Privacy Policy and Notice

 

 

Last updated May 4, 2026

This privacy notice discloses the privacy practices for this website

 

 

1. Information Collection, Use, and Sharing

We are the sole owners of the information collected on this site. We only have access to/collect information that you voluntarily give us via email, registration forms, or other direct contact from you.

  • Sharing & Selling: We do not sell or rent your information to third parties. We may “share” information with trusted Service Providers (as defined below) solely to facilitate event logistics, payment processing, and website analytics.

  • Communication: Unless you ask us not to, we may contact you via email in the future to tell you about SME Forum updates, new services, or changes to this privacy policy.

 

 

2. European Union & UK Members: Your Rights (GDPR)

If you are from the European Economic Area (EEA) or the United Kingdom, our legal basis for collecting and using your personal information depends on the context of collection. We act as a Data Controller and process your information because:

  • We need to perform a contract with you (e.g., event registration).

  • You have given us explicit permission.

  • The processing is in our legitimate interests (e.g., professional networking and benchmarking) and is not overridden by your rights.

  • Data Transfers: Personal data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. We ensure such transfers are protected by the EU-U.S. Data Privacy Framework or Standard Contractual Clauses.

Your Rights: You have the right to Access, Rectification, Erasure (The “Right to be Forgotten”), Objection, and Data Portability. To exercise these rights, contact us at SMEForum@thesmeforum.net.

 

3. US State Privacy Rights (CCPA, NJDPA, and others)

Residents of various US states, including California and New Jersey, have specific rights regarding their personal data:

  • Right to Know: You may request the categories and specific pieces of data we have collected.

  • Right to Delete: You may request the deletion of your personal data, subject to legal exceptions (such as billing records).

  • Right to Opt-Out: We do not sell personal information for monetary value. However, you may opt-out of the “sharing” of your data for cross-contextual behavioral advertising.

  • Global Privacy Control (GPC): Our website is configured to honor GPC signals sent by your browser.

 

 

4. AI and Automated Processing

In line with our commitment to innovation and the EU AI Act, we disclose that we may use automated systems or AI-driven tools to assist in organizing forum content, optimizing member communications, or enhancing website security. We do not use AI for “high-risk” profiling or automated decision-making that produces legal effects concerning our members.

 

5. Service Providers & Payments

We employ third-party companies (e.g., Stripe, GiveWP, Liquid Web) to facilitate our Website and process transactions. These third parties have access to your personal information only to perform specific tasks on our behalf and are strictly obligated not to disclose or use it for any other purpose.

 

6. Cookies and Tracking

We use “cookies” to help us improve your access to our site and identify repeat visitors.

  • Google Analytics 4 (GA4): We use GA4 to analyze site traffic. GA4 anonymizes IP addresses at the point of collection in the EEA/UK. Google’s ability to use and share information is restricted by their Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can prevent Google Analytics from recognizing you on return visits by disabling cookies in your browser or using the GPC signal.

 

 

7. Security

We make commercially reasonable efforts to protect sensitive information transmitted online and offline. Only employees or verified contractors who need the information to perform a specific job (for example, billing, design, or customer service) are granted access to personally identifiable information. The servers in which we store PII are kept in a secure environment.

 

8. Contact Forms & Links

This website contains forms for inquiries and appointments. Information provided is used only to contact you about the services in which you have expressed interest. This site may also contain links to other sites; please be aware that we are not responsible for the content or privacy practices of such other sites.

 

9. Contact Us

If you feel that we are not abiding by this privacy policy, or if you wish to exercise your data rights, please contact us immediately:

  • Telephone: +1-917-561-9553

  • Email: SMEForum@thesmeforum.net