exception of your email address. We store this so that we can operate this Site and contact you about this Site when we need to. We will not make your email address available to anyone outside the team operating this Site, unless required to by law.

2.2. If you allow this Site access to your data stored on another site/other sites, this Site will maintain the rights settings and privacy levels that you have selected for the data on that site/those sites.

2.3. We use third-party analytics on this Site. These capture information about the use of this Site. The team operating this Site will use this data to help us monitor and improve this Site.

3. What do we do with the information we collect?

3.1. We will use the personal information you provide for the following purposes:

a.      to process registrations;

b.      to supply and improve services to you;

c.      to provide services to users of the Site;

d.      to carry out research to help us monitor, plan and improve our services (for this purpose we and/or outside research agencies (on our behalf) may contact you in the manners described below);

e.      to produce statistical information for publication;

f.       to analyse patterns and trends of use;

g.      to provide information to other organisations, in line with legal and government requirements;

h.      to make sure we carry out your instructions correctly; and

i.       to enable third party service providers to provide services to us.

3.2. By providing the information described above to us you expressly consent to us and this Site using that information for the purposes described in this privacy statement.

4. Direct Marketing

4.1. By registering to use this Site and providing your personal data to us you are giving us your permission to hold and process your data.

4.2. We would like to provide you with information about new products, services and other information which we think you might find interesting.

4.3. You can change your mind at any time by contacting the Data Protection Coordinator (KMi - Cohere) at PO Box 497, The Open University, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AT.

5. Who do we share this information with?

5.1. We will not transfer, disclose, sell, distribute or lease your personal information to third parties unless we have your permission or are required to do so by law.

6. How to get copies of the information we have collected

6.1. You may request details of personal information which we hold about you under the Act. A small fee will be payable. If you would like a copy of the information held on you please write to the Data Protection Coordinator (KMi - Cohere) at PO Box 497, The Open University, Walton Hall, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AT or email olnet-ci@open.ac.uk.

6.2. If you think that any information we have about you is incorrect or incomplete please contact us. We will correct or update any information as soon as possible.

7. Security of Data

7.1. We are committed to ensuring that your personal information is secure. In order to prevent unauthorised access or disclosure we have put in place suitable physical, electronic and managerial procedures to safeguard and secure the information we collect on-line.

8. Cookies

8.1. We use cookies in relation to certain areas of the Site. Cookies are files which store information on your hard drive or browser which means that we can recognise that you have visited the Site before. Cookies can make it easier for you to maintain your preferences on the Site. By seeing how you use the Site we can tailor the Site around users' preferences and measure the general usability of the Site. In particular, we may use cookies to identify which pages are being most frequently used. This information is used for statistical analysis.

8.2. If you prefer not to receive cookies while browsing our website, you can set your computer or mobile device to refuse them, but this may impair your experience of the Site. You may find more information on cookies by clicking on the following link http://www.allaboutcookies.org.

For more detailed information see Cookie use on Cohere

Complete Agreement

This privacy statement, including the associated Terms and Conditions of Use, contain all the terms applicable to your use of this Site. Nothing contained on this Site is intended to be nor should be construed as an offer by us to enter into a contractual relationship with you or anyone else, except on these Terms.

Jurisdiction and acceptance of these Terms

1.      These Terms and any dispute in relation to the materials available from this Site will be governed by English law. The English courts have exclusive jurisdiction to settle any disputes which may arise out of or in connection with these terms or use of this Site.

2.      Your continued use of The Cohere website indicates your acceptance these Terms.