The Institute of Analytics (the trading name for The Society of Analytics, referred to as "We", "Us", or "Our") is committed to protecting and respecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your personal data when you visit our website, utilize the IoA Member Portal, or interact with our opt-in AI Chatbot.
By using our Service, you acknowledge the collection and use of information in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
1. Definitions & Interpretation
- Account: A unique account created for You to access our Service or parts of our Service.
- Data Controller: The legal entity which alone or jointly with others determines the purposes and means of the processing of Personal Data. For the purposes of this policy, the Data Controller is The Institute of Analytics, UK.
- Data Subject / You: Any identified or identifiable living person using our Service. Under GDPR, you are the Data Subject or the User.
- Service: The Website, API, AI Chatbot, and interface accessible via the IoA Member Portal (https://ioaglobal.org/).
- Service Provider (Data Processor): Any natural or legal person who processes data on behalf of the Company to facilitate, provide, or analyze the Service.
- Personal Data: Any information relating to an identified or identifiable individual.
- Under GDPR: Includes identifiers such as a name, ID number, location data, online identifier, or factors specific to physical, physiological, economic, cultural, or social identity.
- Under CCPA: Any information that identifies, relates to, describes, or could reasonably be linked, directly or indirectly, with You or your household.
2. Data Collection & How We Collect It
We collect personal data directly from your inputs, automatically through your interactions with our platform, and via third-party integrations.
2.1 Data You Provide Directly
While using our Service (including member registration, member dashboards, contact forms, or interactive tools), we may ask you to provide:
- First name and last name
- Email address and telephone number
- Postal Address (Street, Province, ZIP/Postal Code, City, Country)
- Occupation/Professional data
- Platform interaction and performance data
- AI Chatbot Transcripts: Any text prompts, questions, or personal details you voluntarily enter into our opt-in AI Chatbot.
2.2 Data Collected Automatically (Usage Data)
Usage Data is collected automatically when navigating our platform to ensure security, fraud prevention, and optimized performance. This includes:
- Internet Protocol (IP) address, browser type, and browser version.
- The specific pages of our Service that you visit, the date and time of your visit, and time spent on those pages.
- Unique device identifiers, mobile operating system data, and diagnostic configurations.
2.3 Tracking & Cookie Technologies
We use cookies, pixels, web beacons, and tags to track activity, remember your preferences, and improve our services.
| Cookie / Technology Type |
Administered By |
Purpose |
| Necessary / Essential (Session) |
Us (Internal) |
Essential for user authentication, secure account access, and preventing fraudulent account usage. |
| Functionality Cookies (Persistent) |
Us (Internal) |
Remembers your choices, such as login details, to provide a personalised user experience. |
| Tracking and Analytics (Persistent) |
Third Parties |
Monitors website performance, records user behaviours and creates heatmaps to optimise layout. |
| Marketing and Retargeting (Persistent) |
Third Parties |
Tracks ad campaign performance and serves relevant updates across social platforms. |
Specific Third-Party Tools Deployed:
- Google Analytics (GA4): Tracks website visitor counts, page views, average session duration, and bounce rates to measure product and service performance.
- Microsoft Clarity: Generates heatmaps and session recordings to deeply understand user behavior and web interaction friction.
- Meta Ads, Meta Pixels, & Meta Business Suite: Measures advertising efficacy and tracks user interactions for targeted communications.
- Google Ads: Evaluates traffic generated from search engine campaigns.
- Cookiebot: Used to manage user cookie preferences and regulatory consent banners.
- Auth0: Use to manage logins securely.
2.4 Payments & Automated Renewals
We provide paid products and membership tiers within our Service. To facilitate uninterrupted service, memberships are configured for automated renewal at the end of each billing cycle, unless cancelled by the user.
In order to securely process initial payments and subsequent automated renewals, we utilize third-party services for payment processing (e.g., payment processors).
We do not directly store or collect your raw payment card details on our own internal servers. That information is provided directly to our third-party payment processor, Stripe, whose use of your personal information is governed by their independent Privacy Policy. Stripe safely retains the necessary payment credentials required to execute your automated recurring renewal transactions.
These payment processes adhere to the strict standards set by PCI-DSS as managed by the PCI Security Standards Council, which is a joint effort of brands like Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. PCI-DSS requirements help ensure the secure handling of payment and recurring billing information.
- Processor Deployed: Stripe (a PCI Level 1 Service Provider)
3. The Opt-In AI Chatbot Infrastructure
We offer an interactive AI Chatbot designed to answer your questions about our services.
- Opt-In Basis: The chatbot is strictly opt-in. No data is processed by the AI until you explicitly click to engage with the tool.
- The Technology: The chatbot utilizes the OpenAI Assistants API.
- Data Isolation & Security: We utilize a secure, ring-fenced deployment. We upload our official, internal documentation directly to the Assistant interface to restrict the AI's responses exclusively to verified IoA information.
- No Model Training: Per our enterprise terms with our provider, your conversational inputs and transcripts are treated as confidential, stored securely, and are not used by OpenAI to train or improve their public foundational models.
4. How We Use Your Personal Data
The Institute of Analytics uses your data under clear legal bases for the following operational, commercial, and legal purposes:
- To Provide and Maintain Our Service: Including running the website, maintaining your Member Dashboard, managing your registration, and running the AI Chatbot.
- Personalization and User Experience: Customizing our portal layout, dashboard interfaces, and communication preferences to match your profile.
- Security and Fraud Prevention: Processing network telemetry and IP addresses to detect security incidents, defend against malicious, deceptive, or illegal activity, and prosecute threats if necessary.
- Customer Support and Engagement: Reviewing your inquiries (via email or chatbot transcripts) to resolve issues and fulfill requested services.
- Contractual & Financial Performance: Processing transactions securely via our PCI-DSS Level 1 compliant provider, Stripe (will retain data for renewals purposes which you can opt out of).
- Communications: Sending newsletters, event invitations, or promotional material if you have consented to receive them or have an active relationship with us (you may opt out at any time).
5. Sharing & Retention of Data
5.1 Data Sharing
We do not sell your personal data. We only share information with vetted Service Providers under strict Data Processing Agreements:
- Infrastructure Processors: Google (Workspace/Gmail), Mailchimp (Email Marketing), and Stripe (Payment Processing).
- AI Infrastructure: OpenAI (via secure API endpoints for chatbot execution).
- Analytics Partners: Google Analytics and Microsoft Clarity.
- Legal Disclosures: We may disclose your data if mandated by applicable law, court orders, or valid requests from law enforcement.
5.2 Data Retention
- Standard Account Data: Retained for 3 years from the date of account closure, or sooner upon a valid erasure request.
- Chatbot Transcripts: Automated interaction text logs are retained only as long as necessary to fulfill support inquiries and analyze chatbot efficacy before being purged.
- Usage Data: Generally retained for short analytical windows, unless required longer for system security reinforcement.
5.3 International Data Transfers
Your data is processed at our operating offices in the UK and across secure cloud environments managed by our global service providers. When transferring data outside the UK/EEA (such as to US-based server environments), we ensure adequate safeguards—such as Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs) and robust security configurations—are actively maintained.
6. Your Regulatory Rights
6.1 UK & EU GDPR Rights
If you are located in the UK or European Economic Area (EEA), you possess the following statutory rights under data protection laws:
- Right to Access: Request a machine-readable copy of all personal data we hold about you.
- Right to Rectification: Request corrections to incomplete or inaccurate data.
- Right to Erasure ("Right to be Forgotten"): Request deletion of your personal data when there is no overriding legal basis to continue processing it.
- Right to Object / Restrict Processing: Object to direct marketing or processing based entirely on our legitimate interests.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Instantly withdraw consent for any opt-in mechanism (such as cookies, marketing, or the AI chatbot) without prejudice.
To exercise these rights, contact us at hello@ioaglobal.com. If unsatisfied with our response, you have the right to lodge a complaint with your local supervisory body (e.g., the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) in the UK).
6.2 California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) Rights
For residents of California, you hold specific consumer rights regarding data transparency:
- Right to Know/Notice: Understand what categories of data we collect, its sources, and business purposes (detailed in Sections 2 and 4 above).
- Right to Delete: Request deletion of personal information, subject to standard legal carve-outs (e.g., completing ongoing transactions or legal compliance).
- Right to Non-Discrimination: We will never deny services, alter quality levels, or change pricing tiers because you exercised your privacy rights.
- Note on Sales/Sharing: The Institute of Analytics does not sell personal information for monetary or valuable consideration.
7. Contact Us
For any privacy-related inquiries, data access requests, or questions regarding our AI chatbot deployment, please connect with us directly:
